WiFi camera options? Bad, Better, Best?

[Sid Post]

I live in rural East Texas and have bad issues with mail theft at my house. And, yes I have filled multiple complaints with the Sheriff's Department and USPS Postal Inspectors. When package notices are left in my mailbox, someone is going into town and receiving my packages from the counter agent at my local Post Office. They don't have cameras so, my only option appears to be to get video footage of the criminal(s) at my rural mailbox.

Game cameras are not an option as they get stolen and the images on the SD Cards go with the stolen camera.

What I think I want are WIRELESS and SOLAR POWERED cameras that can send video footage to my wireless router/switch at the house ~1200' away. I believe I will need a directional antenna to connect the camera to my network so, recommendations there would be welcomed as well.

I currently use a Ubiquiti RT2600AC and have been considering a Dream Machine Pro to drive Access Points and Video Recording solutions. I am not 'married' to Ubiquiti but, I like the integration and protection from hackers that I get from their integrated solutions. I don't want to manage a complicated network solution to keep a good network security regime in place so alternate solution need to have a current and easy update system in place to patch security holes and related protections from outside intrusions into my network.

I am an engineer so, a complicated install doesn't scare me but, I also realize I am not a Network Security specialist so, "homebrew" security and surveillance options are not going to work for me and automated security patching options are very important to avoid issues of a forgotten IOT type access point being overlooked needs to be avoided.

I don't have unlimited funds for this but, I also expect it to cost more than $1,000 when it is all said and done assuming my current network storage system can't be reused.

TIA,
Sid

 

[000Robert]

Do you have an account with USPS? If not, the perp can open an account under your name and then redirect your packages to an address of their choosing. You need to have an account with USPS, FedEx, UPS, and any other delivery service that you receive deliveries from.

 

[Sid Post]

Do you have an account with USPS? If not, the perp can open an account under your name and then redirect your packages to an address of their choosing. You need to have an account with USPS, FedEx, UPS, and any other delivery service that you receive deliveries from.

Yes, in fact, I'm a former USPS postal employee. I have informed delivery on both my home address and my PO Box. I also have FedEx and UPS accounts.

I have an informal personal relationship (not romantic) with my rural mail carrier and most of the employees at the local Post Office know me very well.

My mail WAS NOT redirected. The criminal went in person to the counter at the Post Office and got my packages which my rural carrier left at the post office.

 

[000Robert]

Yes, in fact, I'm a former USPS postal employee. I have informed delivery on both my home address and my PO Box. I also have FedEx and UPS accounts.

I have an informal personal relationship (not romantic) with my rural mail carrier and most of the employees at the local Post Office know me very well.

My mail WAS NOT redirected. The criminal went in person to the counter at the Post Office and got my packages which my rural carrier left at the post office.

Then maybe it is someone at the post office that is stealing your packages, especially since they know you.

 

[—Tom—]

Eufy solo cam could be an option, solar powered and have heard good things about the Eufy cameras. Less expensive than the ubiquiti kit too if worries about theft.
I run ubiquiti at home and in workshop and went with separates for upgradeability, the dream machines are a good one stop shop but do have a premium

 

[Dragon_Man]

I can't recommend any device brand. As a student of Cyber Security I can tell you that the FBI recommends that you connect your IoT devices to a guest account on your WiFi router. I recommend that you also use a hardware firewall.

 

[—Tom—]

Always interesting how many things stop working if you prevent them from scanning your network. Challenge with putting on guest is that you then can’t control them from your trusted network without opening up them up to allow control over the internet. Always good to segment them off into a semi trusted zone and then only allow traffic from trusted zone into semi trusted but not vice versa, that way you can control them from devices connected to trusted, but any weird traffic can’t go the other way. Also means you don’t have to round robin everything over internet and can keep traffic on local network.
My wife rolls her eyes at why we have work, home, iot, and guest networks when all her friends just have one……

 

[bikerector]

Don't you have to show ID to pick up packages from USPS? If the post office can't securely hold a package, what good is that post office?

For all the lack of help on their part, it seems like an inside job, or bad processes or lack to follow them.

I know some action cams can connect remotely, keeping them powered would be the challenge.

 

[De Plano]

Not sure how Arlo Go would work for you, but my neighbor likes it. I assume it has some sort of tracking to it if they grab the camera. Verizon though

 

[Pinoy Knife]

Watching with interest..
i Have Arlo and They suck batteries always need charging/replacing / time delays on video (if it catches anything) missing parts of things, connective issues.. Yea no thanks!!!
$800 dollar paperweight set...

 

[Sid Post]

Don't you have to show ID to pick up packages from USPS? If the post office can't securely hold a package, what good is that post office?

