Acknowledgements

I am honestly grateful to my advisor, Dr. Prasad Wimalarathne, for the support and supervision. My special thanks goes to him too for his help given to me in doing the project and for writing the dissertation 

Above all I would like to thank for our supervisor in Middlesex University, Dr. Chris Sadler; for his kind support. 

My thank goes to ICBT campus MSc course coordinator, Mr. Shalika Chaldera, for the arranging classes and computer labs, for our work. I appreciate with thanks for granting me the support throughout the MSc Programme. 

Finally I would like thank to Manager in Amsafe, Mr. Manula Illangasekara, for granting me leave when required and other equipment supplied throughout the project.

Abstract

Technologies come into edge of the end. Can it be supported to protect our property? Yes of cause, but how? So this is a project for find the way of doing it. A major concern of home security is unauthorized entrance. If we can get a notification when it happened it would be a great service to house owner. Another way of protecting home is video monitoring system for 24 hours. Simply you can use IP camera around the home. Think for a moment how much gain in security by implementing only Sensors and Cameras in home. 

Mobile Home Security Management System is associated with modern mobile technology called Short Message Service (SMS).System is capable of automatically sending text message when it detect the motion, fire or flood within the house premises. Then system is responding the text messages which are in predefined format for control the electronic items within the home, for example you can switch on or off the lights around the home. House owner may have facility to watch the house by using an IP camera which is configured in the house premises. All electronic components and sensors are connected parallel port in computer via developed circuit board. If sensors detect any motion, fire or flood, developed circuit board is capable of changing the current in parallel port according to the sensor. Then developed programme gets feel that current change in parallel port. Thereafter programme reads the status port of the parallel port and it converts into binary format and then it read text in database according to the binary format and that text is sent to particular phone number as a text message through the SMS gateway. Then you can control the electronic circuit by sending text message to the SMS gateway. If SMS gateway received a new text message it is transferred to database and then developed programme will read the text message, if message is formed authorized mobile number, programme will perform the other functions. Then programme will send the corresponding binary code to parallel port then the circuit board is capable of controlling electronic devices which have been attached to the circuit board. If there is a medical emergency, you may call an ambulance in service, and then they will come to assist you within a few minutes. If there is an intruder, there is no way of getting noticed. So this is the importance of home security system on the other hand some of insurance companies are offering discount for customers who are having home security system installed. Nothing is important than safety of your family.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgement


Abstract


1.Introduction.


     1.1.Aim and Objectives.

     1.2.Scope.

     1.3.Methodology.

     1.4.Structure of Dissertation.

2.Background.

3.Analysis.

4.Design.

     4.1.Application Architecture Design.

        4.1.1.Ozeki SMS Gateway.

    4.2.Database Architecture Design.

        4.2.1.Database Table: Active Mobile Numbers.

        4.2.2.Database Table : Home Current Status.

        4.2.3.Database Table : Ozeki Message In and Ozeki Message Out

   4.3.Electronic Circuit Design.

   4.4.Video Monitoring System Design.

5.Implementation.

6.Testing and Evaluation.

7.Conclusion.

8.References.

9.Appendixes.
  39

1. Introduction

Modern civilization is full of with home break incident and burglaries. So this will increase fear of their valuable property and their home. Then they will feel there are not be protected from the burglars. Anyone in the world wants to keep their home to be safe and secured from unauthorized access because it may damaged or stolen the most valuable properties by intruders. This expectation for protecting a home may increase the demand of sophisticated burglar system with advance features. These requirements for high tech home security system with automation facility will add demand for protecting home from intruders but the system should be capable of identifying the actual visitors from the intruders. This Mobile Home Security Management System not only protecting the home, but home appliances also need to be protect by more refined control system. 

Basically home premises can be divided into four sections such as front, rear, left, right. If you have large area then you should organized those area as Zone. A zone can have two or more sections together. It is depend on your requirement. So then we can setup the sensors to cover the zones or sections. Zone or Section may contain one or more sensors according to the requirements. Each sensor will be triggered when it detect the motion. So that signal will be converted to the text message and send it to the desired mobile phone. The one of advantage of this system is house owner can use his existing mobile phone to get the security alert. Another important feature is verbal communication with visitor via mobile phone. Once visitor presses the bell switch at the gate, that interrupt will be informed to the house owner via text message. Then he can initiate a telephone call to a dedicated number which is configured for transferring voice traffic to the gate. So visitor will feel house owner is inside the house as well as this feature can be used to indicate that someone is inside the home, so you can cheat intruders and can protect your valuable properties. This project included the home monitoring system to monitor the home via internet. Other than the sensors IP camera will be configured around the home and inside the home as well. So modern IP camera features will add a valuable service to this project because of your home monitoring system will be capable of not only view the home premises but also hear the sound via internet browser. Most of IP camera has a built in microphone, email and ftp service and automatic infrared night vision function (Gadget-Spot, 2005). 

