Wireless vs Hardwired Commercial Intruder Alarm Systems

The days when wires trailed across every home and business connecting appliances, machines and computers to an electricity supply and to each other are receding ever further into the distance.

The benefits of wireless operation are being felt everywhere and as the technology is honed further each year, instances of wireless systems losing their connection have become so rare as to become almost nonexistent.

Intruder alarms are no different. Designed to raise an alarm when premises are accessed outside of business hours, usually by an unauthorised person, they are a vital part of most modern businesses’ security portfolio.

With both wireless and hardwired systems being readily available and both being effective solutions, we thought we’d take a closer look at how each works together with their advantages and disadvantages.

Wireless intruder alarms

Wireless intruder alarms work in much the same way as their hardwired alternatives in that they detect an intruder and pass on that information by sounding an alarm and/or alerting staff at an alarm receiving centre (ARC). They just do it without wires, with the information being carried via a WiFi signal rather than an electrical current. 

The first – and most obvious – thing to note about a wireless intruder alarm is that there are no wires. That basic fact has a lot of benefits on its own. For starters, it makes it considerably quicker and cheaper to install, without any of the disruption or expense that goes with installing a hardwired system. 

But just as handy is that it also makes it faster and easier to relocate if required. If you don’t want to concentrate your efforts on the same spot the whole time, that can be very useful. Plus, it’s just as easy to add extra sensors to the system at a later date. If flexibility is something you want from your intruder alarm solution, it’s definitely the way to go.

And if your business moves premises, you can just take your whole intruder alarm system with you!

There are some disadvantages to a wireless system – there is the risk of batteries running out, although most will sound an alarm when that happens, in the same way that most domestic smoke alarms do. There’s also the potential for loss of a WiFi signal – although many systems come with a back-up that allows them to use a mobile signal – or for interference from other electronic devices.

Hardwired intruder alarms

If you’re looking for a reliably solid, long-term term solution without the worry of lost signals and drained batteries, you may wish to go for a hardwired intruder alarm. With most having a battery to fall back on in the event of a power cut, it’s likely to be a slightly more reliable choice and provide greater peace of mind for the more nervous business owner than a wireless system.

When you have a hardwired intruder alarm, your sensors need to be connected to the control panel by wires. Depending on how far away your sensors are from the panel, that could mean a lot of wires trailing around your building. On the other hand, because they are physically connected, there isn’t the danger of a signal failing to reach the control panel, something that may happen in large premises using a wireless system without a signal booster.

The third way

Of course, if you want the best of both worlds – the solid dependability of a wired system together with the flexibility of the wireless choice – why not ask about one of our hybrid systems? 

Scutum London is a leading designer, supplier and installer of all kinds of intruder alarm systems for companies and businesses operating in and around London, Surrey and the rest of the South East. Specialising in designing bespoke security solutions using the latest technology, we can help protect your business premises against everything the modern criminal can throw at you.

Contact us now to find out more.