If your old alarm stopped dialling out in 2024, you're not alone: Australia's 3G networks were switched off that year and the copper phone network is gone with the NBN, so any alarm you buy now has to talk over your internet or a 4G SIM. That single fact rules out most second-hand and "bargain" panels before you even compare brands. Here's the 60-second version of how the three systems we sell actually differ, and then the detail.
The short answer
- You already run Hikvision or HiLook cameras, or you want to install it yourself this weekend? Hikvision AX PRO. Wireless, dual-SIM 4G plus Wi-Fi, one app (Hik-Connect) for cameras and alarm. Starter kit from $412.
- You run Dahua cameras and want the alarm to pop the camera feed when a sensor trips? Dahua AirShield. Same idea, DMSS app, up to 150 wireless devices. Starter kit from $380 (add a siren).
- You want a licensed installer, a wired keypad by the door and the panel most Australian monitoring centres have seen a thousand times? Bosch Solution 3000 (or 6000 for big houses). Our 3-PIR kit with IP module is $659, plus installation.
- The house has old wired sensors in the walls? Hikvision AX Hybrid PRO. It reuses the wired detectors and adds wireless ones. Kit from $451.
One rule we'll come back to: pick the alarm that lives in the same app as your cameras. The moment an alarm and the cameras sit in two different apps, people stop opening the alarm app, and an alarm nobody arms protects nobody.
Why the old alarm rules changed in 2024
Two things happened at once. Telstra and Optus shut down their 3G networks in October 2024, after Vodafone earlier in the year, so every alarm with a 3G dialler went silent overnight (NSW Government, 2024). And the copper PSTN line that old panels dialled through has been progressively decommissioned as the NBN rolled out, so a panel that "plugs into the phone socket" has nothing to plug into (Ness Corporation).
The 3G hardware can't be updated by software; the radio has to be physically replaced. If a friend offers you their old panel, that's the first thing to check. Every system in this guide communicates over Ethernet, Wi-Fi or a 4G SIM, and the two wireless hubs do all three.
The risk itself hasn't gone away. In 2024-25, 1.8% of Australian households (196,600) had a break-in and another 2.0% (217,500) had an attempted break-in; Queensland (2.5%) and Western Australia (2.3%) sit above the national rate, New South Wales (1.5%) below it (Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2025). Attempted break-ins are the number to look at: that's the visit an audible siren and an outdoor detector are there to cut short. Our breakdown of Australian crime statistics by city has the state-by-state detail if you want to size the risk where you live.
The three systems side by side
These are the models we stock and the numbers are from the product pages, not the brochures. "Starter kit" means the cheapest box that gives you a working alarm.
| Bosch Solution 2000 / 3000 / 6000 | Hikvision AX PRO (and AX Hybrid PRO) | Dahua AirShield | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wiring | Hardwired panel, keypad, sirens and power. Wireless detectors possible through a receiver. | AX PRO fully wireless. AX Hybrid PRO: 8 wired zones on board plus wireless, up to 64. | Fully wireless hub, mains powered. |
| Zones | 8 / 16 / up to 144 | 96 wireless zones (32 areas) | Up to 150 wireless peripherals |
| Radio | RADION 433 MHz via B810 receiver | 433 MHz, frequency hopping, AES-128 | 433 MHz, AES-128, 1,400 m open-air hub range |
| Talks to the outside world via | Ethernet (B426-M IP module, included in our 3000 kits); optional 4G communicator | Ethernet, Wi-Fi, dual-SIM 4G, all built in | Ethernet, Wi-Fi, dual-SIM 4G, all built in |
| Battery backup | 12 V 7 Ah sealed battery in the panel box | 4,520 mAh lithium, about 12 hours | 4,750 mAh lithium, up to 12 hours |
| App | Bosch RSC+ (2000/3000), MyAlarm / Wi-Fi keypad (6000). No subscription. | Hik-Connect, same app as Hikvision cameras. No subscription. | DMSS, same app as Dahua cameras. No subscription. |
| Camera link | None worth relying on | PIRCAM detectors send a photo burst; NVR and alarm in one app | Video linkage: alarm opens the matched Dahua camera |
| Back-to-base monitoring | Yes, the industry default | Yes, Contact ID and SIA DC09 | Yes, Contact ID and SIA |
| Who installs it | Licensed installer (the panel needs programming) | DIY-friendly; installer optional | DIY-friendly; installer optional |
| Starter kit at Smarket | 3000 base kit $454; 3000 with 3 PIRs + IP module $659; 6000 with 3 PIRs $790 | AX PRO kit $412 (panel, PIR, door contact, keyfob); complete kit $754; AX Hybrid PRO kit $451; HiLook wired 8-zone kit $175 | AirShield kit $380 (hub, PIR, door contact, keyfob; siren sold separately from $49) |
Notice what the table doesn't show: a clear winner. Each one is the right answer for a different house, which is why the rest of this guide is organised around your situation rather than around the brands.
