Home Security Blog

One of the most common questions asked by our customers is: Can I use my Honeywell WIFI thermostat with Total Connect? For years, this question required a complicated response that ultimately resulted in the answer, "No, they do not work with Total Connect 2.0." Well, Honeywell has responded to this customer feedback by integrating WIFI thermostat control with Total Connect 2.0! Before getting into the nitty, gritty details of how this integration works, let's take a step back and review the Total Connect Comfort and Total Connect 2.0 apps. For obvious reasons, these two apps are commonly confused with one another.

Total Connect Comfort is a free app which allows users to control and view status of their HVAC system. This app requires a compatible Honeywell thermostat that communicates using WIFI or Honeywell's RedLink technology. The WIFI thermostats simply to connect to the wireless internet in your home or business and connect to the TC Comfort app. RedLink is a proprietary technology that allows HVAC components to speak to each other wirelessly. Air handlers can wirelessly control boiler and condensing units without any wiring! RedLink thermostats require a RedLink Internet Gateway (RIG). Instead of communicating directly to the WIFI router, the thermostat wirelessly pairs to the RIG. After the RIG is connected to your router with an ethernet patch cable the RedLink thermostat will also be available for interactive control via TC Comfort.

Total Connect 2.0 is technically a free app in the app store but it requires a paid subscription with a Honeywell AlarmNet dealer. This app is designed to control and trigger customizable text and email alerts with a compatible Honeywell security system. The Honeywell system will need a compatible AlarmNet internet and/or cellular communicator in order to work with TC 2.0. This app also supports remote automation control in the form of Z-Wave technology. Essentially, a customer will add a compatible Z-Wave controller to their Honeywell alarm panel and be able to control and configure alerts for Z-Wave lights, locks, thermostats, etc.

Up until late April 2016, the only way to control a thermostat through TC 2.0 was to purchase and install a compatible Z-Wave thermostat. The issue here was that some TC 2.0 customers already had TC Comfort and wanted to keep their thermostats. Other customers required HVAC technologies such as "Dual Fuel" or remote thermistors and humidistats that cannot be found in Z-Wave thermostats. Unfortunately, the Z-Wave thermostat landscape is not very diverse and the technology built into these devices are not very advanced. Also, depending on your alarm system Z-Wave controllers can be expensive. Anyways, the WIFI and RedLink tstats offer a much wider range of features. For all these reasons we are extremely excited that TC 2.0 now supports TC Comfort (TCC) thermostats!

Currently this can only be accomplished through the iOS app on your mobile apple device (i.e. iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch) running iOS 7.0 or higher. The last app update on April 27, 2016 (Version 3.10.5) added the ability to add TCC thermostats through the automation section on the app. Keep in mind that you will need to be enrolled in Total Connect 2.0 service and have "remote automation" services enabled. Some dealers may charge extra for this service but it will give you the ability to integrate Z-Wave devices and just recently the TCC thermostats and August locks.

Assuming you have already setup remote automation services with your alarm company now you can integrate your TCC devices with TC 2.0. After you click into the "Automation" tab on the app, press the icon on the top right (3 horizontal bars). Then press "Add/Remove TCC Thermostat." Now you can enter your login credentials (email and password) for your TCC app. After you login, you should be able to control TCC thermostat from the TC 2.0 app. This is a brand new integration so the details around setting up scenes, rules and scheduling are still being fleshed out. The good news is that Honeywell acted on customer feedback and now you can control even more devices in your home right from TC 2.0!

Total Connect 2.0 can be offered standalone for self monitoring customers or bundled together with central station monitoring for those interested in getting phone calls and dispatching the local authorities when needed.

