Security systems and networking designed to stay reliable.

Chicago's commercial buildings face a unique combination of challenges: vintage construction with thick masonry walls and aging wiring, extreme weather swings from lake-effect cold to summer humidity, high tenant turnover in condos and offices, and the constant pressure of keeping common areas, parking garages, and loading docks secure. A security system that works on paper but fails in a February power outage or a flooded underground garage is worse than no system at all.

At Vidimost, we design and install security systems that account for these real-world conditions. We've worked in high-rise condos along Lake Shore Drive, office buildings in the Loop and River North, medical practices on Michigan Avenue, warehouses in Elk Grove Village, retail spaces across Schaumburg and Arlington Heights, and residential communities throughout the North Shore.

What we do differently

Most security companies sell equipment and install it. We start from the infrastructure — power, cabling, network, and door hardware — because that's where most system failures actually originate. A Hanwha Vision camera is excellent hardware, but it's useless if it's on an overloaded PoE switch with no UPS. A Brivo access controller is powerful, but not if the low-voltage wiring to the door lock has been spliced three times over 20 years.

Every project we take on — new installation, upgrade, or repair — includes an assessment of the full chain: power delivery, cable condition, network topology, and physical hardware condition. We fix the infrastructure problems as part of the project, not as a separate billable surprise.

Upgrading from legacy systems

Many Chicago buildings delay security upgrades because they assume everything needs to be ripped out. That's rarely true. Our upgrade process starts with an infrastructure audit — we test every cable run, check every lock mechanism, verify every power supply. If the existing wiring is Cat5e or better and tests clean, we keep it. If the existing cameras have usable mounting locations, we reuse the infrastructure.

We regularly upgrade buildings from analog camera systems to modern IP cameras (Hanwha Vision, Axis), from standalone key fob systems to managed access control (Brivo or Paxton), and from buzzer-based entry systems to video intercoms (2N). The transition is phased door-by-door and camera-by-camera, so the building never loses security coverage during the process.

Repair and troubleshooting

Some of our best client relationships started with a repair call. A parking garage camera that went dark. An access control system where fobs stopped working after a power surge. An NVR that's been "full" for months and nobody noticed it stopped recording. We troubleshoot and repair security systems across Chicago regardless of who installed them or what brand they are.

Common problems we fix: failed power supplies, network instability, dead UPS batteries, credential database corruption, worn door hardware, and systems abandoned by previous vendors. We stabilize first and recommend improvements second — no pressure to replace what still works.

Service areas

We serve Chicago and the surrounding suburbs, including North Shore communities (Wilmette, Winnetka, Evanston), northwest suburbs (Schaumburg, Arlington Heights, Palatine), and the O'Hare corridor (Itasca, Rosemont, Elk Grove Village). See all service areas.