According to the National Bureau of Standards, premises protected by alarm systems show 6x higher intruder apprehension rates compared to unprotected locations. Moreover, businesses with alarm systems consistently report significantly lower financial losses from security incidents. For enterprise IT and security leaders, choosing between wired and wireless alarm systems is a critical decision that impacts long-term security success. This comprehensive guide breaks down the key differences to help you choose the best alarm for your organization.
Comparing Wired vs Wireless Alarms
The main differences between wired and wireless alarm systems revolve around reliability, cost, maintenance, and scalability. Wired alarms systems provide greater reliability and security at the price of a higher upfront cost. Wireless systems provide greater flexibility at a lower sticker price, but require more ongoing maintenance and are subject to unexpected disruption.
Your organization’s security strategy, use cases, budget, and risk tolerance will determine the best alarm system for your needs.
Wired Alarm Systems: Pros, Cons, and Differences
Architecture Overview
Secondary panels such as zone expanders act as repeaters, allowing more sensors to be added into the system. The alarm sensors themselves (motion sensors, door contacts, glass break sensors, etc) are installed and wired back either to zone expanders or directly to the main panel. There may also be outputs such as strobes or sirens that act as alarm responses.
Advantages of Wired Alarm Systems
- High Reliability, Low Maintenance Wired alarm systems have an advantage when it comes to reliability. These systems are more resistant to interference and utilize fewer consumable components such as batteries. This means that maintenance is required less frequently, and is less intensive when required.
- Security
- Wired systems are typically more secure than wireless systems. Because of the increased reliability, the system is less likely to experience downtime or maintenance windows that can leave a building vulnerable to intrusion.
- Tamper Detection
- Wired systems also allow for supervised wiring, which can detect tampering on a given sensor. This improves building security by alerting when wires are cut or shorted.
- Lower Risk of Disruption
- Finally, wired systems are less susceptible to electromagnetic interference and disruption that wireless systems may experience.
- Low Recurring Costs Wired and wireless systems typically have similar recurring costs for monitoring and service. However, wired deployments require less upkeep and incur lower maintenance costs, with few if any replacements for consumables. If the building is owned, it can be worth the investment to have a more reliable system long-term.
Disadvantages of Wired Alarm Systems
- Higher Initial Cost The increased reliability of wired systems requires significant up-front effort in the form of installation. If a building is purchased with a wired alarm system already in place then the cost and complexity of overhauling the brains of the system is reduced significantly, as the majority of the work is in running the cabling.
- Scalability Because the cost of installing wired systems is high, it follows that adding zones, sensors, or other hardware can present a high cost: value discrepancy for one-off additions. For this reason, we recommend taking a measured, thoughtful approach to designing intrusion systems. Speak with an experienced security expert to learn more.
Wireless Alarm Pros, Cons, and Differences
Architecture Overview
Wireless alarms systems utilize a decentralized architecture, where wireless sensors communicate with a network of IP-based wireless hubs. These hubs act autonomously, processing inputs and issuing outputs over the local network as well as alerting all relevant parties over the internet.
As the name suggests, wireless alarms devices communicate using radio waves. Some systems directly utilize the existing wifi infrastructure, while others use proprietary frequencies to minimize network disruption and interference.
Advantages of Wireless Alarm Systems
- Installation and Scalability Despite the drawbacks in reliability, the flexibility of wireless systems cannot be understated. The lack of wired infrastructure means that sensors can be seamlessly added, removed, and relocated. Adding a whole wing of a building can be achieved with a single cable drop to a hub, which can then support dozens of wireless sensors.
- Reach The effective range of a wireless system can span the entire network, potentially reaching much further than wired systems practically could.
- Low installation cost The non-invasive installation of wireless alarm systems results in a much lower upfront investment to get intrusion alarm systems stood up quickly. While more downstream maintenance is required, the annual/semi-annual replacement of batteries and one-off troubleshooting sessions may still be minimal for small to medium-sized deployments.
Ultimately, wireless systems may be optimal for organizations with shorter lease terms and/or applications where high security/reliability is less critical.
Disadvantages of Wireless Alarm Systems
- Decreased reliability As a rule, wireless connections trade off reliability in favor of convenience. For example, using a wired ethernet connection for everyday use on a laptop is less practical than a wireless connection. Even though a wired connection gets higher speeds and less down-time, wifi is far more convenient and usually works well enough for most applications.
- Inconsistent security coverage Similarly, a wireless alarm system will sacrifice reliability for the sake of convenience and flexibility. While deploying a robust, reliable wireless alarm system is absolutely possible, the very nature of wireless communication will always mean a system that is subject to disruption.
- Battery replacement Wireless alarm sensors have batteries that eventually need replacing and any changes to the building layout (moving walls/glass, new machinery, etc) could mean unintended disruption.
- Ongoing maintenance Wireless systems do not have a centralized source of power, which means every sensor will need battery replacements on a semi-annual basis, depending on the sensor. Additionally, regular maintenance is recommended to ensure that devices have not gone offline and that the system is still functioning properly.
Combination Alarm Systems
In certain situations it makes sense to deploy a combination of wired and wireless alarm hardware. Oftentimes, commercial buildings are sold with existing intrusion detection infrastructure in place. In these cases, it becomes significantly more cost-effective to deploy new sensors and panels with the existing cabling and add in additional wireless sensors as needed.
Why Verkada’s Modern, Integrated Security Systems
Verkada excels at overtaking wired alarm systems with AI-powered video alarms, reducing false positives by up to 90% via video verification and providing a streamlined cloud-based management system to administer security systems at scale.
Modern cloud-managed systems allow for real-time access, monitoring, customization, and remote management from anywhere in the world, helping security teams offload verification of alarms and quickly address the root cause with fast investigations and streamlined incident management.
Ideal use cases include facilities with set hours such as office buildings, schools, retail, etc. with existing wired intrusion systems or facilities that desire the enhanced security and reliability of wired systems.
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