The main problem with consumer security cameras is that they are designed to be secure from people outside the house. The people inside are trusted. Hosts that don’t trust their guests need to install a system that doesn’t trust the guests. Avoid WiFi cameras altogether, but if it’s not practical, then use a separate WiFi router or a separate network on the same router (assuming guest don’t have access to it). It’s far better to use wired cameras that are mounted where they are not reachable and connected to a DVR in a locked room.
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Interesting. I had not heard of an electrician who charges mileage and/or time driving to the work site. I also assumed you would get an electrician from relatively close by or they would say you are outside their service area.
Would you be willing to post a picture (or send privately) as I am having a heck of a time visualizing it. Could just be the time change…
even using separate networks does nothing if they unplug the modem or router. Other than via wifi is there a way i can see the camera feeds. thanx. time change has gotten me and i need to get some sleep so please forgive me if I missed your point.
This is what I use for my extender:
https://www.amazon.com/Emerson-F29-0198-Universal-Locking-Thermostat/dp/B000PY7S6A
It is a locking thermostat box, plenty big enough to cover the entire outlet and the extender with room to spare. It screws into the wall around your outlet. I placed it so the lock is at the bottom, and painted it the same color as the wall. You only notice it if you are looking for it, and someone would have to break it to get in. Works great.
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Turning off the router came up as a controversy in September. A new (direct) guest staying 4 months disconnected mine after I specifically asked him not to. Everyone in the home was on the net. That, and some other disruptions, obliged me to oust him. He wasn’t pleased. But who needs 4 more months of this?
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Of course not. If your WiFi router supports multiple networks, then you’d have to lock it up somewhere.
I’m not sure what you’re asking. You can buy wired cameras that go to a wired router that connects to your Cable/DSL/Fiber/LTE modem, then nothing related to the cameras is WiFi. But assuming all of the cameras you already have are WiFi-only, the solution is to have the cameras be on a WiFi network which is not accessible to guests (they can’t unplug the router and they don’t have the network password). It is possible to have two physical WiFi routers in your home and there are many ways to configure them, but it gets complicated really fast.
Thanx. Yes the problem is unplugging or turning off power to modem and/or router, no matter how many networks out how many routers. I don’t currently have a way to lock them up in the whole house rental. Sounds like I am going to have to build some sort of locking cabinet that attaches to the walls around the outlet and incoming cable and then also put a lock on the electric breaker panel. What a pain…Oh how I hate disrespectful people sometimes…
I looked at those thermostat guards also! But I needed holes big enough to get the extender wired to both a coax cable outlet and a power outlet, so it didn’t quite do the trick. It looked harder to drill than the malleable plastic magazine holder. Did you cover the serial number, etc with tape? And did you use security screws? So I guess mine is the poor man’s solution! Also mine is not a plug in, it’s an Actiontec WCB6200Q that’s compatible with my Verizon Fios.
One of these boxes big enough to cover the outlet and hold the router.
Oh, d’oh never mind, the screw holes are inside the locked themo box, of course. excellent solution if it fits with your set up! All you would have to do is cover the labeling to be xtra safe.
The problem, for me, with what you show here is that the guest could just disconnect on each or both of the cords to turn it off. If people are just looking to press a reset button then yes, this looks like a perfect solution.
Which begs the question for me: is disconnecting / turning off and then reconnecting / turning on the same result as pressing reset? If not, what are the differences?
No. I painted the box to match the wall so you can’t see the numbers inside. Some light shows through the ventilation holes at night, if I was worried about that I could tape over the indicator lights I suppose.
Well, if ABB won’t support this I’d put a rule that says “tampering with or turning off the WI_FI is strictly prohibited and will have the consequence of bringing me to the house to see what happened”.
Truly, I would, because if they turn the wi-fi off. the thermostat wont work, the cameras, netflix… you get the idea.
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Having to lock up a router because of disingenuous guests is deplorable. What a long list of “don’t”'s we will have if it keeps coming down to basic courtesy and common sense.
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Yep, you’re right, I guess you would need to buy or build that big box to cover the router and your power and coax wall connections.
Mine is just an extender, so if they unplug it they don’t have internet. If they plug it back in, they have internet again. Unplugging doesn’t do a reset to default settings, so my guest bands and password are preserved.
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I have mine locked up for two reasons:
- For bad guests that want to have a party/sneak in extra people/whatever and unplug it because they think the cameras won’t work.
- For clueless guests that can’t figure out how to connect to the wifi so mess with the router, causing me to have to go over and reset it for them.
I have had none of #1 yet, but two guests have messaged me needing help to log on to the wifi. The network and password are posted on the wall in the living room and they still couldn’t figure it out. I just don’t want these folks to have easy access to the router or they will start pushing buttons.
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Oooooh! I’m imagining plugging in a fake router, one that doesn’t control anything, and leaving it in plain sight as a decoy…
That could potentially be entertaining. 
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Unfortunately the outlet is in the wall but the coax comes in the house through the floor about a foot or two left of it…I need a big box. 
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Adding an outlet that’s one or two feet away on the same wall is usually trivial.
I’ll also point out that you need to look at the rest of your connection. Guests that know to unplug your router will probably also know they can unplug your service. I.e. unplug the coax where it enters the house. Is that secure?