Mortgage Specialist Name:. Here are some specialists that match your search Here are some specialists that match your search. Back Continue. First Name: required. Last Name: required. Where do you live currently? Address: required. City: required. Postal Code: required. How can contact you?

Phone: required. Best way to contact me is: Email Phone. What would you like to do? Your experience might vary based on the salesperson you're speaking with. For instance, when I first tried calling ADT, the salesperson told me that he couldn't give me a quote without running a credit check first.

I politely ended the conversation and called back another day, and had a much better experience with a salesperson who priced a core system for me within 10 minutes, no credit check or other exchange of personal info needed. Whoever you end up calling, don't be afraid to put your foot down over your own privacy.

Companies that use robocalls and junk mail as a sales tactic don't have a right to your address or other personal info until they've earned your business, full stop. That caveat aside, the advantage with alarm systems like these is that professionals will come to your place to install everything for you, and you can typically expect a higher level of hands-on tech support and customer service if you ever want to make changes to your setup, too. Pick a professional system from a telecom provider and you'll likely be able to bundle your home security with your TV or internet service.

That's a convenience that can also help you score a discount. Vivint is a solid security system that worked well when we tested it out, but the equipment is a bit expensive.

Want to add cameras to help eliminate false alarms? One nice thing with Vivint: No contracts.

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It isn't cheap, but we liked this sleek security system and the fact that straightforward pricing specifics were available online. Our service professionals made sure to optimize the strength of signal for each device in our setup during the installation -- a nice touch that helped make the pro approach feel worthwhile. If you don't need an entire security system, and instead just want to keep an eye on activity at your front door, then you might consider installing a video doorbell to keep watch. You've got lots of options right now, and thanks to automation, all will send real-time alerts via a Wi-Fi connection or cellular connection to your cell phone or smart device whenever someone rings to show you who's at the door.

Some also track for unexpected motion or allow for two-way audio -- and we're seeing lots of new options that are capable of recognizing faces, too. That includes our top pick:. Nest's stylish video doorbell is a smart, sleek pick that aced our tests. Features like person detection and geofencing are helpful and easy-to-use, and you can also upgrade to the Nest Aware cloud subscription service to enable facial recognition and access to saved recordings.

It's obviously best for households that have already committed to Google and Nest's smart home ecosystem, but Nest's doorbell also works with both Alexa and IFTTT, which helps make it a very solid choice for just about anyone. To pick one, first, figure out if your front door has a hardwired doorbell connection or if you'll need something battery-powered. Then, consider features -- for instance, do you keep a porch light on at night, or will you need something with night vision?

From there, think about which smart home platforms you want your doorbell to work with. Many of the major home security systems now offer video doorbells of their own, and some offer compatibility with standalone video doorbells and keypads like these, too. Keep that in mind if you think you might want to expand to a full system later on down the line.

Oh, and want more tips on picking out the right video doorbell? Ring makes a variety of popular video doorbells, but the company faces nagging privacy concerns over its controversial data-sharing collaborations with police organizations. And, according to reports , thousands of Ring customers recently had their account information exposed. We don't recommend any of the company's products at this point. One of your newer options , the August View looks great and the DIY installation was wonderfully easy, but the mobile app was annoyingly laggy whenever we'd try to view the live feed. That's the last thing you want if someone's in the process of nabbing a package off of your porch.

That said, a security researcher recently reported that thousands of Ring customers have had their log-in information exposed. That, coupled with nagging concerns over the way Ring shares user data with police organizations , leads us not to recommend this doorbell, or any other Ring product. Lots of us use motion-activated lights on our porch or outside our garage door -- and though there's plenty of debate as to whether or not exterior lighting can actually help deter a burglary, most experts agree that it can help play a role when used correctly.

If you're thinking about upgrading to something a little smarter than that cheap porch light, you've got a couple of options worth considering. For the most part, I think that Philips Hue's outdoor lights are overpriced and really only worth it if you're willing to splurge. Stick it up anywhere you like outside, and it'll track motion, temperature and ambient light conditions.

You can use that info to trigger your Hue lights, and also to trigger any Apple HomeKit gadgets under your roof. I wish that the Hue team offered a better variety of practical outdoor lights that don't break the bank, as well as lights with motion sensors of their own -- but if you've already bought in, or if you're using Apple HomeKit-compatible lights, then the Hue Outdoor Sensor is definitely worth a look. Read more on CNET. If you use Alexa to control the smart lights in your home, then you should consider trying out Alexa Guard, a relatively new home security mode with a couple of neat tricks.

After turning Guard Mode on in the Alexa app's settings, just say, "Alexa, I'm leaving" as you walk out the door to activate it. From there, Alexa will cycle your lights on and off to make it look like you're home -- and you'll also get a notification if your Echo speakers hear the sound of an alarm, or broken glass.

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Don't have an Alexa smart lighting setup yet? Be respectful, keep it civil and stay on topic. We delete comments that violate our policy , which we encourage you to read. Discussion threads can be closed at any time at our discretion. Don't show this again. Apple event set, iPhone 12 expected Trump cancels stimulus negotiations Prime Day deals Nobel Prize in medicine Instagram icon SpaceX to build missile tracking satellites iPhone 12 rumors. CNET editors pick the products and services we write about. When you buy through our links, we may get a commission.

Ry Crist. See it online. Enlarge Image. See at Abode. Nest Secure. See at Walmart. Ring Alarm. See at Amazon. Best professional installation system: Comcast Xfinity Home.

See at Xfinity. Vivint Smart Home. See at Vivint. Best video doorbell: Nest Hello.

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August View. Ring Video Doorbell 2. Philips Hue Outdoor Sensor.