Rather than the cameras connecting directly to your phone, they connect to the Smart Home Center network video recorder using its built-in Wi-Fi router. The hub, too, feels like an unnecessary addition. The cameras work well, although they don't look particularly up-to-date. (This extra expense can be avoided, however, if you simply buy the smart home center and two cameras a la carte.)
LOREX CAMERA SYSTEMS ON SALE INSTALL
Sure, if you want to monitor an outbuilding, or if you plan to install one of the cameras in the backyard, a range extender is a great idea – but it seems odd to include the $80 device in every base package sold. I set up the cameras on opposite sides of my house and experienced no connectivity issues.
The range extender works well enough, but it simply won't be necessary for many people. What inflates the starter system's price tag are the other two devices: a range extender and a touchscreen hub. Midrange security cams like Lorex's are going to cost over a hundred bucks no matter which brand you buy, and as expected they sell for about $100 each on the website. In this case, though, it's not the cameras that account for this difference in price. For that price, the four pieces of hardware – a touchscreen monitor, a range-extender and two security cameras – may feel a little paltry at first.Ĭompetitors like SimpliSafe and Ring, two of the best home security systems on the market, include a lot more hardware with their similarly priced systems – and don't even mention budget-friendly options like Wyze, where $450 would buy you a veritable camera-copia. If you get the basic $450 Lorex Smart Home Security Center package as I did, you might be surprised at how few devices you find when you first open the box. But Lorex's dependence on an overpriced central hub holds it back from greatness. The system boasts some fantastic features, including significant local storage and solid cameras. This approach means Lorex won't be for everyone but those who want that focus on cameras will probably be mostly happy. Instead, for better or worse, Lorex focuses on two things: cameras and monitors. Its Smart Home Security Center doesn't come with the various and sundry sensors that stock the online stores of Ring or SimpliSafe - although if you want, you can buy a separate set of sensors to integrate. Lorex isn't like other home security systems. When you leave the house - or just turn in for the night - you arm the system, which gives you confidence that if something happens that shouldn't, you (and potentially emergency services) will be swiftly notified.
Most home security systems work like this: Entry sensors, motion detectors and a slew of other doodads monitor your home for break-ins.