Geofencing Security Systems: What Are They and How Do They Work?

Geofencing security systems are on the rise. For those of you that are unfamiliar with the term, Geofencing is a type of location-based marketing and advertising. The reason why most top home security systems use geofencing these days is really simple – It allows the system to recognize when a mobile device enters or exits a virtual boundary. Aside from increased security, Geofencing systems allow for a large degree of automation, allowing for a much higher quality of life. In this article, we will explain exactly what Geofencing is, and how it is used in home security, as well as look at some of the pros and cons of Geofencing security systems.

What is Geofencing?

Geofencing utilizes both RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) and GPS (Global Position System) to define a virtual boundary. This technology is often used in marketing and advertising but it has great potential when paired with a compatible home security system, as well. Basically, Geofencing allows you to set up various triggers when your virtual boundary is crossed. These triggers can include opening/closing doors, turning the lights on and off, as well as controlling the behavior of some of your appliances.

The ability to set triggers is invaluable in a home security system. In fact, this might be the best way to secure your home while on vacation. You will still have full control of the system, of course, but the system will be able to respond to threats on its own. To put it simply, you can tell the system “If this happens, do that.”. This can include sending you an alert or notifying the authorities. The options are virtually limitless.

How is Geofencing used in home security?

Geofencing in home security works through a “Z-wave” protocol. This is how your smart home devices communicate with one another. The Z-wave protocol is inherently wireless, meaning that you can control your home security system from your phone or tablet. More importantly, however, Geofencing allows you to tell your home security system what to do when you leave or enter your home. For example, you can have your security system automatically lock the garage as soon as you drive out. Alternatively, a Geofencing-capable system can open your garage doors for you when your mobile device enters the virtual boundary.

How do Geofencing security systems work?

The way in which Geofencing security systems work is through simple triggers. First, you will need to choose any devices that you want to trigger the system. Second, you will need to configure the system’s response to those triggers. In the previous example, we used Geofencing to open and close our garage doors for us. The trigger in this case would be any of the mobile devices that you carry with you.

Let’s say that you want your home security system to turn your AC on when you are around 20 minutes from home. The trigger in this case would be your device crossing the 20-minute boundary from your home. Ultimately, the possibilities are endless, and different types of home security systems may have even more capabilities. Furthermore, Geofencing devices operate at a frequency of 0.9 GHz (Gigahertz), whereas normal wireless devices operate at 2.4 GHz. This allows the Geofencing devices to maintain transmission speeds regardless of how many wireless devices you may have. In addition, Geofencing devices send simple information packets. This means that you can have literally hundreds of them operating at the same time without any frequency congestion.

Setting up a Geofencing security system

Setting up geofencing security systems is rather easy. All you need to do is to set up the virtual boundary (fence) and create triggers and responses. This can take you a couple of minutes for simple boundaries and triggers, but you can also spend days customizing your home security system. The exact details may vary from one security system to another, but the process is always quite simple. Most of the time, installing a home security system that uses geofencing is much more difficult than using it. Furthermore, if you opt for a professional installation, you can have the installers set all of the triggers for you.

To get the best results, however, you will want to spend some time exploring the Geofencing capabilities of your home security system. As we’ve mentioned before, this technology has limitless potential. That being said, there are some pros and cons of using Geofencing security systems.

Pros and cons of using Geofencing in home security

The benefits of Geofencing home security systems are readily apparent – The ability to set triggers whenever a device enters or leaves the virtual boundary is extremely powerful. Furthermore, these systems can be used to automate mundane tasks such as turning the alarm system on and off, controlling appliances without doing anything, etc. Your Geofencing system can also tell you when your teenager enters or exits your property.

As for the disadvantages, there are only a few. First, Geofencing security systems do cost slightly more than normal home security systems. Secondly, not every burglar will have a mobile device with them. This means that you simply cannot rely on the Geofencing features alone to keep your home safe. Luckily, Geofencing is but one part of your home security system. While it may not be able to do much against someone who does not have a mobile device, it will protect you from all other threats.

The primary reason why Geofencing is becoming more and more popular in home security is that it offers a much higher quality of life. When you combine Geofencing with all the other features of a good home security system, you get a powerful combination. Not to mention that Geofencing can be utilized even further in a business setting. If you have a business that requires exceptional security features, Geofencing security systems are the way to go!

If you need more information on home security systems or are looking for a reliable home security provider, explore Consumer Opinion Guide. We have an extensive database of resources that will help you make informed decisions.