The beauty of modern wireless cameras is that they’re painless to set up. However, there’s also no denying that CCTV cameras have their own challenges. The fact that the footage is restricted within the network makes them preferable to those who are not confident with the security of cloud servers.

Fortunately, with the Smonet Security Camera, you don’t have to settle for anything less. The perks of both are easily available in this product, allowing you convenience in terms of installation and security in terms of video storage. It offers the best of both worlds which might just be what you are after.

Interested in what the Smonet Security Camera can do? Let our review help you decide whether it’s the right match for you.

Smonet Security Camera 720p Detailed Review

Design and Features

The Smonet 720p HD camera is quite a traditional pick since it’s a bullet type of camera. This gives it a classic charm as it will definitely remind you of the surveillance cameras used in commercial establishments in the past decades. It looks a bit modern than those bulky devices, though.

How? For starters, its white casing with black details gives it a more modern appearance. The silhouette and lines of this camera also look more contemporary compared to how clunky older surveillance cams look.

We particularly like the black line that highlights the visor on top of the camera’s face plate. It gives some definition and it kind of reminds us of a nicely lined eyelid.

The actual face of the camera looks a bit old-school. However, it’s primarily black like most cameras with three clear white circles around the lens that serve as housing for the camera’s LED lights. Another small clear circle sits at the bottom of the face plate which houses its sensor.

At the back of the unit is its antenna which helps boost its signal range. This adds to its traditional appearance, even though, it’s not as clunky as what we’re used to.

As for its base, it functions as a stand and wall mount at the same time. It can be drilled onto a wall or hold the camera up, since you can change the angle of the camera with ease.

Setup and Usage

The CCTV element of the Smonet security camera might make it seem like this product is complicated to set up but that’s not really the case. While you will have an additional item to install (the Smonet NVR), it’s very simple to work with. You just really need to power it up, pair the cameras with it, and connect it to your wireless network.

With the Auto Pair feature, this process is made way simpler. There are no wires to worry about, so you’re pretty much ready to go once you’ve downloaded the app, created an account and added your devices to it.

Mounting the cameras an also take up sometime. With 4 cameras to install, it can take you a few hours to have everything in place. As these are also plug in cameras, you will also need to do some electrical wiring and cable management.

The manufacturer doesn’t recommend running the power cord outside to a power box and emphasizes on plugging the power cord into an outlet. If you don’t think the 6-foot cable that comes with the package is long enough for your set up, you can contact Smonet and they’ll be happy to assist you with the changes you need to make on your order.

As for the usage of the camera, it’s rather quite simple since you only need to work with the app or web portal to access the camera. Again, it might just look more complicated than others because of the use of the NVR but it’s really not.

In fact, the NVR might even help simplify the process for you as it will always make your recordings available.

Video Quality

An important thing to note about this camera system is that its video resolution has been set to 720p. It’s not necessarily a bad thing, even with the lower quality resolution.

Why? For starters, it will help you save storage space. 720p clips will take less space in your NVR so it won’t fill up fast. It’s also not that low quality, so you don’t have to worry about not being able to see properly what’s on the recording.

In fact, the pictures this camera take are clear and bright, so you’re guaranteed that you will be able to see what’s happening in your footage.

Even its night vision is also clear and reliable. The camera automatically uses night vision mode in low light conditions so you’re guaranteed that you’ll be able to see what’s happening in the recordings.

Audio Quality

The Smonet Security Camera doesn’t record audio. If your use is not focused having sound recording, then this can be a good pick for you. If you want to save storage space, the lack of sound recording should also appeal to you.

Motion Detection

Like with tons of other wireless cameras, this Smonet product is also designed to start recording the moment it senses movement in the area it’s monitoring. It does quite a good job in this area as it’s rather responsive.

You might actually need to tone down its sensitivity as it can be triggered by changes in lighting and even some flying dust.

What some folks didn’t like, however, is its notification system. Like other wireless cams, once its motion sensor gets tripped, it will send you an alert through the app.

However, Smonet tends to do this a couple of seconds after the triggering event so there’s a chance that you won’t catch what set off the sensor on the live feed.

Cloud Storage Costs

Since this security system comes with an NVR unit, it doesn’t require a cloud subscription at all. You can run it with its local storage setup only.

However, you can still spend extra if you feel like expanding its storage. The built-in storage in the unit that comes with this model is 1TB but you can expand it up to 4TB.

Smart Home Compatibility

If you’re thinking of adding this security cam system to your smart home environment, you might want to reconsider. This item is not ready for integration for such.

Mobile Apps and Web Portals

You can access your Smonet Security Camera system through its app or through its web client. With such options, you can find a comfortable manner to access your camera feeds.

You can use either the IP Pro or EseeCloud app

Google Play links:

1. https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.specialyg.ippro&hl=en
2. https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.juanvision.eseecloud30&hl=en

App Store Links:

1. https://apps.apple.com/us/app/ip-pro/id1099077808
2. https://apps.apple.com/kw/app/eseecloud/id1032277907

Lots of people like the web viewer as it will allow you to view the different cameras at the same time.

FAQs

What is the maximum distance the cameras can be from the NVR?

Ideally, you can place the NVR up to 1000 feet away from the camera when unobstructed. However, as outdoor cameras are often placed outside, you also have to consider the walls and other barriers that will be in between the camera and the NVR. The manufacturer then recommends limiting the distance to 350 feet.

Can I add more cameras to this set?

No, the set is only designed to have up to 4 cameras. If you want to set up more cameras in your property, you can go for the 8-pack set instead.

Can I watch all four cameras on a monitor at the same time? Will doing so consume too much bandwidth?

Yes, you can watch all four cameras on a monitor in one go like you can with regular CCTV cameras. However, you will need a very stable internet connection for such a task.

Does this camera support sound?

No, the Smonet 720p camera doesn’t capture sound.

Is it difficult to expand the storage capacity?

No, lots of buyers were able to upgrade their storage without needing professional help.

Conclusion

Combining the convenience of a modern security camera with the functionality and security of CCTVs, the Smonet Security Camera can certainly be a reliable option for a lot of property owners. It’s reasonable price tag also makes a strong case for this product, making it truly worth checking out.