Home Video Security Camera Wiring Preparation

A home video security camera offers your home an added level of security on top of an alarm system. The types of home security cameras vary depending on your needs and budget. They should all be able to be mounted onto brackets, and they should be equipped with the proper inputs and outputs necessary for simple plug-in setup. This how-to informational assumes you have a basement to work with. If not, choose a central location in lieu of a basement in which all cables can meet.

Step 1 – Choose the location of the outside camera unit

Start off by deciding where you will place the first video security camera unit. It should be outside positioned under the eaves, pointing towards the main point of entry.  

Step 2 – Mount brackets to hold the camera

Beginning with an outside camera, mount the bracket under the eaves of your roof using the screwdriver. You will need to use a weatherproof camera for this installation. Once mounted, plug in a length of cable to the outdoor camera and run it down the house to the foundation. Secure the cable to the outside of the house with cable clamps every few feet.

Step 3 – Drill a hole into your basement

Just above the foundation, drill a hole using the hole saw through the siding and into the basement. Feed the cable through the hole and once through, seal it using the silicone sealant.

Step 4 – Install other cameras

Choose other locations for as many cameras as you have to install. Select areas with high traffic or other points of access such as windows or doors. Mount the cameras using the brackets, and run the power/video cables into the basement as well, drilling holes where necessary to do so. All of the cables from each camera should converge in the basement.

Step 5 – Select the monitoring room

The monitoring room where the recording unit will be located should be central and directly above the basement. Using the hole saw, drill a hole into the floor near the baseboard and finish the hole from the basement up to avoid a lot of splinters in the wood. After the hole is drilled, run all of the cables through it into the monitoring room. This is where the cameras will be powered and fed into the recording/monitoring unit.

Step 6 – Power the security cameras

Each cable should have two adjacent lines, easily separable. Separate them, plugging one of each into a power supply and the second line into the video recording unit. You can only feed as many cameras as the unit will allow, so make sure to factor this into your planning. Once the video unit is connected to a television or monitor you can see what the cameras see.