2GIG Posts

We're back with another video recap! And this is a rather special video recap, because I have a guest joining me this time! It's someone you have never seen in Alarm Grid videos before, and we hope to have this person back and doing more videos soon. Five (5) new videos await! Let's go!

Alarm com Mobile App: Setting Up Multi System Access

I show you how you can set up multiple system access in Alarm.com. With this feature, you can access Alarm.com using a single username and password to control multiple security systems. There will be a dropdown menu in Alarm.com that you can use to navigate between the different systems linked with your account. This feature is excellent if you own multiple properties, or if you're a business owner with multiple locations. Now you can control all your systems from a single login!

2GIG Edge: Resetting the Master Code

In her triumphant Alarm Grid video debut, Aja shows you how to reset the Master Code on a 2GIG Edge Security System. The Master Code on a 2GIG Edge is used for arming and disarming and changing Master-level settings. The code should almost always be changed for security purposes. To change the Master Code, you can access the Users Menu and manually change the code. Additionally, if you perform a Factory Default of the Users Settings, then the Master Code will revert back to its default of 1111.

2GIG Edge: Resetting the Installer Code

I teach you how to reset the Installer Code on your 2GIG Edge Alarm System. The Installer Code on a 2GIG Edge is used for getting into deep-level programming. We recommend keeping the Installer Code at its default of 1561 so that you do not become locked out of programming. Keeping the Installer Code at the 1561 default does not represent a security risk because you cannot disarm the system with the Installer Code. If you ever forget the default code, you can always look it up later.

2GIG Edge: Factory Resetting

I show you how to factory reset your 2GIG Edge Alarm Panel. In order to perform a factory reset, also called a factory default, you need the system's Installer Code. This is because you must access the Installer Toolbox on the panel. Inside the Installer Toolbox is the Restore Defaults Menu. You can choose from multiple types of defaults to perform. The options include Sensors & Zones, Console, Users, Z-Wave Network, IP Cameras. You cannot "undo" a default after one has been performed.

2GIG Edge: Adding a User Code

I show you how to set up an additional user code on the 2GIG Edge Security Panel. The 2GIG Edge supports up to 100 different user codes. With this feature, you can give everyone who uses the system regularly their very own personalized user code. When you set up a code, you will be asked to provide the numeric code that will be used for disarming the system. If you have slots open for Automatic Bluetooth Disarming and Facial Recognition using personalized Facial Biometrics, then you can also set up those features when you create the new user.

With the 2GIG Edge now available, users have access to some features we have never seen before in home security. One feature that really stands out is the system's facial recognition capabilities. This is the first ever panel from Alarm Grid to support facial recognition disarming!

The 2GIG Edge facial recognition feature is set up when you go to configure a user for the system. You can also configure it for the Master User, which is likely what you will want to do, along with changing the code away from its default of 1111. This is probably one of the first things you will do after getting the 2GIG Edge Security System, so consider this to be a bit of a starter's guide as well.

And don't forget that the feature is totally optional to use. If you don't want your 2GIG Edge System storing your "facial biometrics", then you don't have to. But if you do decide to set up the feature, we'll tell you right away, it works very well, and it's super convenient. It is also important to mention that all facial biometric information is only stored locally at the panel. This information is neither shared nor stored with Alarm.com in any fashion. Up to ten (10) users on a single 2GIG Edge Panel can be set up with the Facial Recognition feature, so do keep that in mind if you have a large number of users set up with your 2GIG Edge. But with that of the way, let's get started setting up the Facial Recognition feature on the 2GIG Edge!

What you need to do is access the User's Menu. Begin by clicking the Settings Icon (the gear) in the bottom-right corner. Then provide the Master Code (default 1111) or the Installer Code (default 1561). Then choose Users. And just like that, you are in the Users Menu.

You can click the Add User button in the bottom-right corner to create a new user. But if you haven't configured the Master User yet, then that's what you should do first. To configure the Master User, just click on the pencil icon next to it. You will be taken to the menu where you can adjust a variety of different settings.

