Get an Oplink AlarmShield home-security system for $124.99

I said it before, and I'll say it again: Home security is a tricky business. Either you pay for a professional system -- and keep paying for monthly monitoring and false alarms -- or you go for a camera-based system that's a hassle to install (and not always a good deterrent).

Somewhere in between lies a new generation of smart, DIY home-security solutions. These can often set you back at least a few hundred dollars, but for a limited time and while supplies last, Best Buy has the Oplink Connected AlarmShield OPG2200 security system for $124.99. Shipping is free, but you're on the hook for sales tax.

The kit consists of everything you need to shore up your home: a Wi-Fi IP camera with infrared LEDs (for night vision), two door/window sensors, two key fobs, a motion detector, a siren and the main hub. As with most such systems, you can scale up with more sensors, cameras, and the like.

Speaking of which, the virtually identical OPG2201 package includes two cameras, but sells for more than twice the price ($296.06). I mention that so you can check out the user reviews (there are none for this particular configuration), which average out to 4.2 stars out of 5. (Another point of reference: a zero-camera version sells at Walmart for $149, and has a 4.5-star average. Suffice it to say, this is the bundle to beat.)

I'm not a fan of anything that involves a monthly fee, and the AlarmShield can be operated for free if you choose. That affords you unlimited live video streaming, remote arm/disarm capabilities, push notifications, and so on. But if you step up to Oplink's Premium service ($19.99 per month), you gain extras like multiple authorized users and SMS alerts to emergency contacts. To me, this is a very fair tier strategy, as many users will be able to get by just fine with the basic feature set.

Honestly, the only thing that bugs me is that the kit doesn't seem to include any window stickers indicating its presence. Call me naive, but I suspect burglars are more likely to bypass a house that has a "Protected By" sticker.

In any case, $125 is a very reasonable price to pay for a very complete home-security system, especially one that doesn't require monthly fees. Your thoughts?

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