UPDATED AUG 2026 · 6 CAMERAS · 1 NAS · $0/MONTH
What's actually on my house
The full list, including the two things I'd replace tomorrow. Everything records locally to a Synology — no subscription, no cloud storage, no monthly bill.
Where each camera points
01 DRIVEWAY02 FRONT DOOR03 GARAGE04 BACK YARD05 SIDE GATE06 HALLWAY
The gear
- Synology DS923+RECORDER · 4 × 8TB · SURVEILLANCE STATIONAmazon →
- Amcrest 8MP AI bullet × 3DRIVEWAY · GARAGE · BACK YARDAmazon →
- Amcrest 4K dual cameraSIDE GATE · TWO VIEWS, ONE CABLEAmazon →
- 8-port PoE switch120W BUDGET · ROOM FOR TWO MORE CAMSAmazon →
- UPS + replacement batterySEE THE BATTERY SWAP POSTAmazon →
Two things I'd change: the side-gate camera is mounted too low, and I'd buy 12TB drives instead of 8TB. Continuous 4K eats a drive faster than anyone tells you.
SATURDAY MORNING EMAIL
What I'd buy this week, and what I'd skip
One short email: new video, price drops worth acting on, and the firmware update that broke something.