(Wed Desk) - Abode's new $200 wireless security camera can be installed up to 1.5 miles away while still using your home's Wi-Fi network.
Battery-powered wireless security cameras make installation effortless, but the size of your home's Wi-Fi network limits where they can be placed.
That's why Abode's new Edge Camera can work from up to 1.5 miles away from your house, without the need for any cables or a cellular connection.
Most wireless security cameras that rely on a home's existing Wi-Fi network are limited to a very small range; that's fine for cameras monitoring the interior of a home, but even with signal boosters or wide-reaching mesh network hardware, getting a reliable Wi-Fi signal outside a home is often impossible.
As a result, exterior Wi-Fi-based security cameras often have to be installed very close to a home and positioned so that the house itself is never in frame.
There are wireless cameras that offer a wider range, such as those that hunters use to remotely monitor game trails, but they're dependent on cellular networks and a SIM card, and often come with additional fees for cellular service.
The new Abode Edge Camera still uses a home's existing Wi-Fi network to push recorded videos to the cloud so they're accessible from mobile devices, but can be installed up to 1.5 miles away from a residence, allowing the house, and even its entire property, to be in frame at all times.
An included base station is installed at the house and connected to the Wi-Fi network there, but uses its own custom Wi-Fi hardware, operating on narrow frequency bands, to communicate with the security camera at much farther distances.
The environment between the camera and the base station will affect the range (obstacles and other wireless devices can reduce it) but it will still be much farther than what most wireless routers are capable of.
The Abode Edge Camera captures video at 1080P hi-def resolutions and features a 6,000 mAh rechargeable lithium-ion battery that will keep it powered for up to a full year between charges.
The prolonged battery life is made possible through a built-in, low-power passive infrared (PIR) sensor that only powers up the camera and triggers recordings when motion is detected, while AI is used to recognize objects, faces, and to help determine if what is being captured is something to be concerned about.