Sending a text message is a simple human effort function but using that text message you can achieve the heavy task by integrating modern technology. So Mobile Home Security Management System is capable of controlling lights and other electronic devises in the home. If we consider the cost of this function is very low rate but you can protect your precious goods and you can save your money. This system can be converted to control electronic doors, windows and gates as well as heaters, cooling systems and any type of electronically functioning devises. 

1.1. Aim and Objectives

In day to day it is increasing the number of robbery and house breaking cases especially when the house is along, so need a system to identify these cases when it happened. This project is aimed at designing a Mobile Home Security Management System that able to control the electronic devises vas text message, ability to initiate a verbal communication with visitor at the gate, to get a notification text message when there is an intruders and monitoring system via internet. This project will help to minimize the robbery cases either at homes, shops and offices. To achieve this aims I need to get through each objectives in below. 

· Provide an interface to communicate between computer and mobile phone.

· Convert the text message into binary code which can understand by electronic devise

· Provide an service to control the parallel port

· To study about the electronic circuit with parallel port communication

· Provide a service with live video streaming

· To study about the sensor behaviour

1.2. Scope

This project will be a development project in software and electronic. The accuracy of the system may be depend on the electronic components and connected wires. Passive infrared motion detection sensors are using for detect intruders but it also has a limitation intruders can detect those infrared rays by wearing an infrared active classes. Another problem, is the infrared rays’ architecture intruders can come close to the target, when uses passive infrared sensor. In passive infrared sensor is designed to get trigger when an object cross two infrared rays. In this type of project it is unable to use the active motion sensor because it is can be applied only for the entrances. Text message communication time will be depending on the mobile service providers` delay and performance of the computer. Video stemming also depend on the network traffic and internet 3G connection signals as well as performance of the IP camera. 

1.3. Methodology

This project is to develop a Mobile Home Security Management System. This system mainly concern on security of the Home. So we need to find what the security requirements are. Find out the security requirement, questionnaire is distributed among the IT professionals and other professionals who are spending more times away from home. Then collected the security requirements from their answers and using the knowledge of electronic, the security system is designed to model the functionalities. A dongle is act as a GSM modem in this system. Once it received a text message, the message reads by Ozeki SMS gateway and the message transfers to the SQL database. Thereafter a new message reads by developed software and the software reads the corresponding a binary pattern from the database, then the binary pattern transfers to the parallel port. A developed circuit is attached to the parallel port, once it received new binary pattern to the parallel port, the circuit starts of corresponding electronic functions, as a result of that electronic device starts its job. For example switch on or off a light. Motion sensors and other type of sensors are attached to the circuit board, once any sensor is activated, that input is sent to parallel port by changing the voltage of a particular pin in status port of the parallel port. Then it feels to the running programme as an input, and then programme reads the parallel port. Thereafter programme searches text in particular table in database according port input and then that text sends as a text message to given number via Ozeki SMS gateway. Verbal communication and video monitoring system will run as separate functions. So there will not be any integration with security system. 

1.4. Structure of Dissertation 

Structure of dissertation may consist of details which have been to divide into chapters. In chapter 2 presents the background information about the developed home security systems and software which are currently in the market and also included the information that related to the subject matter with past research paper works done by professional by referring the literature reviews. Chapter 3 consist of requirement analysis of proposing solution for home security with clients` requirements and evaluating product in the market. Chapter 4 is used for design overview of the system. This design is based on the requirement analysis and electronic knowledge that I have. Chapter 5 represents the implementation of how system is working and it output reactions. In chapter 6 is presenting the testing and evaluation outputs of the system. This chapter may contain way of test the system in software and hardware parts and also user evaluation results of the system. Finally chapter 7 may presents the conclusion of the dissertation.

