The Best Self Install Home Security

Decide on the locations that you want to protect with your wireless video home security system. Mount a wireless video camera to a wall in each location so that the lens is pointing toward the entranceway that an intruder might approach -- for example, a window leading to the outside of your home. Use wood screws and a Phillips screwdriver to do the mounting.

Rotate the external antenna, providing there is one, so that its tip is pointed in the general direction of the television where the video from the camera will be monitored.

Plug the power port cable from the camera's power supply into the port input on the back or side of the camera. Plug the AC plug that is also attached to the camera's power supply into a wall outlet.

Tape over any lit LED on the camera if you want it to remain unobtrusive -- a strip of duct tape will conceal the lit LED once placed over it.

Open the side or bottom panel on the camera. Adjust the switches inside to provide the camera with a code sequence to identify it from any other using the tip of a flat-edged jeweler's screwdriver to move the position of the switches -- for example, setting the switches, according to the manual included with the wireless security system, to "1" or "2."

Repeat this procedure with additional wireless video cameras that are compatible with the wireless video security system.

Place the wireless video receiver next to the television that will be used to view the video from the cameras. Insert an end of a Composite (a.k.a., "Video") cable into the video output on the receiver. Insert the other end of the Composite cable into one of the Composite video inputs on the side panel or back panel of the TV.

Turn the TV on with its remote and then press the "Menu" button. Navigate to the "Video input" menu by going through the "System" and "Options" menus -- the exact sequence of menus to reach the video input choices will depend on the make of the TV. Select the Composite video input that the Composite cable is connected to. Press the "Menu" button to exit the menu settings.

Plug the receiver's power cord into a wall outlet for power. Press the power button or slide the power switch -- depending on the make of the wireless security system -- to activate the receiver. Rotate any external antenna, if there is one, so that it faces in the general direction of one or more of the cameras. Select a video camera's code setting using the appropriate-named switch on the receiver to watch the video being transmitted.