Best Hardwired Security Systems
Prefer your security system hardwired? We’ve got you covered.
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Last Updated on Feb 21, 2023
- Works even if your Wi-Fi is down
- Always secure from hacking
- Professional installation
- Fast communication between components
- System protected from weather and the elements
- Highly reliable
- Works seamlessly, even in large houses
- Consistent video quality in any conditions
- No batteries required
It seems like everything these days is wireless, but sometimes hardwired is the better option. Certainly, that can be true of security systems. Hardwired security systems can’t be jammed, for instance, and they work even if your internet goes down. With those advantages in mind, we’re taking a look at the best options in hardwired home security, ranking them top to bottom and considering each one’s finer details. If you’re in the market for a hardwired system, you’ll find all the answers you need to protect your home right here.
Comparison of the Best Hardwired Security Systems
| System |
ADT
|
Brinks Home Security
|
Ring Alarm Security Kit
|
Lorex
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ranking | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th |
| Ratings | 9.8/10 | 8.6/10 | 7.7/10 | 9.6/10 |
| Storage space | 30 days of cloud storage | 1000 clips cloud storage | 60 days cloud storage (with Ring protect) | Up to 5000 hours on DVR/ NVR |
| Self-Monitoring | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| Professional monitoring | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| Installation | Professional | DIY or professional | DIY | DIY |
| Smart platform integration | Alexa and Google Assistant | Alexa and Google Assistant | Alexa and Google Assistant | Alexa and Google Assistant |
| Package prices | $599 - $1,049 | $360 - $799 | $200 - $380 | $150 - $2,400 |
| Contract lengths | 3 years | 3 years | 1 month - 1 year | N/A |
| Contract price per year | $240 - $600 | $468 | $100 | N/A |
| Read Review | ADT Review | Brinks Home Security Review | Ring Alarm Security Kit Review | Lorex Review |
Summary of the Best Hardwired Security Systems
- ADT - Best Hardwired Security System Overall
- Brinks Home Security - Best Hardwired Security System for Professional Monitoring
- Ring Alarm Security Kit - Best Hardwired Security System for Existing Sensors
- Lorex - Best Hardwired Security System for Self-monitoring
Detailed List of the Best Hardwired Security Systems
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1. ADT - Best Hardwired Security System Overall
We could refer to ADT as an “old” company, by which we mean it has a long and storied history and a reputation for top-tier equipment and responsive customer service. Or, we could refer to ADT as a “modern” company, one that’s constantly innovating to make our lives more secure. With Google and Echo smart home integrations and one of the most user-friendly apps in the industry, we felt protected for the 2020s and beyond. The fact is, both descriptions are true, and that’s really what marks ADT as the best home security company out there if you’re looking for a hardwired system.
What We Like
- Reliable monitoring with multiple response centers
- User-friendly app
- More than 145 years in the business
- High-quality equipment
What We Don’t Like
- Relatively high prices
- Requires three-year contract
- No up-front pricing
- Spotty customer service
Our ADT Home Security Yard Sign A Long History of Excellence
Most people don’t know that ADT actually stands for American District Telegraph. That’s right: ADT dates back as far as the telegraph.1 In fact, the company is closing in on 150 years in the business of protecting people’s homes. That’s a lot of time to learn how to get things right, including technology, monitoring systems, and customer service. ADT invented the burglar alarm and was among the first home security companies to offer an app. Put simply, ADT is a company you can trust, one reason why over six million people do.
The Pulse App
What can ADT’s Pulse app do? With Pulse, we were able to arm our system, and we recieved timely updates any time the system detected activity at our home. We were able to live-stream footage and respond to visitors through two-way audio. Heck, we even controlled connected devices and set up some nifty home automations. When we activate our alarm when leaving for the day, Pulse automatically lowers our thermostat, saving us heating dollars.
Arming with ADT Home Security Control Panel Smart Home Integration
The fact that ADT works with both Alexa and Google Home means we have total control over our security with just the sound of our voices, no matter which eco-system we’re using. Of course, “Alexa arm ADT” turns the system on. We were able to let our nephew in as well, with “Alexa, unlock the kitchen door lock.” Similarly, it’s easy to tell Google, “Lock the front door” or “Turn on the kitchen lights.”