Bosch Solution: the installer's panel
Bosch has been the default residential panel in Australia for well over a decade, and that matters in one specific way: any monitoring centre and any security installer already knows it. The Solution 2000 gives you 8 zones, the 3000 gives you 16 with wireless detectors possible through the B810 receiver, and the 6000 scales to 144 zones with door access control for large homes and commercial sites (Micron Alarms).
What's actually in the box of our 3000 kit: the panel, an LCD icon keypad, three Blue Line Gen2 PIRs with 12 m coverage, the B426-M IP module, an 18 V transformer, a 12 V 7 Ah battery, an internal 120 dB piezo and an external siren with strobe, a metal enclosure with tamper, and the end-of-line resistors. That list is also the honest description of the work: every one of those items is a cable run.
Two things to know before you choose Bosch:
- It isn't a DIY product. The panel is programmed by the installer, and our product page says so plainly. Budget for the installation, not just the kit.
- The app depends on the IP module and your modem getting along. The RSC+ app is free and works well once set up, but "Connection Error, unable to connect to specified panel" is a long-running thread on Whirlpool, with the B426 module and some Telstra modems as the usual suspects (Whirlpool Forums). An installer who has done this before fixes it in ten minutes. A first-timer can lose an evening.
Choose Bosch when you want a wired keypad at the front door, a siren box on the wall that people recognise, an installer on call, and you don't need the alarm to show you camera footage. It is the most "traditional" of the three, and for many insurers and monitoring centres that's a feature.
Hikvision AX PRO and AX Hybrid PRO: the DIY wireless system that lives with your cameras
AX PRO is a wireless panel that carries EN 50131 Grade 2 certification, the European intrusion standard most Australian professional installs reference (Great White Security). The kit we stock is the Australian DS-PWA96 version: 433 MHz with frequency hopping and AES-128 encryption, 96 wireless zones across 32 areas, dual-SIM 4G plus Wi-Fi plus wired LAN in the panel, and a 4,520 mAh battery good for roughly 12 hours without mains.
The reason it sells for us is the app. If your NVR is a Hikvision or HiLook, the alarm appears in the same Hik-Connect app, and a PIRCAM detector sends a burst of still images when it trips so you can see whether that's a burglar or the dog before you ring anyone. That is the feature Bosch simply doesn't have.
The honest trade-offs, from an installer who fits both AX PRO and its main rival Ajax: the Hik-Connect app "is not as clean or reliable as the Ajax app", the detector range is narrower, and Hikvision's support is built around installers rather than end users (Great White Security). Add our own observation from customer calls: the 4G path needs a data SIM you supply, and the panel wants a wired network connection for the first activation.
AX Hybrid PRO is the one for older houses. A lot of 1990s and 2000s homes have PIRs and reed switches already in the walls from a dead panel. The AX Hybrid PRO controller (DS-PHA64) starts with 8 wired zones and expands to 64 with wired expanders or wireless devices, so you keep the existing sensors, replace the brain, and add wireless where the cable never went. If budget is the only question, the HiLook HA-ALARM-KIT1 is the same family in an 8-zone wired kit for $175.
Dahua AirShield: the same idea for Dahua households
AirShield is Dahua's wireless alarm, and the ARC3800H hub in our starter kit supports up to 150 peripherals, with a 1,400 m open-air range to the hub, dual-SIM 4G, Wi-Fi and Ethernet, and a 4,750 mAh battery rated at up to 12 hours. Arming, schedules and push, SMS or phone-call alerts run through the free DMSS app, the same app as every Dahua camera and NVR.
The feature to care about is video linkage: tie a detector to a camera and the app opens that camera's feed when the detector trips. For a household that already has TiOC or WizSense cameras, that turns the alarm from "something beeped" into "here's the person in the driveway".
Two practical notes from the spec sheet. The starter kit does not include a siren, so add the $49 indoor or $99 outdoor unit if you want noise, and most buyers should. And the included PIR is pet-immune for animals up to about 18 kg, which covers most cats and small dogs but not a Labrador; put the detector where the dog doesn't roam, or use a door contact on that room instead.
Five questions that decide it
Work through these in order. Most people are done by question two.
- Which brand of camera is on the wall? Hikvision or HiLook: AX PRO. Dahua: AirShield. No cameras yet and none planned: any of the three, so keep reading.
- Are there wired sensors in the walls already? Yes: AX Hybrid PRO, or a Bosch 3000 if you'd rather have an installer handle it. No: a wireless hub saves a day of cabling.
- Who is doing the install? You: AX PRO or AirShield, both pair devices from the app. A licensed installer: Bosch is what they'll quote first, and there's nothing wrong with that.
- Do you want back-to-base monitoring? All three support it. If you're signing with a monitoring company, ask which panels they prefer; Bosch is the safe answer, AX PRO is now widely accepted.
- Pets? Check the detector, not the brand. Bosch Blue Line pet-friendly PIRs are rated to 20 kg, the Tritech version to 45 kg; Dahua's kit PIR to about 18 kg. Big dogs generally mean door contacts and glass-break sensors instead of PIRs in the rooms they use.
