Best Wired Security Cameras

Lorex offers so many cameras that it’s easy to get overwhelmed deciding which one is right for you. In terms of wired models, though, we recommend checking out Lorex’s Nocturnal series. These cameras are both packed with features and durable, making them perfect for protecting the outdoor areas around your home. Here’s a breakdown of each camera’s most important features.

We set up two Nocturnal cameras – one to keep an eye on the front of the house, and another to keep an eye on the backyard. Of course, your home might need more, but we found that this camera’s features gave us a clear view of an enormous amount of property, saving us money on extra equipment. The Nocturnal series comes with 4K resolution, eight times optic zoom, additional digital zoom, and night vision that can see up to 150 feet in the dark. Let’s put it this way: we learned a lot about what happens at night, including a few things we wish we hadn’t, like the fact that a family of possums likes to parade around our lawn at 2:30 a.m. every night.

We’re a little obsessive, so we set our cameras to record continuously, a nice bonus feature of Lorex cameras. Don’t worry, though – we didn’t have to review all that footage. Lorex cameras also include motion sensors, and the system can use motion to tag footage. That made it simple to go back and skim through recordings. Turns out, we had enough possum clips to create our own Instagram channel.

We should point out that Lorex’s Nocturnal cameras aren’t cheap. After all, you’re not going to get features like these for free. Individual cameras start at around $299, and even if you bundle four, you’re still looking at just under $1200. Lorex runs quite a few sales throughout the year, though, so you can often get these cameras for much less than retail. Right now the company is running a clearance sale on older model cameras, and it offers a Deal of the Day every day.

The thing is, with such a large inventory, Lorex has cameras to suit every budget. Trust us – this company manufactures a lot of cameras. So if the Nocturnal series is out of reach, just keep looking. The company’s Fusion line, for instance, is less than $150 a camera, and these cameras combine both wired and wireless features in a single system. That makes them particularly useful for homeowners looking for a mix of indoor and outdoor cameras. Put the wired cameras outside where wireless models might be prone to interference and set the wireless devices up inside.

Get even more information about more Lorex models in our complete review of Lorex cameras.

Ring doesn’t offer quite the selection of Lorex, but there are enough Ring indoor/outdoor wired cameras with enough options to ensure you’ll find exactly the one you need. We’re particular fans of Ring’s Floodlight Cams, which can illuminate an entire yard.

All of Ring’s wired cameras feature wide-angle lenses, built-in speakers, 1080p HD video, and integrated sirens. They’re available in black or white. The Spotlight Cam is even available in premium colors like graphite and dark bronze.

What most draws us to Ring’s wired cameras, though, isn’t the hardware but the software. Ring’s app gave us complete control over our cameras, whether we were at home or away. We got real-time alerts and access to live footage with the touch of a button. Plus, Ring plays nice with both Alexa and Google Home, so we were able to pull up footage with just our voices, perfect for when we were busy making dinner.

Ring’s top-of-the-line offerings cost about $300. More affordable options run about $60. Here’s a breakdown of some of their hardwired models and prices:

• Spotlight Cam Plus: $199.99
• Spotlight Cam Pro: $249.99
• Floodlight Cam Pro: $249.99

Think these prices are out of your budget? Ring offers zero percent financing for customers who qualify, and you can finance equipment for up to 12 months. There are other ways to save as well. Ring offers multi-camera bundles, for example, at discounted prices, so the more you buy, the more you save. Find out more in our Ring Cam review for the full scoop!

You can also save money by self-monitoring your Ring cameras. True self-monitoring is free and you still get real-time alerts and the ability to check live video footage on all your cameras. If you want to store video, you’ll need to purchase a Ring Protect Plan – $5 a month for a single camera or $10 a month for as many cameras as you own. We always recommend professional monitoring, though, and Ring offers one of the cheaper deals in the industry. For $20 a month – $18 if you’re willing to sign up for a full year – someone else will keep an eye on your property for you and let you know any time there’s a problem.

Other than the two previous entries on this list – Lorex and Ring – ADT is the only company we know of that offers a wired indoor camera, a wired outdoor camera, and a wired video doorbell. If you’re looking for all three, ADT has to be on your list of possibilities. Even better, all three devices include 1080p HD video resolution, two-way audio, and person detection.

In addition, all three are made to withstand the harshest environments. As a starting point, they’re rated IP65. That means they are dust-tight and can withstand water from low-level jets. They also contain on-board heaters to keep them functioning in temperatures down to 40 degrees below zero Fahrenheit. If we see temperatures that low, we’re moving. There is something to be said, though, for knowing you’ll be safe from home invaders even if you’re in the midst of a raging blizzard.

