Alarm.com XT-511-US-VZ Posts

There is going to be scheduled maintenance occurring on Alarm.com tonight, specifically focusing on the Verizon infrastructure. The maintenance period will run from 12:00 am Midnight to 2:00 am Eastern Time. According to Alarm.com, no impact is expected with regard to monitoring service.

The purpose of the scheduled maintenance is to enhance platform stability and improve redundancy moving forward. We have heard reports that a small number of Alarm.com Verizon LTE Communicators have been experiencing some relatively minor technical issues. Alarm.com has been aware of these issues since at least last Saturday, and they have been actively working to troubleshoot affected units to prevent any disruptions in service. The scheduled maintenance tonight should fix these issues and help to ensure that all Alarm.com Verizon Communicators function as intended, with exceptional reliability.

During the scheduled maintenance period tonight, Alarm.com says that service outages are unlikely to occur. You should not experience any problems if your security system uses a Verizon Communicator for connecting with Alarm.com. However, Alarm.com is not ruling out the possibility, and they want to keep users informed, just in case. Remember that if you have an IP (WIFI or Ethernet) communication path set up, then that can serve as a valuable backup option tonight during the maintenance period. If your system is cellular only with Verizon connectivity, then just be careful if you need to arm your system tonight between 12:00 am Midnight and 2 am Eastern Time. Again, no issues should occur, but Alarm.com is performing due diligence by making the maintenance period known in advance.

Once again, all maintenance taking place is on the Verizon infrastructure for Alarm.com. Your monitoring service will not be affected in any way if your system uses a different carrier, such as AT&T, for connecting with Alarm.com, or if your system is set up with a different network, such as AlarmNet for Total Connect 2.0, or Telguard for HomeControl Flex. If your system does use Verizon connectivity for communicating with Alarm.com, then check and make sure your WIFI or Ethernet path is working as an important backup plan for tonight. If you have been using your system with cell-only on Verizon with ADC, but you have the option to add WIFI or Ethernet, now may be a good time to do so. Your system should still be fine, but, it never hurts to use redundancy when it is available. Stay tuned to our blog for more security system news and updates coming soon.

Note: If you are reading this after 2:00am on April 14th, or on any future date, then it is assumed that the scheduled maintenance has been concluded, and all Alarm.com Verizon Service should be operating as intended, now with improved infrastructure.

Hi DIYers! We know by now you are probably aware of the Alarm.com integration for Amazon Alexa. Today, we just wanted to remind you of the superb features and functions this integration offers and how it can make your life more convenient. Prepare to learn about the Alarm.com Alexa Skill!

It goes without saying that Amazon Alexa is one of the most popular smart home automation platforms available today. This is due in large part to its accessibility. An Alexa Hub is extremely easy to set up and use. And since so many people use Amazon Prime for ordering products online, they realize that adding a simple Alexa Hub in their homes makes sense.

There are many functions you can perform through Amazon Alexa voice commands if you have an Alarm.com Security System. You can have Alexa arm your system, check the current system status, perform entire smart scenes, and control individual Z-Wave smart home devices. Truly, the automation features offered from Alexa voice commands for Alarm.com are particularly exciting.

Alexa even allows you to set up special "Secure Commands" for Alarm.com, which include disarming your system, opening your garage door, and unlocking your Z-Wave door locks. These Secure Commands require you to provide a valid PIN code when speaking with Alexa. This way, you can be sure that it is you or someone you trust controlling your system through the hub!

To get started using Amazon Alexa with Alarm.com, you must first have access to the Alarm.com Platform. This will require having a system with a compatible Alarm.com Cellular Communicator. You will also need to get an alarm monitoring plan that includes access to Alarm.com. Two of the best plans to choose from are the Alarm Grid Gold Plan and the Alarm Grid Platinum Plan. You can learn more about these plans, plus all our other monitoring plans, on our alarm monitoring page.

Once your system is activated for monitoring service, and you have successfully created your Alarm.com account, you can then enable the Alarm.com Alexa Skill. Simply search for Alarm.com in the Skills & Games section of the Alexa App, and locate the Alarm.com Skill. You will need to provide your Alarm.com account information when you go to enable the skill. This will allow Alexa to communicate with your Alarm.com account.

You can then try controlling your system and paired smart home devices through Alexa voice commands! Remember that commands for use with your system will lead in with "Alexa, tell Alarm.com to..." As long as you remember that, you will have no shortage of exciting and convenient voice commands that you can use with Amazon Alexa and Alarm.com!