2. Background

Home Security is the most important requirement in modern world. According to (Security System, 2010) has been discussed impotency of the security system and available modern technology to safeguard your home and family. Moreover security systems may capable of providing emergency service at the first time of the problem occurs and also it is capable of detecting motions, flood, gas and fire before, you are even aware. 

This topic is not a new invention because there are many products around the world that used for the security of houses. There are some product only using a security camera, another product that is only using motion detection and reporting and another project is combining all motion detection, camera system, alert system, etc. Touch Screen Wireless GSM Home Alarm Systems with Auto-Dialler / SMS Alert (TY1109-G1E) is described according to (Made in China.com, 2011), in product there is 1 wireless infrared detector, 2 sensors for door and window, siren, keypad and control unit. So this product type, is Home Alarm which is having 500 productions per day and they have target of some export market as follows North America, South America, Eastern Europe, Southeast Asia, Africa, Oceania, Mid East, Eastern Asia, Western Europe. There is a nice looking key pad, compatible with GSM networks for reports alarm event via SMS and calling. This system allows up to 6 phone numbers including 2 numbers for management and 4 numbers for personals, the system capable of set dialling sequence according to actual needs. The Home Alarm system supports up to 15 wireless zones and each zone can have up to 4 sensors and also 1 dedicated zone for remotes also having the capable of extend that 8 wired zones. Another feature is having facility to listen record up to a 10 second voice message in the host and able to hear via phone when answering alarm calls. System is capable of reporting the sensor name via SMS when detection is completed. 

Another home security providing company is available at the www.alarm.com. They have provided the many security facilities to protect home and business. Web and mobile control are enabled with security system. This security system not only protecting the home and business, it can adjust up to protecting the children and other important things in your house. This system capable of getting notification about the kids when they get back from school what time of your teen came last night and This security system has a value to get instant notification when a medicine cabinet, gun cabinet, liquor cabinet or the other dangerous things are opened anonymously. Then another facility is, get notifications about the housecleaners arrival and how long they stayed. You can also get notification about your teenagers whether they are doing the homework in basement or upstairs and whether they are playing video games. That type of service is not only protecting the house, it`s protecting your family. Other than these facilities it allows to get the notification about the flood at time to prevent the damage. Further security system will provide notification if your garage is open longer than it’s required. They have provided the facility to customize the security application according to requirements of the customer. In the automation facility you can set your security system as follows Lights on when you disarm the system, automatically turn down the thermostat, Lock the doors in an emergency and Lights On, when front door is open .So customer can easily select the proper and required facility as he/she needs. Further they have provided the remote control facility via phone and web. This system will interact with iphone, android, blackberry and web enable cell phone to turn on/off lights, set automated light schedule, set automated thermostat schedule and set motion trigger recordings, likewise there are so many facilities given to the customer(Alarm.com, 2011). 

This is another system that developed for home security. It is manufactured by china and imported to Orbyx Electronics in Canada. This system is totally wireless system which is called HWS100 Wireless Home Protection System. You will be able to know the security status of your home at all the time by using this high quality security system which is having user-friendly features. The HWS100 main panel is used to manage the security system, which collects security information from wireless sensors around the home. In HWS100 will be alerted via lights and sounds when detect the security breach. According to the specification will be provided HWS100 main panel, remote system controller, door/window sensor, Motion sensor, AC power adapter for main panel, double side adhesive for door/window sensor, screws and screw anchors, mounting bracket for motion sensor, mounting template and user guide along with the system. So customer can easily setup the security system but it only performing alert only lights and sound. Then it can only control via remote controller. There is no way to monitor home via camera or control the lights via mobile phone (Orbyx Electronics, 2009). 

Home security and controlling system which is designed for using electronics and web interface is used to control and monitor the system. Microchips have been used to achieve the goals of the project. To reduce the complexity of electronic has been used special development board called PICDEM.net 2 Development Board. This electronic equipment is capable of TCP/IP communication; most common Microchip ENC28J60 is used to Ethernet controller. This electronic board has eight LED’s that have the ability to control by user. LED 0 is indicating the status.LED and blinks off and on to show that board software is indeed running. Then LED 7 is used as a mirror status of the relay that drives the lamp. When the lamp is on, so is LED7 is on and vice versa. Another advantage is, it does indicate if lamp is burned out. This project has used special type of sensor, called nominal closed sensor to get the status about doors and windows (Dolloff, 2008). 