These cameras’ most important feature, though? They come as part of an entire ADT home security system. The downside is that you can’t buy just one ADT camera and be done. You need a hub and some entry sensors, and that means your total equipment bill is going to be a bit higher. There’s an awful lot of upside, though. ADT systems are the best you can get, at the very top of our list of best home security systems. ADT doesn’t just offer top-tier cameras. All of its equipment is hardy and reliable, from motion detectors to smoke alarms. When all of these components work together, you are exponentially more safe.

Be sure to check out our latest ADT pricing page to learn more about these systems and the costs associated.

We found both of Nest’s wired cameras to be packed with tons of features. They can tell the difference between people and other types of moving objects, for instance. That’s a good thing since the wind sometimes blows the trees outside our apartment hard enough to fool other security systems. Fewer false alerts made us pay more attention when real alerts came through.

We were particularly excited by the Floodlight Cam’s custom lighting routines. We set ours to stay off in the early hours of the evening when we were still up. We still got alerts any time the camera picked up questionable motion, but we made sure not to wake our neighbors. Once we went to bed, we set it to blast a powerful light at anyone who wandered onto our property. We figure our neighbors would appreciate that kind of heads-up as well.

Person detection is so last year, though. Google’s cameras, including the Nest Cam Floodlight, now include Familiar Face. This is a version of facial recognition AI, something few cameras on the market have right now. It told us when a new mail carrier filled in for our usual carrier since the camera didn’t recognize their face. There’s a catch to this feature, though. You have to activate a Nest Aware subscription to get it. Eight dollars a month($80 if you sign up for a full year) was worth it to get alerts that told us in detail who was on our doorstep.

Other than the fact that Google Nest doesn’t offer an indoor wired camera, we can think of only one drawback to the Nest Cam Floodlight: price. You’ll pay $189.99 for this camera, and that’s not cheap. It’s $80 cheaper than Ring’s Floodlight Cam, though, and it comes with more features, so if you can swing it, this wired camera is great value for the money.

Going in, you need to know that you can’t buy a single Arlo camera the way you can with Ring. Arlo cameras need a hub to operate, so include this in your budget. The hub connects all your devices and allows your cameras and other system components to communicate with the outside world. For example, the hub is how you wind up with instant alerts any time one of your cameras picks up movement in your home.

The hub is handy for another reason as well – it makes Arlo cameras incredibly easy to install. Arlo was built for the digital age, and the company has put a great deal of thought and planning into its DIY installation process. Each camera comes individually boxed and includes a complete kit and instructions. During our Arlo camera tests, we managed to get two cameras up and working in about fifteen minutes. The hardest part of the whole thing was routing camera communication wires to the Arlo hub.

You won’t mind paying extra for the hub, though, once you know the Arlo Essential’s price. It costs just $39.99, well below the industry average, so even once you add in the price of the hub, you’re still ahead. Low price or not, though, this isn’t some stripped-down camera. It works smoothly with Alexa and Google Home, which means you can operate it with just your voice. IFTTT compatibility means you can connect cameras to other smart devices in your home and create routines to simplify your life. We like our system to go into standby mode when we get home and turn on the lights. That was easy enough to set up.

When you’re not at home, you can control everything through the Arlo app. In addition, the app sends you mobile alerts any time the cameras activate. You can view live footage or – if you’ve invested in cloud storage – video clips. And you’ll find Arlo’s storage plans are as reasonably priced as their cameras – one camera will cost you $4.17 a month. Or you can log footage from up to ten cameras for $10.83 per month.

Swann manufactures and sells a wide variety of wired and wireless cameras at just about every price point. Because the company produces its own devices, it can pass along savings to customers. Wired cameras can be had for as little as $49.99, and even 4K thermal-sensing models can be had for just $199.99.

Keep in mind that all of Swann’s wired cameras connect to an NVR for video storage. That comes with some great advantages. For one thing, you don’t have to worry about monthly fees for recording. That also means you can record as much footage as you like, and it’s always on-site, so you have direct access. Of course, you have to pay an additional fee for the NVR equipment, and Swann offers no professional monitoring, so you’re on your own when it comes to responding to alerts. One NVR can handle up to 16 camera feeds, though, making this a great setup for larger homes. We didn’t need nearly that many to cover our apartment. In fact, with a single Master Series 4K Dome Camera that swivels, we managed to capture everything in our home.