08/18/2026
It shocks me how many homeownersāand especially business owners with a lot to loseāare relying entirely on off-the-shelf Wi-Fi cameras purchased online or from the local hardware store.
If you've heard me talk about surveillance cameras before, you've probably heard me say it:
I recommend against Wi-Fi cameras 99% of the time.
Why?
Criminals are getting smarter.
Burglars are using inexpensive technology to interfere with Wi-Fi and disrupt wireless security cameras. When the Wi-Fi goes down, a camera that depends on that connection may lose its ability to transmit video or alert you when you need it most.
And this isn't theoretical.
In Bellaire, Texas, police said burglary suspects apparently used a Wi-Fi jammer during a break-in, interfering with the home's surveillance video.
That's an important distinction between a consumer camera and a properly designed security camera system.
At Helou Technical Services, we generally recommend:
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Hardwired PoE cameras
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Local recording with an NVR
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Commercial-grade surveillance equipment
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Battery backup for critical network and security equipment
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Proper network design and segmentation
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Cellular/redundant communications when appropriate
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Professional monitoring and proactive video monitoring for higher-risk properties
A $100 camera can give you a picture.
A properly engineered surveillance system is designed to protect the evidence when something actually happens.
For a homeowner, losing video is frustrating.
For a business, losing video during a burglary could mean thousandsāor hundreds of thousandsāof dollars in losses with very little evidence left behind.
Don't confuse having cameras with having security.
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Three suspects approached a security camera holding up a backpack, which Bellaire Police Department told KPRC 2 News likely contained a Wi-Fi jammer device.