This also a surveillance system for home security which is capable of SMS/MMS and also another advantage is this system is capable of self initiated service to the house holder. This system mainly based on sensors and web camera input to the developed computer program. A function of the system will detect any intruder to home premises via web cam and sensors. Then computer programme is sending an alert message to user’s mobile phone. When it detects the motion, the computer system is programmed to inform its user with the snapshot of that detected intruder. The user can analyze the received snapshot and he/she can plan out the next step. (Singh, Gupta and Bishnoi, 2011) 

Parallel port is used for widely for control electronic devisers using the computer program. So parallel port have some slandered input to computer as well as output for the electronic devisers. First of all we need to identify the parallel port and its functionality. The parallel port may have set of signal line that are could control via CPU for sends or receives data from other component as example signals can be communicated via modem, printer, keyboard, mouse, etc. In parallel port, there are two types of signals as “1” for open and “0” for close. Parallel port is capable of sending 8 bits and receive 5 bit at a time. Below picture shows the parallel port pins and how those pins are categorized. In this picture D for data pins, C for control pins, S for status pins and G for ground pins are represented.

Parallel Port - Data Ports

Data ports are D0 to D7 which is highlighted in the red colour in the above picture. These data lines will be read by the particular port address. The data port address can be found from the computer properties, in XP operating system you may find the data port from Control Panel > System > Hardware > Device Manager > Ports (COM & LPT) > Printer Port (LPT1) > Properties  in Resources > Resource Setting and you can see your address for your parallel port as 0378-037F in decimal data port address is 888, it will return 8 bits of data port. When you set “0” for all data port it will be in binary as follows “00000000” when you set “1” for data port it will be in binary as “10000000” and “2” for “01000000” likewise you can set values to the data port but value 4 is representing as “00100000” and value 3 is representing as “11000000”.When considering the bit pattern for “1” it shows as “10000000”. So in data port “D0” will be set to high voltage and other “D1” to “D7” pins will be set to zero voltage. In real environment D0 belongs to 2^nd pin in parallel port likewise D1 belongs to 3^rd pin, and so on (Saltuklaroglu, L., 2003).

Parallel Port - Status Ports 

Status ports are “S0” to “S7” which are highlighted in blue colour in above picture but it doesn’t show all the ports. Only five status line will be shown. The address of status port is 0379 this is can be calculated as "DATA+1" and physically capable of sending 5 numeric data from the 10 - 11 - 12 - 13 - 15 the pins in parallel port (Saltuklaroglu, L., 2003). 

S0: - Time out controls in handling. 

S1: Not used 

S2: Mostly not used but sometime this pin used to cut condition (PIRQ) of the port. 

S3: if nError or nFault detected by the printer, this bit become to lower voltage. 

S4: In the select state, this bit becomes high voltage when the data inputs are active. 

S5: This pin indicates either paper error or paper end status, becoming high voltage. 

S6: This is used to send an Acknowledgement. 

S7: This pin indicates busy by setting up voltage to lower value. When you are using external parallel port from PCI slot of the computer, the port address may change. So those data can be found in (Storr P., 1998.). External parallel port address is 0x278 this value is in hexadecimal when converting this value to decimal it’s become 632. Therefore we can use this address if we are using external parallel port. According to the best practice external parallel port is good because it won’t make any damage for the mother board, if we use inbuilt parallel port, there is a possibility to crash the mother board from the high voltages.

3. System Analysis

Analysis part of the system is started after requirements gathering phase. Those requirements were gathered from Questionnaire. Those questionnaires were specially targeted professionals in the computer field and other fields who have well understanding about the computer and who are spending more time away from home. The requirements which have to be analyzed may contain basic personal information and security requirements. Based on those answers number of lights and sensors were decided analysis the lights and sensor architecture. Then analysis type of service that should supply from the mobile home security management system. Form the responses to questionnaire; the most impressive part was lights control and voice communication over the phone with the visitor. Majority were requested to control the main lights around their home and some of them need to control lights in their bed rooms as well. In the market they can find similar systems which are providing a motion, heat, flood detection alert, siren system, and CCTV system and automatically on the lights. 

