Wireless Home Security System

A wireless home security system relies on battery-powered sensors that use some type of nonwired communication strategy, normally radio frequency (RF) transmitters and receivers. The basic advantage of using a wireless home security system for the installer is that you don't have to run any wiring to the sensors. In addition, you can easily take a wireless home security system with you when you move. The only thing left behind is the screw to the secure the sensor to a wall, ceiling, window, door or other location.

Like hardwired systems, wireless home security systems use a zone setup. However, there's an important difference. Without wires to define zone locations, you must configure the central controller to recognize every sensor in the home. You associate each sensor number with a particular zone, which means that you must record the number of each sensor before you install it. The focus of the installation is getting the configuration correct. One wrong entry could signal an alarm in zone 1 when the intruder is really in zone 3.

In using a wireless home security system, but not a hardwired system, you must consider the location of the central controller carefully. Wireless home security system sensors have range limits that you have to consider as part of your setup. In addition, the sensors can suffer from electromagnetic interference (EMI) from sources such as radios, televisions, and telephones. You need to consider sensor placement carefully to avoid potential interference problems.

If you install one of the few wireless home security systems with an automated call-up feature, you'll need to perform additional configuration. The automated call-up feature will call police, fire, or some other responsible party when an alarm occurs. You need to provide a prerecorded message and ensure that the system doesn't continuously generate false alarms. Some wireless home security systems provide a camera you can use to verify the presence of an intruder before you call police.

When you install a wireless home security system that provides a call-up feature, have it call you so that you can verify the presence of an intruder before you call the police. Some X10 systems allow you to "listen in" to aid in making a determination of the next appropriate action. Using the listen-in feature is a good alternative when a camera is not available, but you'll have to perform additional installation chores to obtain this feature.