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Oct 21, 2024

The 6 Best Spots to Mount a Home Security Camera - CNET

Our expert, award-winning staff selects the products we cover and rigorously researches and tests our top picks. If you buy through our links, we may get a commission. How we test home security

Our expert, award-winning staff selects the products we cover and rigorously researches and tests our top picks. If you buy through our links, we may get a commission. How we test home security cameras and video doorbells

Get crystal-clear views and avoid pitfalls by choosing high-quality spots to install your new home camera, indoors or outside.

Security camera placement matters more than you might think: Here are the best locations.

We’re more than happy to recommend a durable home security cam, from cheap indoor models to excellent wireless options you can place nearly anywhere outdoors. But where you put that home cam matters too -- and it could make or break your video results.

Fortunately, today’s security cameras have wide fields of view and easy-angle mounts. But you still need to start with the right placement for the best results. After years of testing dozens of various home cams, we know exactly where to put them: Follow these guidelines and you won’t have any trouble.

For more home security tips, check out how to prevent your home security cameras from being hacked, and the best cheap home security systems you can buy.

You might assume that intruders always sneak into side entrances, but statistics from the International Association of Certified Home Inspectors show that 34% of burglars use the front door. It's also where package thieves are likely to strike. A camera at your main entrance keeps tabs on everybody going in and out of your home, from family members and babysitters to maintenance people, delivery people and more.

Pro tip: Video doorbells are great picks for the front door. You can use them as the primary camera or in conjunction with another outdoor camera aimed at the yard or garage.

Blink's Outdoor 4 cam is easy to mount and reliable for watching an outdoor space.

Doors that are out of sight allow visitors to enter undetected, whether they're invited or not. NACHI statistics show 22% of break-ins happen through the back door. To ensure full knowledge of everyone who enters and exits, add cameras to your secondary doors, especially if one of them is used as often or more often than your front door, or if one (like a basement door) seems particularly enticing or accessible to a potential intruder.

Garages are a common target of burglars because they're one of the weakest entry points. A camera pointed at your garage and/or driveway keeps a watchful eye on bikes, tools, grills, sports equipment, cars and everyone that handles them. If your garage is detached, the camera helps you stay connected. If the garage is attached, the extra layer of security monitors another possible entryway into your home. If there's a gate at the end of your driveway, you may want a camera there to spot anyone attempting to get in.

Monitoring the yard will help you keep tabs on anyone scoping out your house. It's also handy for capturing the activities of kids, animals and trespassers. As with garages, look for cams that have a wide field of view to capture lots of action, at least 130 degrees and preferably more. If you have a yard entrance, like a fence gate or a shed doorway, make sure the camera can see it.

Blink offers a cheap option for a smart floodlight cam.

Placing cameras in gathering points like the kitchen or living room is a great way to see if the kids are doing what they're supposed to do, if the babysitter is attentive, what the pets are getting into, or to check on household help like cleaners and repairmen. Consider prioritizing any rooms that have large ground-floor windows — that way you can see if anyone tampers with them or uses one as a break-in point. If there's a key point of interest like a sofa, pet bed or living room play area, make sure the camera can see it.

Place a camera in the main thoroughfares inside your home to make it difficult for someone to move about undetected. If someone breaks in through a bathroom, bedroom or another unmonitored area, they'll still be captured on camera if they move about the house.

Indoor security cameras are useful, but finding ones with privacy shields are worthwhile to help minimize the risks of hackers gaining access to sensitive footage.

Arlo's compact cams also make a great bundled discount.

Once you decide which locations to monitor, you also need plan your mounting decisions. These tips make easy work of this step:

Battery powered outdoor cameras allow more flexibility for placement, while wired ones will need to be close to a power source.

Ring's battery cam is on the higher-end but offers a versatile, weather resistant option to watch kids, wherever they are.

Position video doorbells so they have a good view of your porch or entryway. These cameras are angled a bit differently than other security cameras, so follow manual instructions carefully. Usually, they need to be placed around 4 feet up from the base of the front door. In tighter spaces, video doorbells should be angled outward to capture as much activity as possible. Fortunately, many video doorbells come with a special wedge just for this purpose. Otherwise, put it where people would naturally press a doorbell.

In some cases, you may want a security camera that you can move around all the time. That makes it easy to put down wherever the kids are playing, indoors or outside, or to focus on a problem spot where things keep going missing (avoid workplace refrigerators, please).

In these cases, we recommend battery-powered indoor/outdoor cams you can move anywhere, with weather resistance in case it's left out in the rain. One candidate is Ring's Stick-Up Cam Pro ($180), with an excellent collection of watchful features. Another option is the Google Nest Indoor/Outdoor Cam battery model ($176), which is often shown mounted but can also come with a tabletop mount.

To learn more, check out our picks for the best outdoor security cameras or explore our comprehensive guide to the best home security systems.