There are similar system that provides security alarm and home management facility. Most of them were providing to control the 4 lights around the home and detecting the motions via sensors as well as those systems have facilitated the automatic telephone call from security device to allocated number. In this project there will be separate plastic box which uses for the circuit and component easy to quick plug and play with the system in any home. Alternate current may change from 220 voltages to 250 voltages. So those electronic components will be selected to suit for the alternate current and when need to change into direct current transformers will be used in this project. IP camera facility will be available only for home with internet connection and other text message and verbal communication facility can be setup in any home. 

When considering current flow from parallel port to electronic device and electronic device to parallel port, it is required to use resistors, transistors, diodes and relays for protecting parallel port and electronic device. In circuit board may contain following electronic components. There five 470 ohm, 10K ohm resistors, two 330 ohm resistors, five C9013 transistors, five 1N4001 diodes, five 12V relays, and one 5V relay. It is required to have 12 volt and 5 volt for operate the circuit; therefore 12 output power pack and 5 volt output power pack will be used in appropriate places and 12 volt fan will be used to control the generated heat inside the circuit. Then prototype the alarm 12 volte buzzer will be sued in this project. Home security management software may follow standard software development method and object oriented concepts with layered architecture for the establishment for a communication with port and SMS gateway. Verbal communication with visitor will be initiated via mobile phone which is configured inside the home with auto answer facility and that voice will be transmitted to the Bluetooth hand free then sound from the visitor will be transmitted to the inside phone . This project is schedule to complete within one month time with respect to the proposal. Therefore visual studio 2005 uses for the development of the software to read write port and database. Object oriented concept achieve by using the C#.Net programming language. SQL 2005 uses to design and develop the database. Then circuit analysis is completed by checking datasheets of each electronic component. IP camera configuration uses the user manual with the product. Then most essential requirement in development project is, required to follow a standard software development life cycle. So when considering the system inputs and outputs and the nature of the system, Agile software development method called Test Driven Development (TDD) (Ambler, 2011) can be used because this development is the product based development so output is must be accurate in a product otherwise the product will be failed. Another advantage of TDD is final product may contain less errors than the other software development approaches and also It is required to do the software development by testing the output of parallel port from time to time. So TDD is the most suitable software development method for this product based development.

4. System Design

Mobile Home Security Management System may contain mainly two design parts such as software design and hardware design. Use case diagram will help to get understanding of the system and its users. In this system all electronic devices which are attached to the circuit are consider as another user of the system. House owner can be communicating with the system.

Passive infrared motion detection sensors are using with this system but these sensors are not capable of detecting motion until two rays become crossed by intruder. Self – acting moment detector JQ-30 has been used for detect motions, below picture shows how infrared are organized with this sensor.

In this architecture intruders can come closer to the home but only having naked eyes, intruders are unable to detect the infrared rays but they can ware infrared active spectacles then they can come closer to the home. According to the above picture of second step a person has crossed the two infrared rays, then the sensor will trigger but intruder has come closer. When designing sensor architecture for home, have to avoid the above problem. So we can use two sensors to make a cross infrared rays in home premises then intruders are unable to come closer. So below picture shows some kind of sensor architecture for home.

According to the picture home premises has been divided into four sections. Generally section has only one sensor but zone has two or many sensors. Combining two or many sensors, can generate cross infrared architecture to avoid intruders` moment to get closer to home.

High level overview may explain in context diagram in the above picture. In general you may find the inputs and outputs of the system. System may get the inputs from all external entities when it required and system will send outputs to only three external entities. Those inputs and outputs may contain text message, binary signals, database records and video streaming. Another important part is voice streaming will not going through the computer so I have exclude it from the system design.

This picture shows top level data flow diagram about the systems` interaction with inputs and outputs. So SMS gateway will communicate with the mobile phone and database as well as port control windows service will communicate with the port and database. Port control windows service basically does converting text message into binary code and binary code into text message and each transaction will be stored in the database. There will be three separated methods to do the operational functions such as reading, check status and writing, each reading and writing functions will be associated with the data which to write or read from the port and database, below picture shows level one data flow diagram to how read, write and check status methods are functioning.

