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Entry level systems usually include some door and window sensors, a motion detector, and a hub that communicates with these devices using one or more wireless protocols such as Wi Fi, Z Wave, Zigbee, or a proprietary mesh network. You can add extra door, motion, and window sensors to provide coverage for your entire house and build a comprehensive system that includes door locks, garage door openers, indoor and outdoor surveillance cameras, lights, sirens, smoke/CO detectors, water sensors, and more. A word about wireless protocols: In a perfect world, all home security components would use the same wireless standard to communicate with the main hub, but factors such as power requirements, signal range, price, and size make it virtually impossible to settle on just one. For example, smaller components such as door/window sensors typically use Z Wave or Zigbee technology because they don't require a lot of power and can be powered by smaller batteries. They also operate in a mesh topology and can help extend the range of networked devices. However, neither protocol provides the bandwidth that you get with Wi Fi, which is why it is usually used in security cameras to provide smooth video streaming, and in other devices that require a fat pipe. Moreover, Z Wave and Zigbee devices are connected and controlled using a hub, while Wi Fi devices can be connected directly to your home network and controlled with an app. Finally, Z Wave and Zigbee devices use AES 128 encryption, and since they operate in a closed system with a dedicated hub, they offer more security than Wi Fi devices. Any smart security system worth its salt offers components that work together in a seamless environment and can be manipulated using customized rules. For example, you can create rules to have the lights turn on when motion is detected, have your doors unlock when a smoke alarm goes off, and have a camera begin recording when a sensor is triggered. Some systems store recorded video locally on an SD card or a solid state drive, while others offer cloud storage.

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, the equipment belongs to the customer and does not have to be returnedwhen the service is terminated. In order to separate themselves from the pack, the SimpliSafe website highlights some major differences between them and some of the larger home security companies. One of the main differences is that SimpliSafe claims no hidden fees and requires no commitment or service contract. As highlighted in the New York Times articles on SimpliSafe, many home security systems require up to a three year contract that can costthousandsof dollars, and often have add on fees that raise the actual cost of the service from what is stated as the monthly home security monitoring fee. SimpliSafe requires no such contract and no auto renewal fees. Another important difference between SimpliSafe and some of the more traditional home security systems is that SimpliSafe is 100% wireless. Not only does that mean a less expensive and difficult installation process, but more importantly the system cannot be shut down by a clever thief with wire cutters. In fact, the home security installation is so simple that the customer can begin installing the system in as littleas 5 minutes, as shown in a helpful video on the website. This is a nice incentive for those folks who don't want a hefty installation charge or permanent wiring added in their home. Of course, it could also be a negative for people who don't trust themselves to install the system on their own. Protection One uses Honeywell built security equipment that comes with a lifetime guarantee, for a small monthly fee, as long as you employ their respective monitoring service.