From here, you can set a custom Display Name if you want a more personalized touch than "Master User". But today, we're going to focus on the facial recognition feature. You can see that it is disabled by default, so you should go and enable it by setting the toggle bar to green. And once you do, you will be greeted by the Facial Recognition Disclaimer Screen. Read through it, and assuming you agree, then click the Agree button in the bottom-right. You have to scroll all the way through it, or else you won't be able to click the Agree button, as it won't be illuminated.

Then you will need to capture your facial profile. You start by pressing the Begin button. You will need to position your head into the outlined box. Then once it recognizes your face, the outline will turn green. You will be asked to look to the right, and it will detect the movement. Then you will be asked to look to the left. Again, the movement will be detected. Oh, and when you go to do this yourself on your own 2GIG Edge, you don't need to have your phone in the photo. I was just trying (with varying degrees of success) to capture the moment in a series of photos. If you just complete the process normally as 2GIG intended, it's very easy.

You want to be very careful when capturing your facial profile - definitely more careful than me trying to pull double-duty by trying to take photos of the process at the same time! Make sure your face fits as nicely in the outline as possible. Feel free to move your head closer or further away from the panel if you need to. Then, when asked, turn slightly to the right, and then slightly to the left, and you will be all done! It only takes a matter of seconds. You will get the "Congratulations" message, and the feature will be in effect. And if you feel concerned that maybe you did a shoddy job, you can always reconfigure your 2GIG Edge Facial Profile later on. If you find that the system is having a tough time recognizing your face, then repeating this process (and doing it carefully) can make all the difference.

Once you click Next, you will be taken to a screen where you can choose to watch a tutorial video about how the Edge uses facial recognition. It may be helpful for you to get the very most out of the feature. Or you can skip it if you feel like this guide is sufficient. But you will still need to take an "Avatar" photo. Again, I'm a one-man team, so I tried to take a photo of myself trying to take a photo of myself (I never thought I'd write that sentence). Considering the circumstances, I think my "Avatar" turned out pretty nice!

If you're satisfied with your appearance, you can choose Use This Image. Or if you're a perfectionist, feel free to Retake Photo. If you decide that you can't take a good photo to save your life, then you can choose to Skip the step. But after that, facial recognition will be ready to go. If you did this for the Master User, you can even use facial recognition to get into Master-level programming. Whenever the system needs a code, the panel camera will activate. You just position your head, look left and right (like you're suspicious), and you will get in. Now the real question - can I take a photo of myself passing a facial recognition test?

Disclaimer - I cheated. That shot above is actually a video frame. The "User Master User Recognized" message only appears on the screen for a split-second, much too fast for an amateur self-cameraman like me to take a proper photo. But let's focus on what really matters here. This feature actually works VERY well. You can see it recognized me quite easily. And don't worry about it being a security risk. NOBODY else in the Alarm Grid Office could disarm with my facial profile. We had someone else try. They don't have the same "facial profile" as me, so the Edge wouldn't acknowledge them. But my face is able to trigger it quite easily.

You can use facial recognition to arm, disarm, and even enter into Master-level programming when a code is needed. Just be careful to set up your "facial profile" properly, and the 2GIG Edge will take care of the rest. If you have any thoughts on the feature, please share them down below in a comment. And stay tuned for more content from Alarm Grid coming soon!

Nortek Control, the parent company of 2GIG, has received multiple honors from CE Pro and their Quest for Quality Awards. The company has already received awards for its new 2GIG Edge Security System, and that trend looks to be continuing. Congratulations are in order for Nortek and 2GIG!

The Quest for Quality Awards from CE Pro is in its 11th annual edition. The awards recognize services from companies, rather than specific products. Winners are determined from an open-ended survey, in which respondents vote for the companies they believe are most deserving. This year, a record-breaking number of more than 14,550 votes, covering 17 different manufacturer categories and eight (8) different distributor categories, were received by CE Pro. And needless to say, 2GIG was a very big winner.

