I know there have been some discussions of systems like SimpliSafe recently, but I can't seem to find one after 2019 and it's not exactly on point.

For new construction what are opinions on the two broad options? I'm protecting a normal home, not Fort Knox. However it is somewhat isolated, on a lake with less traffic in winters and neighbors not there full time.

I'm assuming Ring and others are similar to Simpli. Looks like I can get all the bits for 12 entry points plus siren, water, Co2/smoke, breakage and motion for under $600, monitoring $30/mo.

Not sure what cost of adding this to electrical would be for wired, but obviously something, plus any cost of equipment, sensors, etc. which I'm also assuming alarm companies don't just give away.

The wireless systems seem like good value, assuming the monitoring and response is good? However it does seem you are hitching your horse to just that one wagon, and if they go out of business, change their model, etc. you are screwed. For the cost invested, probably not a huge deal. Downside is having to replace batteries with some regularity I assume.

Wired is forever other than sensors wearing out/breaking, but monitoring is usually more expensive and not always better.

Any other points to consider on this decision?

Mine is Vivint, installed before we bought the house by the PO.
All wifi, with the panel being hardwired.
3 e-deadbolts, door sensors, and window open sensors, 3 exterior cameras, doorbell cam, and 1 indoor cam.

No complaints, other than the [exterior] cameras occasionally not picking up motion detection, and a lot of buffering on the interior. But, I chalk that up more to my ISP than the system.

My wife's cousin owned an alarm company and did our installation. He replaced our wired system with a wireless one. His view was if you have an issue with your wired system it can be extremely expensive to correct. He did both types and strongly recommended wireless. We had no problem with ours and when he retired we had the system replaced with a newer technology wireless system by a local alarm company. 15 years on the old wireless system and five years in on the new with no issues.

my mom's house has wireless. I have wired since I hate anything that works with a radio

Wired is 100x better. Never need to change a battery, totally hidden if installed correctly, more reliable and doesn't use some cheap Chinese "wireless" electronic chips.

The wireless ones look ugly and seems I'm always having to change a battery or some such thing on my mom's wireless system.

My rule is if you can do wired then I don't want the wireless version.

My parents and sister/BIL both use SimpliSafe and have been very happy with it. Door/window sensors and interior motion detectors, I think.

We had a wired system installed after construction. Besides wishing we had done it during construction, it's been completely trouble-free for more than 15 years.

We have to change the 12v battery every couple of years. It's tied to cell service to call the security center.

No issues with the small wires, and no individual batteries. Completely hidden switches on the doors and windows.

We did add a second panel in our bedroom, so we have one at the primary entrance and another in the bedroom. I'd strongly suggest this approach, this way if something goes off or if there is a trouble fault in the middle of the night, you can figure it out from the bedroom instead of going through the house with the alarm blaring.

We have an Ecobee security system in our Mountain Home that we use in conjunction with their thermostats. We signed up for professional monitoring. I can’t remember how much but it wasn’t expensive. I love being able to remotely check on all the doors and have motion sensors as well as a camera that covers the most traveled portion of the house.

A funny thing happened about a month ago. My wife went up a few days before me and I forgot to remotely disconnect the alarm. After my wife got there and u loaded all of her stuff she decided to sit down on the couch with a glass of wine. As she was enjoying the contents and admiring the view she noticed something out of the corner of her eye… she turns around to see the local sherif in full tactical gear looking at her with his rifle drawn…

They had gotten a notice of a break in and when the alarm company tried several times to contact me ( I had left my phone in the house while I was outside) they called it in. Needless to say I was in the dog house but it was nice to know it worked as intended.

Go wireless and check our Ecobee to see if it might work for you.

I think modern CAT 6 network wiring, including the backhaul connection from the router up to the attic or to the basement would be good to run.

There have been MANY threads on the cameras used in security systems, and CAT 6 networking wiring that provides instant imaging and power to those cameras has also been lauded.

But, if you choose a service provider, you are stuck with their equipment. Simplisafe is wireless. There is no other connection. So, wiring the home is pointless. You can't add ethernet to their cameras neither.

A wired system is also tied to a provider, through whom you might not have convenient access to your information like cameras, alarms, etc.

And, it is so easy to continue to add coverage. I put a sensor on an outbuilding. Wire? Nope. Just WiFi. You can add sensors like a garage door switch, or a motion detector, or a CO monitor, or a smoke detector, or anything with Simplisafe. Build the system up as you need. With wires, you're predicting stuff and will likely be suboptimal.

Takes more than a $20 baofeng to jam wires.

I've had wired installed in a previous new house. I had wired installed as part of a new construction. And I have a wireless installed in my current home.

The first installation I don't think the kind of workmanship and due diligence the tech did is available today. The guy spent a whole week wiring the house and making sure wires were not exposed.

The second house with it pre-wired, we were locked in on the service provider.

