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 for under $1,000?
Plan on 6 outdoor cameras plus a video doorbell for every side of a typical house with an attached garage for under $1,000. This plan costs $895 up front and nothing a month, $895 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 plan with the most daytime and night coverage within your limits. 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
6
+ video doorbell
Up front
$895
Buy now: $390
Monthly
$0
records locally
3-year total
$895
hardware + 36 months
| Area | Day | Night | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Front door Required | 100% | lit | Covered |
| Driveway Required · unlit at night | 100% | 100% | Covered |
| Side yard Nice to have · unlit at night | 100% | 91% | Covered |
| Patio Nice to have | 100% | lit | Covered |
| Backyard Nice to have · unlit at night | 99% | 90% | Covered |
Shopping list
Phase 1 covers your required areas; phase 2 can wait.
| # | Device | Where | Power | Phase | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | TP-Link Tapo D210 Battery Doorbell | Front door frame | Rechargeable battery | 1 | $59.99 | Tapo store ↗ |
| 2 | Reolink Elite Floodlight WiFi | Above the garage door | Hardwired to an existing light fixture | 1 | $249.99 | Reolink store ↗ |
| 3 | Wyze Solar Cam Pan 2K | Front eave, left corner | Solar + battery | 1 | $79.98 | Wyze store ↗ |
| 4 | TP-Link Tapo C460 | Back eave, right corner | Rechargeable battery | 2 | $84.99 | Tapo store ↗ |
| 5 | Reolink Argus 4 Pro | Left side wall | Solar + battery | 2 | $214.99 | Reolink store ↗ |
| 6 | TP-Link Tapo C460 | Back door light | Rechargeable battery | 2 | $84.99 | Tapo store ↗ |
| 7 | eufy SoloCam E42 | Back eave, left corner | Solar + battery | 2 | $119.99 | Amazon.com ↗ |
| Hardware total | $894.92 | |||||
Monthly fees
None. Every device in this plan records locally without a subscription.
What you give up by skipping the plan
- TP-Link Tapo D210 Battery Doorbell: cloud video history, cloud backup
- Reolink Elite Floodlight WiFi: cloud backup
- TP-Link Tapo C460: cloud video history, cloud backup
- Reolink Argus 4 Pro: cloud backup
- Wyze Solar Cam Pan 2K: cloud video history, person detection, package detection, vehicle detection
- TP-Link Tapo C460: cloud video history, 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
- Back eave, right corner -76 dBmpoor
- Left side wall -61 dBmgood
- Front eave, left corner -69 dBmfair
- Back door light -69 dBmfair
- 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
1TP-Link Tapo D210 Battery Doorbell · 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: ~24 ft by day, ~24 ft at night, 135° wide.
2Reolink Elite Floodlight WiFi · Above the garage door Hardwired to an existing light fixture
Replaces the existing outdoor light. Turn the breaker off first, or hire an electrician.
• Hold it in place with tape and check the live view before you drill.
Planning reach: ~34 ft by day, ~34 ft at night, 180° 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.
4TP-Link Tapo C460 · Back eave, right corner Rechargeable battery
Use the quick-release mount so the camera is easy to take down and charge.
Charging: About every 29 weeks at ~5 events/day (estimate; maker: 200 days at 270 s/day).
• Hold it in place with tape and check the live view before you drill.
Planning reach: ~60 ft by day, ~49 ft at night, 113° wide.
5Reolink Argus 4 Pro · 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: ~34 ft by day, ~25 ft at night, 180° wide.
6TP-Link Tapo C460 · Back door light Rechargeable battery
Use the quick-release mount so the camera is easy to take down and charge.
Charging: About every 29 weeks at ~5 events/day (estimate; maker: 200 days at 270 s/day).
• Hold it in place with tape and check the live view before you drill.
Planning reach: ~60 ft by day, ~49 ft at night, 113° wide.
7eufy 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 (5)
- night-vision range not published; assumed 30 ft
- sensor width taken as 3840 px from the "4K" label
- 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)
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
- $1,000
- Smart home
- Any
- Climate
- Mild winters
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