**Please Note**

Your Honeywell VISTA system must have a Z-Wave module installed for you to use Total Connect 2.0 Automation features. On an all-in-one LYNX Touch or Lyric wireless system, TC2 automation can be added to any TC2 account. However, if you have a traditional VISTA security system, you will need to have a Tuxedo Touch WIFI touchscreen keypad or VAM module connected to your system to take advantage of the TC2 automation features. The Tuxedo and VAM are physical Z-Wave controllers for upgrading VISTA systems to home automation features. Even if the TC2 automation you are doing doesn't require a local z-wave controller (like integrating in the Honeywell WIFI Total Connect Comfort or Redlink Thermostats or integrating in WIFI August locks for instance), the automation TC2 feature can't be enabled without a Tux or VAM MAC/CRC combination being added to the TC2 account. While these cloud based TC2 integrations are a nice way to integrate various home automation into on application, you don't need to upgrade your VISTA panel with a Tux or WIFI if you don't plan to ever do any physical Z-Wave devices as you can always continue to control your TCC/Redlink thermostats and August locks through the existing separate apps that are offered for those devices now.

If you are a T-Mobile subscriber, you may have noticed that your Total Connect alerts have just stopped coming to your phone. This is the case for all of our users, and we have been getting calls about it for the last two days. If that is what you're experiencing, then please follow the steps below to restore your text messages.

• Go to the Total Connect 2.0 website, and log in to your account.
• Hover over the user whom you want to receive the text messages and select "Edit."
• Under "Notifications," add a new method for receiving messages. Select "Email." Select "Text Email" as "Notification Type."
• Put in [your10digitphonenumber]@tmomail.net. For example: 9549335095@tmomail.net.
• Save, and then go through the process of verifying the email. The verification number will come to your phone. Once verified, you should be good to go.

If you have any questions, or a problem with setting this up, we will gladly help you fix it. Please email us at support@alarmgrid.com. But for the most part if you follow the instructions here, everything should work with no trouble.

As a DIY friendly company we love the Honeywell LT-Cable. For those who are not familiar with the cable it is a prefabricated power supply cable with male spade connectors and a right angle DC barrel plug. The spades offer a clean and easy connection to the screw terminals of your AC transformer. The barrel plug simply plugs into the DC port on the back of your alarm panel. The best part of the device is that it offers an easy way to power cycle your alarm system without dealing with the transformer. Generally the transformer is hidden or screwed into your wall plate so the LT-Cable offers a safe way to disconnect power from the panel without the hassle of the transformer. Now, technically you can disconnect hardwired power to the screw terminals if your system was custom cabled. However we strongly caution against that since you are dealing with live power with your transformer still plugged in. Although it is only low voltage power it can damage or destroy the panel or transformer if you accidentally short it.

As you may have seen in our Honeywell Lynx Touch videos the LT-Cable plugged directly into the DC port which was great. Well unfortunately Honeywell decided to phase out the DC port which we are bummed about. However they did do us a big favor by revamping it to have a pigtail with a DC port adapter. By doing this they essentially made the cable universal. In other words, the cable now can be used as a power connection to any alarm system. Here is why.

The pigtail has two wires on one end that should be landed on the AC or DC power connections of your alarm system. Not all systems have a DC port but they all have screw terminals for custom cabling. On the back side of the pigtail there is a female DC port. This is where the right angle male DC barrel connector plugs into. Instead of removing the male DC plug from the panel now you are removing it from the back end of the pigtail in order to power down. This means a clean, safe way to reboot your system...

By adding this pigtail, the cable will work with any alarm system you want. This is not just limited to wireless self-contained panels like the LYNX Touch. You can now use the LT-Cable to connect the transformer to your wired alarm control cabinets as well! Some panels may require low voltage AC power which does not have any polarity. However on most systems it is low voltage DC so be sure to match the red wire with your positive connection and black with negative.

As a DIY outfit we just wanted to share that this potentially bad news (Honeywell stripping out the DC port on the LYNX Touch panels) really turned into great news! We are now selling the new LT-Cable on our site. The cable is still in-wall rated and remains to be 8 feet long. The photo on the product page will be updated shortly. Check out the release note for a visual on the new cable.

While we wait for Honeywell to release their exciting security system, the Lyric, 2GIG has finally released their anticipated panel, and Alarm Grid is the first DIY outfit to make it available!