If you have any questions, then remember that the Alarm Grid Support Team is happy to help! We will answer any questions you have about the Alarm.com Alexa Integration or about the Alarm.com platform or our monitoring services in general. The best way to contact us if you have questions is to email support@alarmgrid.com. Remember that our support hours are from 9am to 8pm ET. We look forward to hearing from you!

Hi DIYers! We are pleased to announce that the Interlogix Simon XTi-5i is now available for purchase from the Alarm Grid website. This is a capable wireless panel, all available at an affordable price. It is perfect for homes and small businesses looking for an effective security solution.

Although the Simon XTi-5i is considered a "budget" alarm system, it still offers the same great performance you would expect out of any modern alarm system. The system is essentially an upgrade over the current Simon XTi-5, but it has been revamped to enhance the end user experience. The 5" full-color touchscreen has been improved from the older models, and it feels more satisfying to control. We tested the touchscreen at ISC West 2019, and we gotta say, it's a major improvement.

New to the Simon XTi-5i is the ability to adjust the user interface (UI). You can have the color schemes for the system menus match those from Alarm.com. You will get the same great orange and white color scheme for the Simon XTi-5i as what you have on Alarm.com. This should help you feel more comfortable, whether you are controlling your system from the panel or from the Alarm.com Mobile App on Android and iOS devices. By using the mobile app, you can access your system from almost anywhere!

In order to access Alarm.com, you will need an Alarm.com Communicator. Both LTE cellular and dual-path options are available. Getting your Simon XTi-5i connected with Alarm.com will provide you with the most reliable alarm monitoring service possible. You will also be able to access Alarm.com through the mobile app to control your system in a variety of ways. This includes arming and disarming, checking system status, controlling Z-Wave devices, viewing Alarm.com Cameras, and more. Please note that you will need a Self Gold Plan or higher from Alarm Grid to access Alarm.com, and a Self Platinum level plan or higher is required for remote viewing of Alarm.com cameras. More information can be found on our alarm monitoring page.

The Simon XTi-5i will actually support the same communicators as all of the previous Simon Panels. We recommend using one of the following communicators:

• Alarm.com XT-511-US-AT (AT&T LTE)
• Alarm.com XT-511-US-VZ (Verizon LTE)
• Alarm.com XT-511-CA-TL (Telus LTE - Canada Only)
• Alarm.com XT-511-US-DP-AT (AT&T LTE & IP)
• Alarm.com XT-511-US-DP-VZ (Verizon LTE & IP)
• Interlogix 600-1048-XT-LTE-AT (AT&T LTE) (Must be FW 191C or higher)
• Interlogix 600-1048-XT-LTE-VZ (Verizon LTE) (Must be FW 191C or higher)
• Interlogix 600-1048-XT-LTE-TL (Telus LTE - Canada Only) (Must be FW 191C or higher)

Each of these communicators also doubles as a perfectly functional Z-Wave controller. This will allow you to start building a complete smart home network of Z-Wave devices. You can create scenes to have your Z-Wave devices activate automatically with certain system events or on a set schedule. This can definitely help you save money on energy costs and make your life more convenient. There are all sorts of Z-Wave devices you can add, including lights, locks, thermostats, water valves, and more!

In addition to a better touchscreen and revamped menus, the Interlogix Simon XTi-5i also packs some more power under the cover. The zone count has doubled up to 80 wireless zones. This is perfect for virtually any home or any small to medium sized business. You can even use two (2) hardwired Normally Closed (NC) contacts with the system and connect them to the main board. Just be aware that these hardwired contact sensors will still cut into the maximum 80 zone limit.

As far as sensor support goes, the Simon XTi-5i facilitates the same great 319.5 MHz sensors that its predecessors supported. This includes the wireless sensors from Interlogix and Qolsys. You can also use the Qolsys S-Line Sensors with the system, though they will not utilize encryption with the Simon XTi-5i. If you want encrypted sensors for the system, you will have to wait for the exclusive lineup of Interlogix Encrypted Sensors, which should be made available soon. It is unknown which form of encryption these sensors will utilize, but it is expected that they will work exclusively with the Interlogix Simon XTi-5i System.

You can now purchase the Interlogix Simon XTi-5i from Alarm Grid! If you have any questions about this exciting new system, please reach out to us! The best way to contact us is to email support@alarmgrid.com. We will check your email at our earliest convenience and respond back as soon as possible. If you prefer to call us, you can reach us at (888) 818-7728 during our regular business hours of 9am to 8pm EST M-F. We look forward to hearing from you and telling you all about this great new panel!