How to Install a Wireless Home Surveillance System

Count the number of windows and doors that are in the home and could be entered by an intruder -- a window on a third story home that has no balcony need not be covered. Purchase additional compatible wireless video cameras to supplement those that are included in the wireless home surveillance system so that you have enough of them as needed.

Place the socket at the bottom of a wireless video camera into the screw at the top of a camera tripod and screw the camera in place. Open the legs of the tripod and stand it so that the lens of the camera is facing the window or door to be monitored.

Plug the camera's power cord into a wall outlet. Rotate the external antenna on the camera, if there is one, so that it faces in the general direction of where you will be placing the video receiver.

Open the control panel lid on the side or back of the camera -- if there is a set screw on the lid, loosen it first with a Phillips head jeweler's screwdriver.

Locate the two rotating dials inside of the control panel compartment. Rotate the "House" or similarly named dial to a letter of the alphabet, for example, "C" or "E." Rotate the "Code" or similarly named dial to a number, for example, "4" or "6." Close the lid and, if necessary, screw the set screw in place.

Repeat this procedure with every one of the windows and doors to be monitored, using the same "House" code for each camera but with a different number for each camera.

Place the video receiver from the surveillance kit next to the TV that will be used to monitor the video from the cameras. Plug the receiver's power cord into a wall outlet. Rotate the antenna on the receiver, if there is one, so that it points in the general direction of one or more of the cameras.

Insert the end of an S-video cable into the S-video output on the receiver -- if there is no S-video output connection, use the video output instead. Insert the other end of the cable into an S-video input on the TV or, if there was no S-video output on the receiver, a video input.

Turn the TV on with the remote. Press the "Menu" button. Navigate through the settings until you come to the "Video Input" or similarly named menu item and select it. Select the input that has the cable plugged into it. Press "Menu" repeatedly to exit the settings.

Press the "Power" button or slide the power switch to turn the receiver on. Rotate the "House" or similarly named dial on the receiver to the same letter as all of the cameras. Rotate the "Code" or similarly named dial to one of the numbers on the dial to view one of the video cameras. Select another number to view another camera.