FYI: Many hardwired security systems have PoE cameras, an acronym for “power over Ethernet.” These systems don’t need a battery or a power outlet, but instead, get all their energy through a single Ethernet connection to the DVR or NVR.
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2. Brinks Home Security - Best Hardwired Security System for Professional Monitoring
Brinks is all about service. Its professional monitoring program is responsive and fast. We got real-time alerts through the company’s app, but we knew someone would take care of any problems, even if we weren’t available when they happened. Brinks offers professional installation, but if you choose to do it yourself you can get all the help you need over the phone. To top it off, Brinks has a reputation for solid, friendly customer service, no matter what problem you may run up against.
What We Liked
- 24/7 professional monitoring
- Alexa and Google Home integrations
- Choice of DIY or professional installation
- Responsive customer service
What We Don’t Like
- Long-term contracts
- Expensive monitoring plans
- No self-monitoring option
- Prices aren’t published
Brinks Indoor Camera Closeup Professional Monitoring
We’re big proponents of professional monitoring. Sure you can save a few bucks by keeping up with your own security, but who has time for that? We all have to go to the dentist some time. Professional monitoring from Brinks means security professionals have eyes on our home 24/7. They call us if there’s a problem, but if we happen to be under the influence of laughing gas, they can call emergency services as well. The Brinks app let us keep track of what was happening, but all Brinks plans come with full professional monitoring.
DIY Installation
You can order custom professional installation from Brinks, but you’ll save a lot of money by doing the job yourself. Brinks makes that super easy. Not only do all the components come with clear instructions, but the company offers full installation support over the phone. We haven’t come across many companies that do that. We managed to install the whole system in just under 35 minutes with help from Robin, a friendly tech.
Fast, Friendly Service
Brinks doesn’t just provide great installation help. The company is geared towards customer service. They have an extensive help center online with answers to virtually every question a customer could possibly have. In addition, though, they provide 24/7 phone support and a live chat option on their homepage. Of course, being millennials, we went right for the chat and in just two minutes got answers about a fire alarm that kept going off.
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3. Ring Alarm Security Kit - Best Hardwired Security System for Existing Sensors
Ring shows up on our list of best wireless security systems, but they don’t offer a true hardwired security system. However, they have a complete retrofitting kit for $149.99 that allowed us to connect one of their Wi-fi packages to our existing hardwired system. The Ring Retrofit Alarm Kit is perfect for anyone looking to take advantage of their existing sensors, but at the same time, transition to Wi-Fi. We saved money because we didn’t need to buy any new equipment, but we still took advantage of Ring’s pricing, i.e., affordable cloud storage and full-service monitoring.
What We Like
- Affordable professional monitoring
- Single-month subscriptions available
- Alexa and Google Home integration
- Responsive customer service
What We Don’t Like
- No local storage options
- Requires existing hardwired equipment
- History of security breaches
- Unreliable connectivity
Ring Retrofit Alarm Kit Complete Retrofitting Kit
When we moved into our apartments, we were excited to find that they were wired for complete security already. When we contacted the security company, though, to ask about monitoring, we discovered it would be way out of our budget. On the other hand, Ring offers the most affordable monitoring package on the market, perfect for anyone like us who’s looking to save a few bucks. Luckily, Ring offers the Ring Retrofit Alarm Kit so we used the high-quality contact sensors we inherited from the previous tenants and took advantage of Ring’s affordable monitoring packages.
Ring defines a “zone” as bundled wiring. Our apartment is fairly small, so all of our original wiring was bundled as a single zone. However, a single Ring retrofit kit works with up to eight different zones, so it’s compatible even with large homes. While the kit isn’t exactly DIY-friendly, Ring connected us with a local professional who took care of the installation in under an hour for $99.99.
Professional Monitoring
We didn’t find many hardwired systems that offered both self and professional monitoring options. Ring not only offers 24/7 monitoring, but it offers it for just $10 a month, or $100 for an entire year. That’s well under the average monthly price of $40 to $60. Of course, with Ring, we had the option to self-monitor. Ring’s free app sent us real-time alerts, and we checked out live feeds and recordings anytime. The company offers an unmonitored recording plan with 60 days of cloud storage for just $3 a month, or $30 a year.
