Do Wireless Security Cameras Need Internet?

With the departure from all things wire, wireless security cameras are really popular right now. They provide ease and flexibility, and installation and maintenance require little to no technical knowledge. Where wired cameras require a professional to connect them to your home’s electrical system, wireless cameras just require about thirty minutes of your time and an ability to follow directions.

They are also really easy to uninstall; simply unplug. Users escape the bulky and obtrusive set of wires that must be run to each camera. As a result, they can be really attractive to people on a budget. But do they require the internet to function? Would you have to spend what you save on cost buying the internet to power them? What if the internet goes off?

Here’s a quick post that answers all your queries related wireless security cameras.

What is a wireless security camera?

There are typically two types of security cameras: wired and wireless. The wired variety is the traditional, functional security camera. The wires can prove detrimental, alerting intruders to the presence of security systems, which can make them cut the wires. Wireless cameras are, apart from function, more visually appealing and easy to use.

Hearing the title “wireless” often makes us think of “WiFi” immediately. As a result, many people think that all wireless security cameras are WiFi-powered. However, a WiFi camera is only a type of wireless security camera. Apart from WiFi systems, there are two types of wireless security cameras. These two obviously do not require any internet.

Do wireless security cameras require WiFi?

Your WiFi security camera may require internet connectivity, depending on how you intend to use it. When your internet goes off for a reason or the other, or the WiFi camera starts to eat too much into your data, can you shut it off and still get functionality? The answer is Yes, with limits.

You can use your WiFi security camera, with or without an internet connection. However, shutting off the internet connection shuts off your remote viewing. Remote viewing is the feature that gives you access to a live video feed from your security camera straight to your computer, mobile phone or tablet. The video recording is sent over the WiFi network, along with motion sensor alerts and other notifications. Without internet connection, you cannot access remote viewing; but that does not render your WiFi camera useless. Instead of sending them over the network, your security camera now stores them on an SD card or the Cloud for you to view later.

If you don’t need remote viewing at all, you don’t need an internet connection to use your camera. You only need to kick start it using your WiFi (using little or no internet bandwidth).

A way to make sure you maximize your WiFi camera without sacrificing convenience is to use remote viewing with a mobile data plan (3G or 4G LTE). You only need a SIM card, and you are set.