Motorola takes the prize for creating the easiest-to-use home security system: It's a snap to set up and can be expanded with several useful attachments. It's even affordable. But the camera's quality is comparable to that of an average webcam, and the package lacks some of the features of more advanced systems.

To begin using the Motorola security system, you need the Home Monitoring and Control PC Starter Kit, which comes with a wireless camera, a wireless base station, and software. You don't have to have a wireless network in place; simply connect the base station to one of your computer's USB ports and use the software's wizard to create a link to the camera.

The included camera records audio as well as video and can work outside and inside. But images are grainy and quite dim in low light. Also, you can't control the camera remotely through a Web browser, as you can with the D-Link and Panasonic cameras. You can set up e-mail alerts for motion detection, though.

Motorola has a clever line of products that work with this system. You can purchase wireless sensors for windows and doors, water, and temperature, as well as a power controller for turning lamps and appliances on and off. You can monitor all of this online, but that costs extra. The software directs you to create a $19.95-per-month Shell HomeGenie account to view your security system remotely.

Requirements are Windows 2000 or XP, an Intel Pentium II processor or better, 128MB of RAM, 45MB of storage for installation, and 500MB of storage for archives.