System What’s included Price per month Price per year No storage - Real time alerts
- Live feeds
$0 $0 Ring Protect Basic - Real time alerts
- Live feeds
- 60 days of cloud storage
$3 $30 Ring Protect Plus - Real time alerts
- Live feeds
- 60 days of cloud storage
- Professional monitoring
$10 $100 -
4. Lorex - Best Hardwired Security System for Self-monitoring
Lorex is a fully-contained, fully self-monitored system. That meant once we purchased the security equipment we never had to spend another penny. We chose to install everything ourselves using Lorex’s handy videos to guide us, but the company also works with a network of professional installers for anyone who needs the extra help. What we liked most about Lorex, though, was the wide variety of camera options. We’re big fans of choice. And speaking of choices, we added several home sensors to our package for added security. Finally, it was easy to control all of this equipment from a central location with Lorex’s user-friendly home hub.
What We Like
- Lots of camera options
- Voice-controlled home hub
- 4K video
- Easy DIY installation
What We Don’t Like
- Limited customer service
- No cloud storage
- Bulky equipment
- No professional monitoring options
Lorex Camera – Mounted Lots of Camera Options
When it comes to security cameras, Lorex offers something for everyone. We chose a package that included both bullet cameras and dome cameras, but our options didn’t end there. Lorex also offers cameras with:
- Two-way audio
- Infrared night vision
- Color night vision
- Thermal monitoring
- Optical zoom
- Digital zoom
We added the Lorex Video Doorbell to our package for $179.99. And, had we needed it, Lorex offered a doorbell camera with attached floodlights for $279.99. There were a lot of decisions to make, but we prefer that to the alternative of limited or no options.
Sensor Integration
We wouldn’t want a security system that didn’t include cameras, but we’re also fans of sensors. With Lorex, we purchased door and window sensors for $19.99 each and motion detectors for $24.99. The really cool aspect of these sensors was that each one triggered a camera. That meant we didn’t have to waste storage space on 24/7 continuous recording. Luckily, no one tried to break in, though honestly, we’re not sure what anyone would want in our apartments anyway. If anyone had tried to pick our smart locks, the system would have let us what happened in real-time and recorded the whole event.
Home Hub
Lorex works like a dream with both Alexa and Google Assistant, but we didn’t need to use either. Instead, we controlled the whole system using the company’s hub center, a nice extra available with some packages. You can purchase the home center as a stand-alone or an add-on for $299.99. The video display was touch-sensitive but also worked with voice commands (not Alexa or Google Assistant, though!), which meant we checked out our camera feeds while cooking dinner. The intuitive interface allowed us to control the whole system, from camera angles to zooming. We even had a very nice chat with our UPS delivery person while we were draining pasta. When we weren’t watching footage, we streamed music and checked the weather. And, it was all completely secure, with built-in face recognition, a form of multi-factor authentication.
Methodology
We’re often asked, how do we arrive at our conclusions when we’re putting together a list like this one? Actually, we consider several specific factors. Some of those factors apply across the board to every security system we rate. Others apply more specifically to this list of hardwired systems only.
Equipment
As a starting point, we consider what kind of equipment each security company offers. That can include:
- Security cameras including both indoor cameras and outdoor cameras
- Video doorbells
- Motion sensors
- Door/ window sensors
- Base stations
- DVRs/ NVRs
Of course, we’re interested as well in the quality of each device, looking specifically at durability and available features such as:
- 1080p HD video
- Cameras with night vision, both infrared and color
- Two-way audio
- Storage space
- Smart device integrations
- Person detection
Finally, we looked at how easy it was to customize security packages. We prefer home security companies that let us build systems ourselves so we don’t wind up spending money on equipment we don’t need.
Pro Tip: Both DVRs (digital video recorders) and NVRs (network video recorders) record video. However, where DVRs process video on the device itself, NVRs process video on the camera before sending it to a storage device.
