Gadgets: Home security system

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Security can't be overstated. It's critical, and a home security system is something people think they might not need, until it's needed and unfortunately too late.

The SimpliSafe home security system is precisely that, simple and safe. It's a complete system, which can be as simple as a single camera or expanded to every door, window and room in your home. There are different packages depending on your needs for inside and outside security. Or go à la carte based on your coverage needs.

First and foremost, security is a serious matter, and getting it right on the first try is critical. Knowing that, my personal preference is that more is better. Add to that, with the SimpliSafe system, you can easily install it yourself. Of course, you can seek professional help, but I've seen devices way simpler than this, with an installation that frustrated me beyond belief. From start to finish, the SimpliSafe home security system can easily be self-installed in a few hours or less.

SimpliSafe's Lighthouse package ($241.43) is what I tested. It includes a base station, keypad, wireless indoor camera, wired video doorbell, an outdoor camera, a motion sensor and three entry sensors. Everything feels well-made and durable, with the outdoor pieces being weather-resistant.

To help determine what system works for you, the SimpliSafe website has a "Take Our Quiz" link. There, you choose the type of property you are setting up and what equipment is recommended. You'll enter information such as how many doors and windows you have and what kind of protection you desire, along with a monitoring recommendation.

The base station is the central piece of hardware and the brain for the SimpliSafe system. All the cameras and sensors route through the base station, which is a space-saving cylinder-shaped device. Once a break-in is detected, the base station alerts the monitoring center and then broadcasts a 95dB siren. And if you're wondering how loud that is, a quick Google search told me, "Yes, 95 dB is a loud and potentially damaging noise level."

Inside the base station is cellular technology with a SIM card. It gets activated once you choose a monitoring system. It also has Wi-Fi, so if cellular is out in the area or Wi-Fi is down, it can resort to one system or the other. There is a backup battery to run for up to 24 hours in the event of a power outage. Up to 100 sensors can run off a single base station.

Upon entering your home, the keypad must be within reach to shut the alarm system off, so placement near your most common door of entry is recommended. It doesn't require AC power. It is built with SmashSafe, so if an intruder decides to smash the keypad hoping to deactivate the alarm, they are out of luck. Once it's smashed, your system will still alert the authorities.

Motion sensors are critical, especially if you don't have entry sensors on every door and window. They provide a 90-degree field of view with a 35-foot range for entire room coverage, triggering an alarm upon detection of any unusual movement. They will detect people and not pets.

The motion sensitivity, like all the controls, is set and adjusted in the SimpliSafe app. You can arm and disarm the system within the app (iOS and Android), along with setting up notifications to your smartphone. Videos, both stored and live, can be viewed within the app.

Once your system is installed, there are several monitoring plans to choose from. They start as low as $1.10 per day for a basic plan, up to $2.66 per day.

Among the choices is the Pro Plus monitoring plan, which includes the Core plan plus SimpliSafe Active Guard Outdoor Protection. It covers you day and night. Advanced AI detects possible threats, and the live security agents intervene to stop intruders.

After seeing the threat through the outdoor camera, the possible intruder will be spoken to directly, along with having a siren sounded and the spotlight shone on them. The goal of the Active Guard Outdoor Protection is to react to threats in under 30 seconds, aiming to prevent break-ins and crime.

With the system's Familiar Face technology, people whose faces are saved to the account will not trigger an alarm. But those who are unrecognizable will be engaged by the SimpliSafe agents. Other accessories for the system include a glass-break sensor, a smoke and carbon monoxide detector, a temperature sensor and a water sensor.

You should check with your city, as many require an alarm permit to respond to an alarm, which is not included in a monitoring fee.

https://simplisafe.com