[WXC/VFX] VFX and monitored security alarms

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LHE

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Wannabe Geek

# 18953 30-Jan-2008 22:50

Hi,

I switched from POTS to all-VOIP but just found out that my security system can't seem to dial through the VFX service. I have a Linksys PAP2T. The phone line is wired through the security system to the Linksys adapter to enable it to "catch" the line before any other telephone. My regular phone works with no issues (routed through the security system) but the dialer from the security system seems less successful. Are there any known solutions to the problem? I'd hate to have to go back to Telecom...

Niel

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# 107661 30-Jan-2008 23:25

Reliable solution: switch to a wireless alarm monitoring solution.

Try this, but probably will not work: wire an ADSL line filter between the alarm panel and the PAP2T. This works for some modem type devices. Easiest way of doing it is to use the "phone" socket and the "modem" socket of the filter, because the "modem" socket and the "line" plug is wired 1-to-1 so you can do it that way and still get the full function of the filter without having to use an adaptor to get the connectors the right gender. This worked for me on an AC Neilson HomeScan device where you scan all your shopping and the device dials an 0800 number to upload the data. But an alarm panel might not work. I know that there is someone on this forum that is actively working with his alarm company to try and resolve this, but no success yet. You see, most alarm companies do not have any high skill persons and they simply buy in alarm dialler modules.

You can never have enough Volvos!

maverick

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WorldxChange

# 107676 31-Jan-2008 07:29

The issue with alarms is that a lot of them are very old technology and very low speed, what we are seeing is that low speed alarms will not work through a high speed IP network, the equipment actually can't train down to the low speeds that some of these devices are trying to talk to.

IP alarming is where we are working towards, have a look at a compamy called AlarmNZ, they do IP alarm based monitioring and can give you a few options possibly

AlarmNZ

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sbiddle

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Biddle Corp

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# 107677 31-Jan-2008 07:55

maverick: The issue with alarms is that a lot of them are very old technology and very low speed, what we are seeing is that low speed alarms will not work through a high speed IP network, the equipment actually can't train down to the low speeds that some of these devices are trying to talk to.

IP alarming is where we are working towards, have a look at a compamy called AlarmNZ, they do IP alarm based monitioring and can give you a few options possibly

AlarmNZ

It's really going to be an issue for a lot of alarm companies over the next few years. Most aren't willing to move away from the cheap PSTN alarm concentrators they use at present despite their being significant advantages for them moving away from old technology. IMHO any alarm company that isn't seriously looking at IP based soluitons (whether they be over the internet or CDMA/GSM) is going to find themselves in a bit of a bit of hole in the not too distant future.

sbiddle

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# 107682 31-Jan-2008 08:07

This is a very interesting product here http://www.ip-ac.eu/ they do a unit that is interfaced to the existing phone dialler and grabs the contact_id protocol information (this is the common protocol used by a lot of alarm modules) and then relays it over cellular or IP.

cisconz

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# 107685 31-Jan-2008 08:32

sbiddle:
It's really going to be an issue for a lot of alarm companies over the next few years. Most aren't willing to move away from the cheap PSTN alarm concentrators they use at present despite their being significant advantages for them moving away from old technology. IMHO any alarm company that isn't seriously looking at IP based soluitons (whether they be over the internet or CDMA/GSM) is going to find themselves in a bit of a bit of hole in the not too distant future.

It's interesting you say "cheap PSTN alarm concentrators" as these devices are not cheap at all and are limited to how many lines you can put into them. The IP monitoring at Alarm NZ is able to accept 10,000 alarm panels at once on each server. Compare that to 16 or 24 analogue lines in a PSTN receiver.

Hmmmm

tyagi

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Geek

# 108993 6-Feb-2008 23:43

I'm thinking of signing up with XNet for DSL and VFX, and would really like to drop my POTS line if possible. However, we have a monitored home alarm, and the discussion above doesn't inspire much confidence that there is a tried and tested solution. I understand that most people's home wiring is "unique", but it would be good if there was a 1-page summary of how XNet recommends the POTS connection from the alarm should be wired in to a XFX system. Is this available anywhere?

Alternatively, does anyone else have any wiring schematics for how they've got their alarm wired in to VFX?

cisconz

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# 108998 7-Feb-2008 00:15

Send me what type of alarm you have and I can sort out what you will need to use to get it working reliably
davidm at alarmnz dot com

bender

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# 109075 7-Feb-2008 14:19

My monitored alarm (a DSC PC2525 monitored by Matrix) is working fine on VFX. It was behaving erratically with default settings, but I had a second line enabled on my SPA2102 and then had Josh set it to g711 and inband DTMF and the alarm is communicating perfectly.

That said, I am still in the middle of talking to Alarm NZ to try and convert my existing alarm to work with pure IP, I will post back with anything that happens on this front. My main concern is being able to keep the Matrix guard service as I don't just want my alarm monitored, I want a guard despatched too.

cisconz

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# 109079 7-Feb-2008 14:30

Alarm NZ doesn't provide guards anyway. You can keep Matrix on as a patrol company only

Hmmmm

rscole86

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# 109082 7-Feb-2008 14:40

AFAIK AlarmNZ will provide guards. Where I work I get asked if I want guards or not when there has been an activation.

bender

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# 109083 7-Feb-2008 14:43

Alarm NZ will despatch a guard company - they don't provide them themselves though, you would just be adding the guard company to the list of numbers that get called when an activation occurs.

cisconz

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# 109088 7-Feb-2008 15:09

Right you are Bender

Hmmmm

sbiddle

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# 109105 7-Feb-2008 16:23

What sort of pricing do Alarm NZ charge for IP monitoring vs PSTN monitoring? What type of hardware do they have or provide with IP capabilites?

I just picked up another Micron alarm today to install and noticed they have an IP board available now as well which is a nice addon.

cisconz

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# 109107 7-Feb-2008 16:31

Currently they are the same price.

I am sure they will be fexible though

Hmmmm