For all the lack of help on their part, it seems like an inside job, or bad processes or lack to follow them.

I know some action cams can connect remotely, keeping them powered would be the challenge.

All the people at our small little Post Office know me by name when I walk in. The Post Mistress came in on Sunday to feed my chicks that showed up late on Saturday and the other folks there are super helpful too. Inside theft, while possible, is pretty hard in the Post Office based upon my time at a Post Office. Yes, it is possible but, not easily. The packages in question also should have not been "high profile" so, randomly stealing a package is pretty low gain compared to the wages postal employees are paid.

 

[Sid Post]

Not sure how Arlo Go would work for you, but my neighbor likes it. I assume it has some sort of tracking to it if they grab the camera. Verizon though

I'm trying to avoid cellphone-based cameras and subscription services due to recurring costs which become excessive over time. Resolution is also an issue with many of them as seeing "someone" walking by is a lot different from giving the Sherriff a clear picture or a license plate to pursue.

 

[Sid Post]

Watching with interest..
i Have Arlo and They suck batteries always need charging/replacing / time delays on video (if it catches anything) missing parts of things, connective issues.. Yea no thanks!!!
$800 dollar paperweight set...

The Ubiquiti G4 Pro at $450 is a bit spendy but, with optical zoom and high resolution, is a solid choice. The G4 Bullet is pretty good too. Both work well at night too.

I will be driving my solution, whatever it is, with solar power and batteries as I am too far away to run power. I am also outside home-owner big box store WiFi range. Ubiquiti AirMAX 5 AC provides big ranges for $50~$150 depending on what you actually select. Nanostation LOCO units are pretty easy to use at $50 each and give enough range for most people not on a large acreage. YMMV

 

[Blue Sky]

The people at the post office know you, yet they are giving your packages to someone else? Even after you’ve told them someone is stealing your packages? Are you kidding? None of this makes any sense.

 

[Vaytsee]

WiFi cameras…. I have a few. I’m no expert, but this is what I have found out over the years:

WiFi cameras use a lot of power because they’re in contact with your network all the time. Game/trail cameras (which only record and transmit when something happens) get away with less power, but need a SIM.
Some WiFi cameras are cheap, but those companies make their money by forcing you to view your camera streams through the company’s own service, for which they charge a fee.
Some camera companies collect your video steams and send them overseas. I’m not so comfortable with that.

I settled on cameras that were a bit more expensive, but I have full control over them and can view them through a range of apps (not just the vendor’s). And there is no monthly fee.

Ps nanostations are great (I have a couple of M2s). Solid performers.

 

[Sid Post]

The people at the post office know you, yet they are giving your packages to someone else? Even after you’ve told them someone is stealing your packages? Are you kidding? None of this makes any sense.

Yes! They are overworked and understaffed thanks to Amazon packages from people afraid to go to the grocery store and every other retail shop in town.

I was a bit disappointed to learn my packages were given away like that and know the lady at the counter that did it.

 

[Sid Post]

I can't recommend any device brand. As a student of Cyber Security I can tell you that the FBI recommends that you connect your IoT devices to a guest account on your WiFi router. I recommend that you also use a hardware firewall.

Yes, I'm looking at Security Gateways and will likely use a managed switch to isolate my cameras from the rest of my network. My waveform to the cameras will not be something you will see as WIFI as well. I will run hard lines from the antennas to the cameras.

 

[Fire King]

You wanna go cheap, get a WYZE camera. Subscription not required. Can view events on your phone remotely and put in a SD card for continuous capture. I dont know about the long distance between systems you mention, but they do have an option for non wired, rechargeable units.

EDIT: Also when I had a problem like this years ago , I went to a PO Box, but in todays age of delivery, that may be an issue (mail store box?). Other thought is one of the larger locking mailboxes. Good luck.

 

[Sid Post]

You wanna go cheap, get a WYZE camera. Subscription not required. Can view events on your phone remotely and put in a SD card for continuous capture. I dont know about the long distance between systems you mention, but they do have an option for non wired, rechargeable units.

EDIT: Also when I had a problem like this years ago , I went to a PO Box, but in todays age of delivery, that may be an issue (mail store box?). Other thought is one of the larger locking mailboxes. Good luck.

Yes, I am considering a locking mailbox. Some stores refuse to use PO Boxes so, I am sort of stuck there. FedEx and UPS will leave packages at the local CVS pharmacy so, that is an option for some packages.

With the cameras, theft of them is an issue so I really need "off board" image storage. That's why I'm looking at wireless options to my house where I can save everything to a hard drive and back it up to my Dropbox.