Do It Yourself: Burglar Alarms for Homes

Decide on the window that the wireless burglar alarm will protect, for example, a picture window leading to the backyard or an open patio. Remove the sticking paper from one side of the vibration sensor. Place the sensor, adhesive side facing away from you, against the glass of the window -- the placement should be closer to the center of the window than at an edge. Press the sensor against the window to adhere the adhesive side.

Open the battery compartment lid on the back of the wireless transmitter. Insert the appropriate type and number of batteries into the battery compartment. Close the lid.

Plug the mini-jack at the end of the cable attached to the vibration sensor into the jack on the wireless transmitter; if there is no jack, then the cable attached to the sensor terminates in two pre-stripped wires. Loosen the two screws on the transmitter with a Phillips jeweler's screwdriver, wrap a wire around each screw and tighten the screws back down.

Place the transmitter against the wall to the side of the window, beneath the windowsill. Screw wood screws through the pre-drilled holes in the sides of the transmitter and into the wall using a Phillips screwdriver.

Place the wireless alarm receiver on a night table next to your bed so that you will be jarred awake by the alarm if there is an intrusion. Plug the receiver's power cord into an AC outlet. Rotate the volume knob fully clockwise or slide the volume selector switch all the way to the right -- depending on the make of the receiver -- so that the alarm will sound off as loud as it can.

Rotate an external antenna on the receiver, if there is one, so that it faces in the general direction of the sensor's location.

Press the syncing button (sometimes called "Sync" or "Join," depending on the make) on the transmitter. Press the same button on the receiver within 20 seconds to enable the receiver to recognize the sensor. Your do-it-yourself (DIY) burglar alarm is now set up.