Placement Is Everything
You can buy the highest-resolution camera on the market and still end up with useless footage if it's pointing in the wrong direction. Thoughtful placement is what separates a security system that genuinely deters and documents incidents from one that just looks good on a spec sheet.
Start With the Front Door
The front door is the most important single location for a camera. A significant portion of break-ins happen through the front entrance — and package theft is almost exclusively a front-door problem. A video doorbell covers this naturally, but if you're using a standalone camera, mount it above the door angled slightly downward to capture faces clearly.
Key tip: Aim for a height of 7–10 feet. High enough to prevent tampering, low enough to capture facial detail.
Cover All Ground-Floor Entry Points
Every door and window at ground level is a potential entry point. For a typical home, this means:
- Front door
- Back door or sliding glass door
- Garage door (interior and/or exterior)
- Side gate or side entry door if present
You don't necessarily need a camera at every window, but ensure no external door goes uncovered.
The Driveway and Garage Area
A wide-angle camera covering your driveway serves double duty: it captures anyone approaching the home and documents vehicle-related incidents. Mount it under the eaves of your garage or on the side of the house facing the driveway. Make sure the field of view includes the garage door itself.
Backyard and Side Yards
Rear approaches are favored by intruders precisely because they offer concealment. A camera covering the backyard — particularly any gate entry points — closes this blind spot. Consider:
- Mounting on a corner to cover two directions at once
- Using a camera with a wide 130°+ field of view
- Enabling motion zones so the camera focuses on paths, not wind-blown trees
Interior Cameras: A Layered Approach
Interior cameras provide a last line of defense. Even if an intruder bypasses an outdoor camera, interior footage can be critical for identification. Place indoor cameras:
- In main living areas with a view of entry points
- Near staircases or hallways connecting to bedrooms
- Aimed at safes, jewelry storage, or valuable equipment if applicable
Be thoughtful about privacy — avoid placing cameras in bedrooms or bathrooms, and consider your family members' comfort with indoor surveillance.
Avoid These Common Placement Mistakes
- Pointing into direct sunlight or bright light sources — causes lens glare and washed-out footage.
- Mounting too high — above 10–12 feet significantly reduces facial recognition quality.
- Neglecting night vision range — check the camera's stated IR night vision distance and make sure it covers the area you care about.
- Obstructed views — trim shrubs, move objects, and ensure nothing grows into the camera's line of sight over time.
- Ignoring Wi-Fi signal strength — a camera placed at the far corner of your property may have too weak a signal for reliable streaming.
Quick Placement Checklist
- ✅ Front door covered (video doorbell or dedicated camera)
- ✅ Back and side doors covered
- ✅ Driveway and garage visible
- ✅ Rear yard entry points monitored
- ✅ Interior common area covered
- ✅ All cameras within Wi-Fi range
- ✅ Cameras mounted out of easy reach