Example plan · House with attached garage · data checked 2026-09-15
How many security cameras do I need for the front door and driveway of a house with an attached garage without running new wires?
Plan on 2 outdoor cameras plus a video doorbell for the front door and driveway of a typical house with an attached garage without running new wires. This plan costs $220 up front and nothing a month, $220 over 3 years. Every required area is covered day and night. Your layout will differ, so start from this plan and adjust it.
We picked the easiest install: no new wiring, as few devices and apps as possible. This is a template result, not a site survey: your doors, trees and outlets move the numbers. Open it in the planner to match your own home.
Cameras
2
+ video doorbell
Up front
$220
Buy now: $220
Monthly
$0
records locally
3-year total
$220
hardware + 36 months
| Area | Day | Night | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Front door Required | 100% | lit | Covered |
| Driveway Required · unlit at night | 93% | 91% | Covered |
Shopping list
Phase 1 covers your required areas; phase 2 can wait.
| # | Device | Where | Power | Phase | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wyze Video Doorbell v2 | Front door frame | Existing doorbell wiring | 1 | $59.98 | Wyze store ↗ |
| 2 | Wyze Solar Cam Pan 2K | Front eave, garage corner | Solar + battery | 1 | $79.98 | Wyze store ↗ |
| 3 | Wyze Solar Cam Pan 2K | Front eave, left corner | Solar + battery | 1 | $79.98 | Wyze store ↗ |
| Hardware total | $219.94 | |||||
Monthly fees
None. Every device in this plan records locally without a subscription.
What you give up by skipping the plan
- Wyze Video Doorbell v2: cloud video history, person detection, package detection
- Wyze Solar Cam Pan 2K: cloud video history, person detection, package detection, vehicle detection
- Wyze Solar Cam Pan 2K: cloud video history, person detection, package detection, vehicle detection
Wi-Fi check
One router should reach everything, but 2 spots are borderline. Test the signal there with your phone first.
- Front door frame -62 dBmgood
- Front eave, garage corner -70 dBmfair
- Front eave, left corner -69 dBmfair
Most cameras only connect on 2.4 GHz. If your mesh merges bands into one network, turn on a separate 2.4 GHz network for them.
Power and install, spot by spot
1Wyze Video Doorbell v2 · Front door frame Existing doorbell wiring
Uses your existing doorbell wires. Check the transformer is 16–24 V AC.
Planning reach: ~21 ft by day, ~21 ft at night, 135° wide.
2Wyze Solar Cam Pan 2K · Front eave, garage corner Solar + battery
Aim the panel toward the south, clear of shade.
Charging: Should stay charged most of the year in direct sun (estimate).
• Wi-Fi battery cameras can be knocked offline by a jammer. If you can, wire the camera at this key spot.
• Hold it in place with tape and check the live view before you drill.
Planning reach: ~40 ft by day, ~30 ft at night, 108° wide.
3Wyze Solar Cam Pan 2K · Front eave, left corner Solar + battery
Aim the panel toward the south, clear of shade.
Charging: Should stay charged most of the year in direct sun (estimate).
• Wi-Fi battery cameras can be knocked offline by a jammer. If you can, wire the camera at this key spot.
• Hold it in place with tape and check the live view before you drill.
Planning reach: ~40 ft by day, ~30 ft at night, 108° wide.
What to know about this plan
- Most microSD cameras ship without a card. Budget for a high-endurance card; it isn't priced here.
Assumptions we had to make (4)
- night-vision range not published; assumed 25 ft
- sensor width taken as 2304 px from the "2K (3MP)" label
- motion-detection range not published; capped at 40 ft (typical PIR sensor)
- night-vision range not published; assumed 30 ft
The settings behind this plan
- Areas
- Front door (required), Driveway (required)
- Monthly fee
- Allowed
- Wiring
- Existing outlets, lights and doorbell wires only
- Budget
- No limit
- Smart home
- Any
- Climate
- Mild winters
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