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I can vouch for the effectiveness of such systems, as one of them led to my arrest.

I would be skeptical of wireless security systems, wireless signals can be easily jammed using easily accessible products or home made stuff.

BAH HA HA HA! rick

I put it in place in my 100-year old rowhouse, rather than break into the plaster walls. It works quite well, and is still linked into the phone system. (Plus, more than half of ADT's security is provided by having the stickers on your windows.)

--Sarah

I'll attest to the ADT stickers and signs being the real deterent. My neighbor was broken into and when the police came to talk to me they said I probably didn't get hit because I had the signs. No system, but just the signs did it.
I have the really really cheap window alarms on my windows (sold for like 6 bucks each) I like the GE ones at K mart. If you break the magnetic plane a very very loud squeal goes on and on until you either turn it off (which is hard) or put the window back into place. Either way, it will wake up the dead. I have them not so much for intruders, but to make sure my 3yr old doesn't open the windows (he's an escape artist) and fall out.

I've had the Visonic system for a few years. It's great. In fact, I just bought another one for our new place. You can also set it up to call your cellphone in the event of an alarm if you don't want to pay for monitoring. It even lets you listen in so you can hear what's going on in there. In the unlikely event that someone tried jamming it, it can be setup to throw an alarm if the sensors go offline. The one I just bought includes a GSM cellphone transmitter, so I don't have to plug it into the phone system (and therefore cutting the phone lines before a break-in won't work).

I have the older GE wireless system, which I think they've quit making. It ties into your phone line, and can call you when there's a break in, or if there's a fire or a water leak, assuming you've installed those sensors (I got the smoke detector). It can also control lights remotely with a special module - I use a couple to turn on lights in my living room and bedroom at around 6PM and turn them off at around 11PM, so it always looks as though someone is home in the evenings.

The alarm itself could wake the dead.

I got a keyfob to arm and disable the system remotely. It also comes with a panic button, and a button to turn the lights off and on. You can set it to chime when the doors or a window is opened (that'll scare any intruder).

There's a variant of the GE system I've seen at either Lowes or BestBuy being sold under another brand name. Instead of connecting to a phone line, it connects to the Internet via Ethernet, but you have to pay for a monitoring service.

I'm sure a thief could circumvent a system like this, but why bother? There are plenty of unprotected apartments to go after.

How are these systems with catrs and dogs that roam the house throughout the day? Do they only protect windows and doors?

Katalyst: They are not only on windows and doors--I have one in the center hall for when I'm asleep, in case someone manages to get in. You can have them situate the sensors so that they don't pick up on pets, though. My rabbit roams free in the house, and he doesn't trigger it.