If you are one of the many people who have been awaiting the arrival of the much anticipated GC3, then this is an exciting day for you. The GC3 is 2GIG's much needed update to the Go!Control 2, which has been the workhorse of the brand since 2010. In 2011, the panel was unexpectedly awarded "Security Product of the Year" at the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA), as well as the "2011 Best Wireless Security Panel" award, and "2011 Best in Show" at Electronic Security Expo (ESX). The all-in-one panel was revolutionary, and the ability to use Alarm.com as the interactive backbone of the 2GIG line changed the way that the security industry does business.

Now, with Honeywell's LYNX line and the coming Lyric, the Go!Control is a still excellent panel in a sea of many panels that have caught up and, in many cases, surpassed its many features, which in 2011 had never really been seen before. The GC3 is a sleek, new panel that is pulling 2GIG back into the much deserved limelight.

The 7-inch, extremely responsive capacitive color touchscreen is a nice touch, as is the information packed display. Featuring excellent Z-Wave controls, much like its predecessor and competing Honeywell panels, the GC3 makes it clear that it is a security system first, but under the surface, it is a deceivingly capable device that allows users the ability to control their Z-wave home automation capable devices as well as the ability to receive updates to its firmware. This modern security system can and will keep up with the times - whatever they may bring.

While you can purchase a standalone panel, we have also made the GC3PK kit available that includes 3 DW10 door and window sensors, a KEY2-345 key fob, and a single PIR1-345 motion sensor, as well as the GC3 system itself. All you will need to add to that kit is a radio that best suits your needs. At the moment, 2GIG has released radios that work with Verizon and AT&T, or, if you're in Canada, Rogers. These simple radios snap into the side of the GC3, making installation incredibly simple and almost exactly as easy as the process of installing a radio in Honeywell's Lyric controller. In all, it seems, 2GIG has made huge improvements over its older systems, as well as making a number of incredible improvements that will make having this security system a delight.

Honeywell's flagship L5200 panel has been discontinued. Since June of 2014, the L5200 has been the lesser, more affordable counterpart to the L7000. At Alarm Grid, the L5200 has been our best selling panel, and we are sad to see it go. Though it is being replaced by a panel that is nearly identical.

When released, Honeywell said that the L5200 would be the last panel they ever released with a POTs connection, although its replacement appears to have included the connection. The main difference between the L5200 and the new L5210, as you can see in the image below, is the smaller screen and the shape/type of the buttons. Honeywell has developed the L5210 to look more like its large-screen counterpart, the L7000. The panel is a sleek looking product, and while the smaller screen may make the unit a bit less attractive than the L5200, it's worth noting that the price of the new panels is between 5 and 10% cheaper.

As of today, Alarm Grid is discontinuing the sale of the l5200 and selling only the L7000 and L5210s. We have also switched out the old L5200 kits, and are now selling the L5210 in kits that are the same as the L5200 kits (Our most popular L5210 kits are the L5210PK-WIFI, L5210PK10-WIFI, and the L5210PK10-WIFI-3G).

For those who have the old, L5200 model, worry not. The systems are effectively the same and all the products that work on the L5200 work on the L5210 and vice versa. If you need help with your L5200 or L5210 system, need communicators, or just have general use questions, please let us know or email us at support@alarmgrid.com.

Alarm Grid's Youtube channel has just hit an incredible milestone. More than 1 million unique visitors have visited the channel and watched the videos. Many of you have been introduced to the very idea of DIY home security through the channel, a fact that we are proud of.

Every month, users are spending more than 100 combined days of their time watching how to do everything from installing a security system to programming 5811 sensors.

The most liked video on the channel is the short, but very helpful video that helps users get out of programmer lockout. It's a small contribution, but before Alarm Grid, information on getting back into programming after you were locked out was nearly impossible to find, not to mention there were no simple demonstrations of it.

If you have seen the videos, you will know that they are some of the most information-packed videos available on the subject of home security products. Sterling has introduced us to an astounding amount of content about everything security system related.

Thank you to everyone for helping us reach this milestone. If you haven't subscribed to the Youtube Channel yet, we would love for you to do it now!

