Method for monitoring borders or peripheries of installations includes arranging sensors periodically along the border at least partially in the ground, the sensors being sensitive to vibrations, infrared radiation, sound or other disturbances, programming the sensors to wake-up upon detection of a predetermined condition and receive a signal, analyzing the signal and transmitting a signal indicative of the analysis with an identification or location of the sensors. The sensors may include a processor embodying a pattern recognition system trained to recognize characteristic signals indicating the passing of a person or vehicle.