Installation
Another important factor we consider is how a security system is installed. Generally, we like DIY vs. professional installation, since it’s faster, cheaper, and allows us to make changes to suit our needs. However, if a system demands professional installation, we expect the company to have their own installation team or offer us a list of local contractors.
Monitoring
This list focuses on hardwired security systems. Hardwired systems, by definition, include self-monitoring through on-site DVR or NVR recording. As a result, most companies don’t offer professional monitoring services with their hardwired packages. After all, if you’re recording video footage yourself, the point is to watch it yourself rather than pay someone else at a remote site to watch it.
The exception on this particular list is the Ring Alarm. They don’t offer any kind of local storage, and their cloud storage costs $3 per month. However, they also offer Ring Protect Plans, which come with 24/7 monitoring for $10 a month.
Smart Home Integrations
Hardwired security systems aren’t as smart home-friendly as wireless systems, since most smart technology relies on some form of wireless communication between devices. However, we expect any system that makes this list to work seamlessly with both Alexa and Google Assistant. You can find out more about smart homes by heading over to our guide to home automation or our smart home guide. Learn how to make your smart home dreams a reality with the latest smart lighting, smart light switches, smart locks, and more convenient smart home devices.
Price
Here again, hardwired security systems are unique in that they are based on local recording and self-monitoring. In fact, one of the advantages to hardwired systems is that once you’ve purchased monitoring equipment, you’re done paying, in most cases. The exception, of course, is the Ring system. They don’t offer a DVR or NVR and charge $3 per month for cloud-based storage. Our primary focus then, for this list, was on the cost of the equipment itself. We compared prices between single security pieces like cameras, door sensors, and video doorbells. Some of the price ranges we found included:
- Basic indoor security camera: $38 – $60
- Outdoor night vision camera: $60 – $100
- Outdoor camera with spotlight: $78 – $200
- 1 TB DVR or NVR: $130 – $220
- Doorbell camera: $60 – $130
- Door/ window sensor: $20 – $25
Of course, in each case, we considered the value we got for our money. For example, Swann’s cheapest camera sells for $38, which is $2 cheaper than Reolink’s cheapest camera. However, the Reolink camera comes with two-way audio, while the Swann camera doesn’t. In addition, some companies didn’t offer some components, which affected their rating. Swann, for instance, doesn’t offer door sensors. Reolink doesn’t offer doorbell cameras. And Lorex was the only system we came across that sold their own home hubs. Finally, we considered whether or not a particular security system allowed for DIY installation since, of course, DIY saves money. A professionally installed system can run anywhere from $75 to $300 per camera.
Mobile Applications
Mobile apps are important for hardwired systems especially, since they require self-monitoring. We start by exploring reviews at Google Play and the App Store. Ultimately, though, we prefer to do our own testing as well. We give better marks to apps that send us real-time alerts so we can keep a close eye on our homes. We also expect apps to give us full access to live-stream and recorded video, and we prefer it if we can make camera adjustments, like changing monitoring zones and motion sensitivity. Finally, we like apps that are intuitive and logical so we don’t have to waste time trying to learn how they work.
FAQs
Below, you’ll find additional answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about hardwired security systems.
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What is the best hardwired system on the market?
The best hardwired system on the market is ADT. The company has been around for over 145 years and in that time has built a reputation for both reliability and innovation. ADT integrates well with both Alexa and Google Home, and the Pulse app is one of the most user-friendly home security apps out there. Other great hardwired systems include Brinks, Ring Alarm, and Lorex.
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Is a wired or wireless security system better?
Both wired and wireless security systems have advantages and disadvantages. For instance, wired systems:
- Cannot be jammed
- Allow for self-monitoring
- Aren’t subject to Wi-fi outages
However, wired systems:
- Take more work to install
- Don’t come with professional monitoring
- Can be bulky
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What are the top five security systems?
The top five security systems include:
- ADT
- Cove
- SimpliSafe
- Vivint
- Alder Security
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Who makes the best security system?
ADT makes the best home security system overall. The company provides 24/7 professional monitoring so you never have to worry about whether someone’s protecting your home. In addition, ADT has more monitoring centers than any other company in the US. It offers integration with Alexa and Google Home and a responsive mobile app.
ADT. (2022). Our History.
adt.com/about-adt/history