Join the 3,500 other subscribers and get alerts letting you know when we release any new videos.

Recently, we have released a set of videos that review the new Lyric Security system's main unit and contacts. These videos are some of the first videos anywhere of the much anticipated panel. This is the kind of high-quality content we've been delivering, and we promise that we will continue to deliver even more of it.

Honeywell's Lyric thermostat is one of the real gems of their smart thermostat collection. While released about a year ago as a precursor to the coming Lyric security system, the familiar circular design is evocative of Google's Nest thermostat which has been out for some time now and changed the way that we think of smart thermostats. For about a century, Honeywell has been the leader in thermostat technology, and has decided to take that experience into the proverbial boxing ring where they will be taking on Nest.

Introducing features like like Geofencing make the Lyric smart thermostat a cut above the rest, as it allows users to get the most out of their technology by leveraging the now-ubiquitous smart phone. While traditional smart thermostats often "learn" the habits of their users, Honeywell has taken it to a degree of simplicity that makes the Lyric a much more practical device.

It's integration with HomeKit will make the thermostat even more powerful. According to NextWeb, HomeKit compatibility will allow users to "set scenes designed to automate functions," as well as integrate with other HomeKit compatible devices. Simply, as HomeKit becomes better used, Lyric's 2nd generation thermostat becomes a more powerful and interesting thermostat. Honeywell has indicated to us at Alarm Grid, that the Lyric will be made compatible with Total Connect as well, which will mean, very soon that the security system will have a much more powerful WIFI integration with the most advanced thermostat that Honeywell has ever released.

If you are interested in getting email alerts when the Lyric Security System has been released, sign up below!

Alarm Grid's tech support will be closed on Christmas Eve (Dec. 24th) and Christmas day (Dec. 25th).

Should you have a pressing technical issue, please email support@alarmgrid.com. Otherwise, please call our office number 888-818-7728 and leave a message. We will get back to you as soon as we get back from the holidays.

Worry not, the central station will be up and running, monitoring your alarm system through the holidays.

We wish you all a wonderful holiday season, and hope that it is filled with family and friends.

If you are interested in financing your system, so that you pay for its cost over the next 12 months, then we have some incredible news!

Affirm, the company we have partnered with to offer financing, has announced that they will be offering that financing with absolutely no need to do a hard credit check. What that means is you do not have to worry about your credit score being affected when you apply for financing!

For those trying to figure out whether paying our great rates for monitoring is worth the up-front cost of a system, the ability to pay for that system over 12 months is a game changer. For most, the monthly cost of a financed system + monitoring is going to still be cheaper than paying for ADT or Vivint monitoring. What's more, when you're done paying off your system, you don't have to keep paying the high cost of monitoring.

If you are interested in learning about Affirm, take a look at our information page. You select Affirm at checkout, as a payment option, and you make your payments to them. It is simple, easy, and 100% transparent.

The L7000 kit is the winner of ESX's "Best in Show" in 2014, is being reduced in price. The most popular security system we have sold to date, the L7000 is head and shoulders above the rest. It's large screen supports up to 4 cameras, all the security functions of its high quality predecessors, and a number of robust Z-Wave home automation cameras to boot.

The standalone L7000 unit is now priced $102 cheaper than it was for a 36% reduction in price, while most of the kits are now between 4 and 7% cheaper. In all the savings are pretty excellent, and we're proud to be able to bring them to you. Below is the price chart showing our old price, and our new prices.

For those trying to decide whether to go with an L7000 or an L5200, we have a simple little chart detailing the differences between the two panels. While the L5200 is going to be about $50 cheaper than the L7000, these new prices are bringing it in line with the less powerful unit which might be a great reason to get the L7000 instead of the L5200 even if you don't need all the incredible features of the L7000 immediately or ever. The big screen might be enough to entice you.

The lyric, which will be released sometime during this quarter (we're told) will be our premier, more expensive security system (for updates, you can sign up for our mailing list). So this price reduction should allow users who maybe don't want to pay as much for a