The first question to answer is, where should you install your security cameras? Here are some common areas to place your cameras:

Ground-floor doors and windows: Most of the time, a burglar wants to enter your house the same way you do. And that’s through doors on the ground floor. Well, burglars enter through windows, too. This is why it’s important to have cameras on all of your doors and windows at ground level, both in your home and outside of it.

Main stairs or hallway: Place a camera in any area where burglars would have to walk through to access most of your home. This is most likely a hallway on the first floor or a main stairway to the upstairs.
Common areas: You may also want to secure areas that you use on a daily basis, like a living room or kitchen. This gives you eyes on the most trafficked areas of your home.
Driveway: We recommend placing an outdoor camera so that it can watch over the entire length of your driveway. Burglars will often have to cross the driveway to approach the front door.

Optional Places to Install Security Cameras
There are a few more spots you should consider placing a security camera. But, these spots really depend on the layout of your home. So, here are a few of the places you should install cameras to fit the needs of your home:

Yard: Secure both your front and back yard with outdoor cameras. Thieves use your yard as a hiding place to get out of view from the street. When there’s overgrown bushes or trees, it’s even easier for thieves to hide.
Second Floor: Do you keep jewelry or other expensive items upstairs? We suggest using an indoor camera to secure your main second-floor hallway. This is a great way to get more video evidence if you ever need to help the police solve a break-in at your home. But, it still avoids the privacy concerns that come with placing cameras in bedrooms or bathrooms.
Basement: You don’t need to monitor your basement as much as the ground level and outside of your home. But if you store anything valuable in your basement, adding a security camera there can’t hurt. We like to point ours at the door between our basement and garage. This covers another point of entry that a burglar might use.
Garages or detached buildings: You most likely keep your car in your garage. And we all know cars are valuable. If you store your tools in the same garage, that only adds to the value there. So, we suggest installing a camera in your garage to watch over these expensive items. You can always get a range extender or use a camera that doesn’t need Wi-Fi if your Wi-Fi can’t reach your garage.
Where Not To Place Security Cameras
There’s no doubt that security cameras are useful for monitoring your home. But there are some spots you just shouldn’t put them. Most of the time, this is due to legal and privacy concerns. Either way, here is our list of places you should not put cameras in your home:

Neighbor’s property: Your state’s laws might ban you from using cameras that can see your neighbor’s yard or home. Make sure your security cameras can only see your home and not your neighbors’ home.
Bedrooms: Although you may store valuables in your bedroom, it’s best to leave security cameras out for privacy reasons. Cameras can get hacked, and hackers can use footage against you.
Bathrooms: The same goes for bathrooms. It’s not like a burglar would get much out of your bathroom anyway. What are they going to do, steal your toilet? So, there’s little to no risk in leaving this area unmonitored. And we’re sure your guests will appreciate it, too.
Other Factors to Consider
You need to think about more than just what rooms you want to put your cameras in. Here are other key factors to think about:

Visible vs. hidden: In the home security space, there’s a bit of a debate on whether you should hide your cameras or show them off. In a survey of 86 inmates serving time for burglary, they still couldn’t figure out if seeing a camera would stop them or encourage them. While some burglars said they would avoid homes with cameras, some saw them as a sign that a home had valuables.1 When it comes down to it, there’s no perfect answer here. So, you’ll have to decide for yourself if you want to hide your cameras or not.
Durability: Outdoor cameras need to be able to stand up to the weather. And most cameras don’t come with a cover which means they’ll get hit with rain, snow, and sleet. It also leaves them open to dust and debris. So, make sure your uncovered outdoor cameras can last in any weather your hometown might throw at it. Look at the temperature ranges and IP ratings of the cameras you choose to make sure they’ll hold up.
Reflection and glare: In sunny rooms, rooms with mirrors, or any space outside, take note of all the reflections and glares. These can really impede the quality of your cameras’ footage. For outdoor cameras, we suggest you get a camera with HDR or High Dynamic Range. This feature lowers the effect of glare from the sun.
Total number of cameras: Any camera that uses Wi-Fi can affect your internet speeds. So beware of how many cameras you choose to buy that run on Wi-Fi. You can also choose to get a second router just for your cameras. This keeps them from eating up all of your network speed (and trust us, your teenage kids will thank you, too).
Proximity to valuable objects: Of course, burglars look for the most expensive items in your house. So where you store your most valuable items should tell you where you need cameras the most. But, what’s the most valuable item in a house to a thief? No, it’s not your old wedding dress from the 1980’s, despite how much it means to you. Rather, the Bureau of Justice Statistics finds that 34 percent of burglars took home appliances or portable electronics like TVs. Meanwhile, 31 percent took smaller things like keys, jewelry, watches, furs, luggage, briefcases, and clothing.2 Going back to those surveyed inmates, the items they wanted to steal the most were electronics, cash, jewelry and credit cards. These were closely followed by guns and collectibles.