I think the push today is wireless as most houses would have wifi anyway. I asked how long the batteries will last and they didn't have any answer as the system they (ADT) were using has only been 2 years old and none have had the batteries needing change yet. I like the wireless. I have every window and every door to the outside alarmed. Every door to the outside with an electronic lock that I can check. I can and have easily added inside and outside cameras (google nest).

quote:

Originally posted by radioman:
since I hate anything that works with a radio

That's quite funny considering your username.

I 100% agree though.

New construction, I'd go wired hands down. Anything that operates with a radio link can be jammed.

i have Simplisafe and i like it.
however like evryone has said it can be jammed.
i would go Wired.
And do plenty of cameras

Our house came with a full (windows, doors, motion, glass break) system. No-one knew the code, alarm companies were no help unless we signed a contract for monitoring. Bought a RING system (doors, cameras, motion)and have never had a single problem. In 4 years replaced one battery. Like the flexibility as we added outdoor camera and flood lights when we needed them. Remote activation via phone is great. We eventually did locate wired code and just use it to alert if a window is ope.

I just spent a couple weeks comparing Ring to Simplisafe and my Ring system is being delivered Monday. I've had several of their cameras at home and work for a good number of years and have been very happy with them. Monitoring is less expensive and the only thing Simplisafe seems to have over Ring is that they can visually check your home if you have their camera. We're moving in a little over a year so I'll take it with me and I'd like hardwired cams in addition to but not in place of. Amazon owns Ring now so I doubt they'll be going tits up anytime soon but with the sale they just had if I had to buy something new in a few years I wouldn't cry.

quote:

Originally posted by XinTX:
New construction, I'd go wired hands down. Anything that operates with a radio link can be jammed.

A crook cutting your phone/cable lines on the side of the house is free and simple.

I see no need for a wired system. You have more options with wireless.

I have a Ring alarm and I prepay yearly for monitoring and its only $100. That fee also provides a warranty for any alarm/camera components purchased while the monitoring active. Ring notifies you and also provides cell service backup if internet/power is lost. I cover the first floor and basement with 3 motion sensors. Why put sensors on every door and window. You would need both glass and contact sensors. If you only had a contact sensor on your sliding glass door and they threw a brick through it and walked through the glass your contact sensor would never alert.

I have a friend who is locked in a multi year contract with ADT for about $40 a month for wireless coverage. Which I think is insane.

Wired is always, always a more preferred method.
More reliable and yes you can integrate some wireless components if need be.
Including cell communication if having monitored.
Get your components at alarmgrid.com and also avoid super expensive monitoring.
I never trusted the total wireless companies and prefer to be in control myself.

quote:

Originally posted by smschulz:
Wired is always, always a more preferred method.
More reliable and yes you can integrate some wireless components if need be.
Including cell communication if having monitored.
Get your components at alarmgrid.com and also avoid super expensive monitoring.
I never trusted the total wireless companies and prefer to be in control myself.

Once again smschulz and I are in complete agreement: If wired is a reasonable option I'd always go wired over wireless. More reliable. Less maintenance.

I would go with either a Honeywell/Adamco or a DSC panel and and an EyezOn network module. (Ours is Honeywell/Adamco.)

We've eighteen zones: All the doors and windows, sump well, smoke & fire, garage door tilt, and motion in the µBarn. The latter two are the only wireless sensors.

I could add another zone expansion module for more wired zones if I wanted, or add more wireless sensors. I could also add more smoke/fire sensors and additional keypads if I liked.

The wireless sensors use Honeywell/Adamco's wireless communications to the keypad, not WiFi.

My wife and I both have apps on our phones and tablets that allow examination of the alarm system state, arming and disarming it (if we like), bypassing zones, and supplies alarm activation notifications. (I also get notifications on my Apple Watch.) We also have the optional alarm monitoring through EyezOn for about $9/month. (Actually slightly less than the insurance discount we get for having a monitored system.)

quote:

Originally posted by gpbst3:
A crook cutting your phone/cable lines on the side of the house is free and simple.

Wouldn't do them any good in our case. Our Internet connectivity has automatic fail-over to an LTE backup connection I could have double redundancy if I wanted to add EyezOn's cellular communications backup.

Besides: A wired alarm system doesn't imply a wired reporting mechanism.

My new house was wired for alarms from the beginning, we went with Vivint and they only used the wiring for the windows that were already there, doors and cameras are wireless-but you do need power for them, so the doors have a battery in the sensor in the door itself and the cameras are all near an outlet

quote:

A crook cutting your phone/cable lines on the side of the house is free and simple.

Those are the same bad guys that think smashing the dial off of a safe or cutting the hinges will let them in.

In this case the police will be there to arrest them due to the alarm before they can even make it to the safe.

I'm not an alarm guy, but based on my limited knowledge a sophisticated bad guy has more options at their disposal when it comes to bypassing wireless systems.