Example plan · Townhouse · data checked 2026-09-16

How many security cameras do I need for every side of a townhouse with no monthly fee?

Plan on 2 outdoor cameras plus a video doorbell for every side of a typical townhouse with no monthly fee. This plan costs $170 up front and nothing a month, $170 over 3 years. Everything required is covered, but the rear parking pad is hard to see at night. Your layout will differ, so start from this plan and adjust it.

We picked the plan with the lowest 3-year cost that still covers every required area. 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

+ video doorbell

Up front

$170

Buy now: $170

Monthly

records locally

3-year total

$170

hardware + 36 months

Daytime view Key spot seen ×Key spot missed Router (R) / mesh node (M) Planning estimate only: check the live view before you drill.

Area	Day	Night	Status
Front door Required	99%	lit	Covered
Street parking Nice to have	100%	lit	Covered
Back patio Required · unlit at night	95%	95%	Covered
Rear parking pad Nice to have · unlit at night	100%	59%	Dark at night

At night the view of the rear parking pad drops to 59%: use a floodlight or spotlight model, or add a light.

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	TP-Link Tapo C120	Back wall, left	Plugs into an outdoor outlet	1	$39.99	Tapo store ↗
3	TP-Link Tapo C425 KIT	Front wall, left	Solar + battery	1	$69.99	Tapo store ↗
Hardware total					$169.96

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
TP-Link Tapo C120: cloud video history, cloud backup
TP-Link Tapo C425 KIT: cloud video history, cloud backup

Wi-Fi check

One router should reach everything, but 3 spots are borderline. Test the signal there with your phone first.

Front door frame -67 dBmfair
Back wall, left -67 dBmfair
Front wall, left -68 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.

2TP-Link Tapo C120 · Back wall, left Plugs into an outdoor outlet

Plug into the outdoor outlet under a weatherproof in-use cover. Clip the cable along the trim.

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

Planning reach: ~46 ft by day, ~30 ft at night, 103° wide.

3TP-Link Tapo C425 KIT · Front wall, left 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: ~32 ft by day, ~32 ft at night, 122° 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 (2)

night-vision range not published; assumed 25 ft
sensor width taken as 2304 px from the "2K" label

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), Street parking, Back patio (required), Rear parking pad
Monthly fee: Not allowed
Wiring: Existing outlets, lights and doorbell wires only
Budget: No limit
Smart home: Any
Climate: Mild winters