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, so it was easy to go back and look at the specific actions the system tagged. Once we’d found those possums, though, we had enough footage to create our own Instagram channel.

As you might guess, these particular Lorex 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. Luckily, Lorex runs quite a few sales throughout the year. Black Friday is just around the corner, for instance. Often, you can get these cameras for much less than their normal prices.

The thing is, 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. That’s handy if you’re trying to startle would-be burglars.

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, or, if you choose a Spotlight Cam, 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, while they do have more affordable options dipping down to 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 0 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. All three devices include 1080p HD video resolution, person detection, and two-way audio.

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. Whoever moves into our home, though, can feel secure knowing they’re safe from home invaders even if they face a raging blizzard.

These cameras’ most important feature, though, has nothing to do with AI capabilities or IP ratings. What sets these cameras apart is the fact that they’re integrated into a complete ADT home security system. The downside is that you can’t just buy an ADT camera and set it up. A system is going to cost you more than a single camera. An ADT system isn’t just any system, though. Your cameras will be part of an integrated system of top-tier equipment, including motion detectors, entry sensors, and snake alarms. When all of these components work together, you’re exponentially more safe. No wonder ADT sits at the top of our list of best home security systems.

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

We found Nest’s floodlight camera to be packed with just as many features as the Nest Cam. For instance, the floodlight’s AI can tell the difference between people and other types of moving objects. Good thing, since the trees outside our apartment can blow hard enough to fool other systems into sending us false alerts. Of course, as the name implies, this Nest model also includes a floodlight, and it makes use of built-in motion detection.

Our favorite feature was the option to create custom lighting routines. We were able to keep ours off in the early hours of the evening, when we were still up. Didn’t want to wake our neighbors, after all. But once we went to bed, it was set to blast powerful light at anyone who wanders 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.