I work at home. My wife and I are usually downstairs, and our two little girls sleep upstairs. And we often want to see how they’re doing when they’re upstairs:

1. Are they asleep or awake? We wonder this (1) shortly after we put them down for naps or for bed, (2) periodically while they are supposed to be sleeping, and (3) when we anticipate them waking up.
2. Are they OK? We may wonder this if we hear a strange noise or hear them crying or simply want to check on them for peace of mind—whether they’re playing or supposed to be sleeping.

We used to creep upstairs as silently as we could and crack open a bedroom door to check on them, but often this would wake them up.

So I researched baby monitors and security cameras to see if I could find one that meets five criteria:

1. Wireless. We wanted to mount it in our children’s rooms, where there are no computers, modems, or routers.
2. Streaming. We wanted to easily stream the video on a computer (Mac or PC), iPhone (or other web-enabled smartphone), iPod Touch, and iPad—whether connected to the Internet via our home WiFi or another way when away from home.
3. Day/Night. We wanted a clear picture regardless of the lighting in the room.
4. Audio. We wanted the option to hear as well as see what’s happening.
5. Secure. We wanted the video to be password-protected.

Last year we decided to get a Sharx Security Camera, which meets all five criteria, and we love it. We’re impressed with it and wish we would’ve bought one earlier. We use it constantly day and night. We even added a second one this month: the newest Sharx model that becomes widely available starting today.

The camera has other features beyond the above criteria (e.g., DVR recording, motion detection, timed emails, FTP uploads). Installation is not difficult if you follow the instructions, and the email customer service is prompt and helpful (info@sharxsecurity.com).