4.1. Application Architecture Design

Home security Management System may contain Interface Layer, Value Object Layer, Business Layer and two communication Layers for Database and parallel port separately. Interface Layer will have all interfaces with attributes are defined with get and set methods. Then Value Object layer will be used to implement the interfaces with get and set method for each and every attribute in the interface. Then business layer will use to define the method and there are some business logic in this layer after that business layer communicates with the database communication layer or Port communication layer. There are two ways of communications, one is, to communicate with database and other way is, communication with parallel port. So we have to design class diagram separately for above two. Below diagram shows parallel port class diagram.

There are two separated classes which are inherited from the port base class. These two classes will be using for port communication. Database communication class diagram appears in the below and it also has one base class and inherited the other classes.

4.1.1. Ozeki SMS Gateway

In Mobile Home Security Management System has been used already developed product for getting support to the application. This software can be found in (Ozeki NG SMS Gateway software, 2010), it is a free trail for 20 days. This developed application is used to prototype the SMS gateway which is cable to send and receives SMS to MHSM System. Also this software is capable of integrating with SQL database and other format of databases as well. Therefore this facility was an advantage to application development because, it is an easy way to receive SMS directly to the SQL database throughout this Ozeki NG SMS Gateway. SMS gateway was required to configure with a Global System for Mobile (GSM) modem or any smart phone which is capable to attach as modem to the computer or any dongle which is used browse the internet. SMS gateway will send and read the received SMS in the modem then those SMS will be transferred to SQL database without changing any detail in message and also SMS gateway has a facility to read a table in database. That table can be populates with text and mobile numbers. Then those texts will send as a SMS to the given recipients. There is an online help for Ozeki SMS gateway configuration, those details can be found in (Ozeki Informatics Ltd, 2012). 

4.2. Database Architecture Design

In MHSM System has SQL database which is associated with C#.Net application and the SMS gateway software. When I consider the design of database, I decided to keep only mandatory records. Therefore I will be keeping the all received and sent SMS, all interrupts from the port and all interrupts which are given to the port and especially keeps and updates the current status of the home, Active mobile numbers and some reference data which is map the input text message with binary code and read binary code with some human readable text messages. 

4.2.1. Database Table: Active Mobile Numbers

This table is used to keeps mobile numbers which can send and receive SMS, except mobile numbers in this table are unable to communicate with the security system. This table will increases the security for application; therefore other hackers unable to overload the application by sending the loop text messages but as a default function those text message will receive to database and those text messages will be ignored by the application because number which send those text messages is not in the active mobile number list. So bulk SMS won’t hurt the application. 

4.2.2. Database Table : Home Current Status

This table will keep the port status which was sent last time. This data will be used when new text messages received to the database, suppose that you have sent an SMS to switch on the front light, so associated binary pattern as follows 00000001. Then this record will be stored in home current status table. 

4.2.3. Database Table : Ozeki Message In and Ozeki Message Out

These tables will be used to record the received and sent SMS. When sending the SMS recipient numbers, will grab from the active mobile number table which are in active status. These two tables will be accessed by SMS gateway software and port control software. Especially I have to mention there will not be any deadlock because developed code is intelligent to handle the situation. 

4.3. Electronic Circuit Design

The electronic circuit functions according to the direct current signals which are coming from the parallel port and circuit is capable of sending direct current signals to the port. The data port of the parallel port uses for control lights in the house and status port of the parallel port uses to send signals to the parallel port. According to the measurements the parallel port will 0.7 voltage as zero and 3.3 voltage as one. Based on the input voltages, circuit was designed to operate the alternate current. Major function in electronic circuit is handled by the C9013 transistors and 12 volt really. When input voltage is 3.3V, transistor will function in statutory level as a result of that 12 volt relay will start the function, then it will connect the alternate current through the bulb or attached electronic device. 

There will be sensors for motion detection; once motion is detected that detection will be send to the status port. But the problem is unable to connect the plus to port directly because motion sensor is working under 230 alternate current and also it is required the use the load with the sensor, therefore 100W bulb has been used as load. Then another connection is coming to the circuit box then 230 voltages is converted to 5 volt direct current, then it will connect 5V really. Then using the really switching function it will set the required bit on the port. Then port listener will feel something input is given to the port and then program code will execute for sending text message. To get an understanding about the circuit please see below picture.

4.4. Video Monitoring System Design

In this project there will be a video monitoring system for the view house premises over the internet. So IP camera will be used for monitor the house. Because it is very easy to install and maintains but IP camera is very expensive. There will be IP camera around the house to view the outside and another IP camera for view inside the house.