Plenty of Sydney homes still run a security setup from ten or twenty years ago: a keypad by the front door, a few motion sensors, and maybe four grainy analog cameras feeding a recorder in a cupboard. If you want to upgrade an old house alarm and cameras, you rarely need to start from scratch. Here's what to check first, and how to get a modern system without cables running across your walls.

Why an analog to IP camera upgrade is worth it

Analog cameras send video down coaxial cable to a recorder, usually with a separate power run. IP cameras connect to a network instead. Axis Communications says network cameras give better image quality while keeping bandwidth and storage needs down. With Power over Ethernet (PoE), the camera can also draw its power through its network cable, so you have one cable per camera instead of two.

Can I reuse my existing coax cables?

Often, yes. In many older Sydney homes, brick walls and cramped roof spaces can make new cable runs slow and messy. The Axis PoE+ over Coax range, for example, lets you keep hard-to-replace coax when you swap analog cameras for network ones, with one adapter at the camera and another at the network end. Axis says the distance you can get depends on how much power the camera needs and the quality of the cable, so an on-site check is worthwhile. You can also switch over one camera at a time, which suits families who want to upgrade their alarm and cameras in stages. If a cable is damaged, a fresh data run through the roof and down a wall cavity is usually the neater long-term fix.

Home alarm upgrade Sydney: check how your alarm calls for help

Before you replace any alarm equipment, find out how it sends alerts. Older panels commonly dialled out over a phone line or a mobile module. Telstra switched off its 3G network from 28 October 2024 and lists security alarms among the affected devices. Bosch Security notes that 3G was used in some alarm panels and GSM diallers, and that most providers are moving units and SIMs to 4G.

If your alarm connects through the NBN, NBN Co suggests asking your alarm provider whether it will work properly on the network and whether it can still dial out during a blackout. A professional review will show whether to keep the panel and replace the communicator, or replace the alarm hardware altogether.

Making IP cameras for homes neat and easy to live with

When you upgrade sensors or cameras, a good installation should almost disappear. Ask for:

Cables hidden in roof and wall cavities and finished cleanly, not clipped along eaves and fascias.
The recorder and network switch in a ventilated, accessible spot such as a linen cupboard or garage.
The phone app set up for every family member, with motion zones tuned so you aren't notified every time a car drives past.
Cameras aimed at your own property. The NSW Department of Communities and Justice explains that under the Surveillance Devices Act, using optical surveillance devices is prohibited when it involves entering or interfering with premises without the owner's or occupier's consent. Careful angles also keep neighbours happy.

What licences should your installer hold?

NSW Police says anyone who sells, installs, maintains or services security equipment needs a Class 2C security licence. Under the ACMA's rules, security and data cabling must be done by a registered cabler. After most jobs, the cabler should give you a TCA1 form, or put the same declaration on the invoice, confirming the work meets the standards.

Talk to a local, licensed team

Unotel Security holds NSW Master Security Licence ML 000111638 and has more than 12 years of hands-on installation experience. We help families upgrade older alarm and camera systems across Greater Sydney. Find out more about our home security systems in Sydney.

Call Unotel Security on 02 4613 5840 for advice or a free site quote.

Upgrade Old House Alarm & Cameras to IP: A Sydney Guide