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How Many Cameras

Example plan · House with attached garage · data checked 2026-09-15

How many security cameras do I need for every side of a house with an attached garage without running new wires?

Plan on 5 outdoor cameras plus a video doorbell for every side of a typical house with an attached garage without running new wires. This plan costs $720 up front and nothing a month, $720 over 3 years. Everything required is covered, but the backyard is hard to see at 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

5

+ video doorbell

Up front

$720

Buy now: $350

Monthly

$0

records locally

3-year total

$720

hardware + 36 months

Site plan of a house with attached garage with 6 devicesSTREETFront doorDrivewaySide yardPatioBackyardHouseGarage123456RMM10 ft
Daytime view Key spot seen ×Key spot missed Router (R) / mesh node (M) Planning estimate only: check the live view before you drill.
AreaDayNightStatus
Front door Required 100% lit Covered
Driveway Required · unlit at night 92% 90% Covered
Side yard Nice to have · unlit at night 58% 58% Partly
Patio Nice to have 100% lit Covered
Backyard Nice to have · unlit at night 90% 52% Dark at night
  • At night the view of the backyard drops to 52%: use a floodlight or spotlight model, or add a light.

Shopping list

Phase 1 covers your required areas; phase 2 can wait.

#DeviceWherePowerPhasePrice
1 eufy Video Doorbell C31 Front door frame Rechargeable battery 1 $99.99 Amazon.com ↗
2 eufy eufyCam C37 4K Above the garage door Solar + battery 1 $129.99 eufy store ↗
3 eufy SoloCam E42 Front eave, left corner Solar + battery 1 $119.99 Amazon.com ↗
4 eufy eufyCam C37 4K Back eave, right corner Solar + battery 2 $129.99 eufy store ↗
5 eufy SoloCam E42 Left side wall Solar + battery 2 $119.99 Amazon.com ↗
6 eufy SoloCam E42 Back eave, left corner Solar + battery 2 $119.99 Amazon.com ↗
Hardware total $719.94

Monthly fees

None. Every device in this plan records locally without a subscription.

What you give up by skipping the plan

  • eufy Video Doorbell C31: cloud backup
  • eufy eufyCam C37 4K: cloud backup
  • eufy SoloCam E42: cloud backup
  • eufy eufyCam C37 4K: cloud backup
  • eufy SoloCam E42: cloud backup
  • eufy SoloCam E42: cloud backup

Wi-Fi check

Add two mesh nodes near the right side and back walls. 2 spots are likely out of reach.

  • Front door frame -62 dBmgood
  • Above the garage door -86 dBmpoor
  • Front eave, left corner -69 dBmfair
  • Back eave, right corner -76 dBmpoor
  • Left side wall -61 dBmgood
  • Back eave, left corner -71 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

1eufy Video Doorbell C31 · Front door frame Rechargeable battery

Use the quick-release mount so the camera is easy to take down and charge.

Charging: About every 9 weeks at ~30 events/day (estimate; maker: 180 days, usage not stated (we assume 10 events/day)).

• Wi-Fi battery cameras can be knocked offline by a jammer. If you can, wire the camera at this key spot.

Planning reach: ~14 ft by day, ~10 ft at night, 160° wide.

2eufy eufyCam C37 4K · Above the garage door 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, 135° wide.

3eufy SoloCam E42 · 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, 130° wide.

4eufy eufyCam C37 4K · Back eave, right corner Solar + battery

Aim the panel toward the south, clear of shade.

Charging: Should stay charged most of the year in direct sun (estimate).

• Hold it in place with tape and check the live view before you drill.

Planning reach: ~40 ft by day, ~30 ft at night, 135° wide.

5eufy SoloCam E42 · Left side wall Solar + battery

Partial sun here: aim the panel south and keep it clear of branches and the roof shadow.

Charging: Solar helps, but the maker doesn't publish battery life, so we can't estimate low-sun months.

• Hold it in place with tape and check the live view before you drill.

Planning reach: ~40 ft by day, ~30 ft at night, 130° wide.

6eufy SoloCam E42 · Back 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).

• Hold it in place with tape and check the live view before you drill.

Planning reach: ~40 ft by day, ~30 ft at night, 130° 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 10 ft
  • sensor width taken as 3840 px from the "4K" label
  • night-vision range not published; assumed 30 ft
  • motion-detection range not published; capped at 40 ft (typical PIR sensor)
Start from this plan and edit it Move cameras, mark what you already own, change the budget: everything recalculates.

The settings behind this plan

Areas
Front door (required), Driveway (required), Side yard, Patio, Backyard
Monthly fee
Allowed
Wiring
Existing outlets, lights and doorbell wires only
Budget
No limit
Smart home
Any
Climate
Mild winters