Monitoring and insurance: what it actually costs
Professional 24/7 back-to-base monitoring in Australia runs about $30 to $60 a month, with the top of that range buying video verification and dual-path comms; self-monitoring through the maker's app costs nothing beyond any camera cloud storage you choose (Castle Security, 2025). None of the three apps here charges a subscription for arming, disarming or push notifications.
The insurance angle is real but conditional. A monitored alarm can cut a contents premium by roughly 5% to 25%, and the larger discounts require professional back-to-base monitoring from a Grade A1 centre; RACQ, for example, offers up to 10% but only for a 24/7 monitored system (Security Response Sydney; Alltronic). Self-monitored alarms rarely qualify. Ring your insurer before you buy if the discount is part of the maths.
Which video intercom should you pair with it?
An intercom is the other half of the front door. Three IP kits we stock cover the range, and the deciding factor is the same as for the alarm: which app you already open.
- Hikvision DS-KIS603-P, $330. 2 MP door station with a 131° lens, 7-inch touch monitor, runs on PoE or the included 12 V adapters, has Wi-Fi in both units, two relay outputs for gate and door, IP65 rated, Hik-Connect app. The retrofit favourite because the Wi-Fi option means no new cable to the door.
- Dahua KTP01L, $380. VTO2202F-P door station, VTH2621GW-P 7-inch monitor, PoE switch and surface bracket in the box, unlocks two doors, DMSS app. The kit for Dahua households, and the tidiest install because PoE is already sorted.
- HiLook HA-KIT-IP2, $286. The budget IP kit from Hikvision's value brand, same Hik-Connect app.
Read the two-star reviews before you buy any intercom, ours included. The recurring complaints on Australian review sites for the KIS603-P are faces looking dark against a bright street, water getting into the door station, and support that only talks to installers (ProductReview.com.au). All three have fixes that cost nothing: mount the door station so the sun is behind it or under a small hood, use the rain hood and seal the cable entry, and run PoE rather than Wi-Fi to the door whenever a cable is possible, because a door station that drops off Wi-Fi is a doorbell that doesn't ring. The same trade-off we cover in PoE vs Wi-Fi cameras applies here, only more so: an intercom that misses a call is worse than a camera that misses a clip.
Existing doorbell wiring won't power any of these kits; they need Ethernet or 12 V. If you can't get a cable to the door at all, the KIS603-P on Wi-Fi is the only one of the three that works, and it works best with the router within a couple of rooms.
Common questions
Can I legally install my own alarm in Australia?
On your own home, yes; the security licensing rules in each state cover people who install or monitor alarms for others. Wireless hubs like AX PRO and AirShield are designed for that, with devices paired from the app. Bosch panels need installer programming, so treat the installation as part of the price.
My house has old wired PIRs. Can I reuse them?
Usually. Standard 12 V PIRs and reed switches wire straight into an AX Hybrid PRO controller or a Bosch 3000, which is why those two exist. Test each sensor first; a detector that's been in a hot roof cavity for 15 years is worth replacing at $15 to $50 each, and the detector range lists wired and wireless side by side.
Do I need a 4G SIM, or is Wi-Fi enough?
Wi-Fi or Ethernet is enough for self-monitoring. Add a data SIM if you want the alarm to keep reporting when the NBN drops or someone cuts the power to the router; both wireless hubs take two SIMs and switch automatically. Back-to-base monitoring almost always wants the 4G path.
How many detectors does an average house need?
Count the ways in, not the rooms: one PIR covering the main living area, one covering the hallway to the bedrooms, a door contact on each external door, and an outdoor detector or PIRCAM on the side most people can't see from the street. Three to six devices covers most three-bedroom homes; every kit here starts with two.
Does the alarm still work in a blackout?
Yes. The Bosch panel runs on its 7 Ah battery, the AX PRO and AirShield hubs on their lithium cells for around 12 hours, and wireless detectors run on their own batteries for years. The weak point is your router: if it has no battery, the alarm falls back to 4G, which is the strongest argument for the SIM.
Which one works with the cameras I already have?
Hikvision and HiLook cameras: AX PRO or AX Hybrid PRO. Dahua cameras: AirShield. Bosch doesn't integrate with cameras in a way we'd recommend relying on. If you haven't bought cameras yet, choose the camera brand first, then the matching alarm; the Hikvision vs Dahua comparison covers that decision.
Where to go next
Every kit above is in stock in Australia with a 3-year warranty. Start with the collection that matches your camera brand: Hikvision AX PRO and AX Hybrid PRO alarms, Dahua AirShield alarms, or Bosch Solution kits and parts. The full alarm and intercom range has every detector, siren and keypad listed by brand so you can build out from a starter kit.
If you're setting up remote access for the first time, our remote access guide walks through the app side. Still not sure which box to order? Email sales@smarket.com.au with a photo of your existing panel or the front door and we'll tell you exactly what fits.