In total, Nortek Control and 2GIG received five (5) Quest for Quality Awards from CE Pro. The awards were as follows:

• Platinum Award for Best Sales & Marketing Assistance
• Platinum Award for Best Dealer & Program Incentives
• Gold Award for Best COVID-19 Response
• Gold Award for Best Dealer Protection Policies
• Silver Award for Best Technical Support

We have been covering 2GIG quite often in the Alarm Grid blog lately. Most notably, we have covered the release of the 2GIG Edge Alarm Panel, which only just hit the market last week. This is a state-of-the-art security system that includes a 7-inch touchscreen controller, support for up to 100 wireless zones, optional automatic Bluetooth disarming, live-streaming for compatible Alarm.com Security Cameras, four (4) individual Smart Area Partitions, and much more. Anyone with questions about the 2GIG Edge is encouraged to email our team at support@alarmgrid.com. Keep in mind when emailing us that our support hours run from 9am to 8pm ET M-F.

Have you gotten to test drive the 2GIG Edge yet? Do you have any thoughts about 2GIG as a company? Feel free to leave a comment down below sharing your thoughts and/or experiences. We would love to hear what you have to say. Alarm Grid has very high expectations for the new 2GIG Edge System, and it's looking like it might become one of the highest profile alarm panels of the 2020s. We're certainly excited to see it take off, and we hope that you are as well. Remember to stay tuned to our blog for more security news, and we'll have some more great content headed your way very soon!

After much anticipation and speculation, the 2GIG Edge Alarm System is finally here! We have the Edge Panel available in two (2) cellular communicator options (AT&T or Verizon), plus complete 2GIG Edge System Kits, and various alarm system accessories exclusively for use with the Edge.

If you have been keeping up with the Alarm Grid blog, then you probably already know that the Edge is perhaps the single most highly anticipated thing we have ever seen out of Nortek Control and 2GIG. The state-of-the-art wireless all-in-one (AiO) panel retains virtually all of the same great features and capabilities of the 2GIG GC3e System that came before it, including a 7-inch LCD touchscreen for easy and seamless navigation, 100 wireless zones, support for 2GIG eSeries Encrypted Sensors, and legacy 345 MHz sensors (both Honeywell 5800 and 2GIG 345 MHz), the ability to build and customize up to four (4) individually controlled and operated Smart Area Partitions, One-Touch Arming, Chime & Voice functionality, Alarm.com connectivity, a digital slideshow picture frame, and much more.

But what makes the 2GIG Edge different and unique is its new features. First of all, the Edge has a completely refreshed design for a 2GIG Panel, as it is the first system from 2GIG to break away from the traditional all-white panel. Instead, the Edge comes in a black design that looks impressively modern and fits in nicely with almost any setting. We're also pleased to say that 2GIG was able to fit more hardware into the Edge Panel, putting it in on par with the Qolsys IQ Panel 2+ panels. This includes a built-in glass break detector, a front panel camera that offers facial recognition, and an 85 dB sounder for alarm events.

One noteworthy difference with regard to 2GIG Edge facial recognition is that it can be used for automatically arming and disarming the system upon detecting the user's face, which is not possible on the IQ Panel 2 Plus. Other familiar IQ2+ features also offered with the Edge include optional automatic Bluetooth disarming for your phone, panel live-streaming for compatible Alarm.com Cameras, and full connectivity with the Alarm.com security and automation platform.

