Smart home cameras are very commonplace today, and many people agree that having them around the outside of your home is a good idea, especially for security reasons. But what about smart cameras inside of your home?
Some people are skeptical about the idea of having an object inside of their home that’s able to watch and record practically their every move.
What many may be surprised to know, however, is that having smart cameras inside of their homes may actually be a good thing. Smart cameras inside of your home can actually prove to be just as useful as outdoor cameras. How so?
Why Install Indoor Cameras
Having smart cameras inside your home can present a variety of advantages:
- Even though they’re great for all homes, they may be of particular interest to those who rent. Places where landlords and service personnel may have access to your home when you’re not there, may make you feel the need to have a little security to make sure things are fine when you’re away.
- Smart home camera apps give you the ability to keep track of the activity going on in your home from one screen. For example, if you happen to be using multiple cameras throughout your home, these apps let you see all of your camera feed from one screen.
- Indoor cameras are also useful for those who have pets. When you come home to a mess, you want to know which one of your precious pooches is responsible for the garbage that’s strewn about the floor. With cameras recording while you're not there, now you know! It’s also helpful to keep a general eye on your furry, or feathered friends, and even talk to them while you’re away – further helping them stay out of trouble, and even reassuring anxious pets.
- Parents too can find these cameras helpful for nurseries, where they can check in on sleeping babies without walking into the room and potentially waking them from a peaceful rest. Even when little ones are up and about, and you have to step out of the room for a moment, cameras can help you catch anything they’re up to, so you know to rush back sooner than later.
- Just like outdoor cameras, they’re also helpful in case of burglary. If you happen to be away and a burglar actually makes their way into your home, you can see where in the house they’re located when you notify authorities. You can also see what exactly they took or are taking.
Common Indoor Smart Cameras
While there are many brands of smart home cameras on the market today, some of the most popular are Ring, Wyze, Eufy, and Google Nest.
Ring is probably one of the most popular of all. While they have a wide variety of outdoor cameras, their indoor selection is limited to only a couple. They have the Ring Indoor Cam which is wired, as well as the battery-operated Stick-Up cam which can be used indoors and outdoors.
Another popular option is Wyze. They tend to be a fan favorite because their cameras are among the cheapest, without sacrificing quality. They have options such as the Wyze Indoor Cam v2 and v3, as well as the Wyze Cam Pan. While the Wyze Cam is stationary, the Wyze Cam Pan can actually rotate and track the source of any movement as it moves across the room. Wyze Cams are also conveniently small and easily placed in your home.
Google Nest also has a couple of options that many consumers like. Much like Ring’s Stick Up Cam, the battery-operated NestCam can be used both indoors and outdoors. They also make a Nest Indoor cam, which, as its name suggests, can only be used indoors. The Nest Indoor Cam is also wired, so instead of a battery powering the camera, it will need to be plugged into an outlet.
Another brand, Eufy also offers a couple of options for Indoor cameras – the Solo IndoorCam C24 (which is often available below $40) and P24. Much like the Wyze Cam Pan, the P24 can turn and track motion, while the C24 is your typical stationary indoor smart camera.
These are just a few of the smart home cameras available on the market today. With the wide variety, there’s an option for every home and budget.
Do Insurance Providers Offer Discounts For Cameras?
The answer to this question depends a lot on the type of cameras you have installed, as well as the individual home insurance company.
In general, home insurance companies are more often open to offering discounts if the cameras are part of an entire alarm system, not just standalone cameras.
Ring offers one such option with the Ring Alarm Security System. Especially when coupled with the optional paid subscription, Ring Protect Pro, this full-service alarm system is just what insurance companies are looking for.
With the cameras being connected to the Ring Alarm base, they become part of a whole security system that can alert the proper authorities should events such as fire or burglary occur. This in turn helps ensure the safety and security of your home, and makes your insurance provider more inclined to offer a discount.
Other popular alarm systems that work with their respective smart cameras are Wyze and Eufy. While you have to pay for an extra plan with Wyze, Eufy offers the entire security system bundle without an extra subscription.
Controlling The Privacy of Indoor Cameras
While having smart indoor cameras are great for protecting you and your home, you may not want them recording everything that goes on. After all, it’s your home and you still want some privacy.
Fortunately, most smart home camera manufacturers have built-in privacy safeguards in their apps so that these cameras only record what you want them to, when you want them to.
One such option is deciding what you want to be able to trigger recording. Wyze, for example, gives you the option of having either Motion, Sound, or both, trigger recording.
When it comes to the Wyze Cam Pan, you can even turn off Motion Tracking so that your camera isn’t just following you across the room all the time – which can admittedly become creepy…
You can also set schedules in your camera’s respective app so that no recordings take place during specific times, such as when you’re home just relaxing on the couch. Some manufacturers, such as Ring, even offer Modes, giving you options to set your cameras for ‘Away’ or ‘Home’. This way, you can set your recording parameters, giving you the privacy you need and deserve.
Note: it's to be noted, however, that Ring's modes have recently been made available only to those with a Ring Protect cloud subscription. Without it, you won't be able to make use of this convenient feature.
Can Indoor Cameras Be Hacked?
Unfortunately, anything connected to the internet can be hacked. The world wide web is connected via thousands of servers, and at any given time skilled hackers can use a variety of methods to infiltrate even some of the most secure systems.
Even multimillion-dollar companies have been victims of cyberattacks – the price we pay for living in a connected world.
However, there is good news. By taking some practical, precautionary measures, you can help prevent your smart cameras from being hacked. How?
While nothing short of government-level security can completely prevent this from happening, there are steps you can take to make sure that your camera footage is more secure.
Start with your Wi-Fi password. Make sure it’s nothing that can be traced back to you, which means, don’t include any personal information. Birth dates, names of schools you attended, names of your children or pets…all of these can make it easier for cyber criminals to hack. This is especially the case if you use the same password across multiple sites.
In line with this, make sure you include a variety of characters in your password, not just letters. Use numbers and symbols such as ! @ # as well. Longer passwords are more secure than shorter ones. Also, don’t share your Wi-Fi password with just anyone, particularly those that don’t live with you. The more people that have your password, the more likely it is to be compromised.
If your camera’s app offers it, opt for two-factor authentication. Basically, this means that if you ever want to access your account after being logged out, or you need to access it from a device that you’re not usually signed in on, the app will require two forms of authentication in order to grant you access.
In addition to your password, you’ll also need to enter an authorization code sent to you either via text message or email. Some companies even allow you to use third-party authentication apps.
This prevents hackers from easily being able to get into your account, and thereby see your camera feed.
In-Home Safety
So is it weird to have smart cameras inside your house? Not at all!
Your home is your sanctuary. It’s no wonder, then, that whether you live in a house or an apartment, you want to make sure it's safe and secure. Fortunately, indoor smart home cameras are an excellent tool to help you out in this regard.
From monitoring your pets, children, and others that may enter your home, indoor smart cameras are just one way you can make sure your home stays your sanctuary.