Perhaps one of the most important aspects of the 2GIG Edge is the fact that it has a built-in LTE cellular communicator. This is used for connecting the system with Alarm.com, since ADC requires that all systems using their services have an active cellular communication path. This is in addition to the internal WIFI card for the 2GIG Edge that is also used for communicating with Alarm.com. Using cellular and internet communication together on a security system is often referred to as dual-path connectivity, and it is great because it helps to ensure that the system stays monitored during any type of communication outage. But while internet connectivity is technically optional, cellular communication is required. This means that you will need a monitoring plan that includes cellular communication to get the 2GIG Edge monitored. Some monitoring plans you may consider include the Gold and Platinum Level Plans from Alarm Grid (Self or Full). You can learn all about Alarm Grid monitoring plans in this comprehensive blog post.

As we mentioned before, the cellular communicator for the 2GIG Edge is built into the panel. While this might seem like a positive attribute, it is a bit of a double-EDGEd sword when you consider the issue more closely. On one hand, this means that there is no need to purchase a separate communicator for the 2GIG Edge. Everything needed for the system to connect with Alarm.com is built into the panel. But this also means that if something ever goes wrong with the communicator, then it will be necessary to replace the entire panel, rather than just simply swapping out the communicator. The same is true for the system's WIFI card. If it is damaged, then a completely new system is needed. There is also no word on how a built-in LTE cellular communicator will affect the system in the very distant future when LTE will inevitably face its own sunset. Fortunately, this is unlikely to be a concern for at least 15 to 20 years. We've also seen the Qolsys IQ Panel 2 Plus experience tremendous success while also opting for an integrated, irreplaceable LTE cellular communicator and WIFI card, so there's a good chance that the Edge will end up being just as successful. But we do want to give recognition to Resideo and their PROA7PLUS System for having the foresight to use fully replaceable LTE cellular radios (AT&T or Verizon), plus fully replaceable WIFI modules.

One thing new to the Edge that we have never seen on any other alarm control panel before is a 700-Series Z-Wave Controller. Also known as Z-Wave Plus Version 2, the 700-Series of Z-Wave Smart Home Automation promises significantly better wireless range and battery life, as well as much stronger wireless security when compared with previous iterations of Z-Wave technology. Although we haven't seen many 700-Series Z-wave devices hit the market just yet, it is worth mentioning that 2GIG recently released their own Z-Wave 700-Series Smart Thermostat, the 2GIG STZ-1. This smart thermostat can make a great addition to your new 2GIG Edge System and the automation network you plan to build around it. Remember that we have all sorts of Z-Wave lights and Z-Wave door locks available on our site for you to construct a complete smart home to make your life easier. But if you want to hold out a bit longer for the 700-Series Z-wave devices that will inevitably make their way to the marketplace sooner rather than later, then we don't blame you at all. And as you may have guessed, every Z-Wave home automation device that you pair locally with the 2GIG Edge will also be accessible remotely through Alarm.com once you get the system monitored with a plan that includes remote access.

With all of the introduction and explanation out of the way, let's take a look at the new products. First up is the base 2GIG Edge Panel, available in AT&T LTE and Verizon LTE:

• 2GIG Edge System w/ AT&T LTE
• 2GIG Edge System w/ Verizon LTE

If you are starting from scratch, then you might prefer to purchase one of our 2GIG Edge Starter Kits, which also include some sensors for you to pair with the system, as well as a Honeywell LT-Cable for easily powering the system. You can choose whether you want a fully encrypted kit with only encrypted sensors or a standard wireless kit, where the included door and window sensors don't utilize wireless encryption. Keep in mind that you can always upgrade to encrypted sensors later if you start out with a non-encrypted system. And also remember that you will need to decide whether you want your 2GIG Edge System to have an AT&T LTE Communicator or a Verizon LTE Communicator. This may be the most important consideration prior to purchase since the LTE communicator can't be replaced. Be sure to check coverage maps for the area where the panel will be used, and choose whichever carrier will have the best signal in the area.

Our system kits come in two (2) sizes. First, we will look at the 3-1 Edge System Kits that include three (3) wireless door and window sensors, and one (1) wireless motion detection sensor. These 3-1 Kits are best-suited for use in a smaller home or an apartment. Here are our 2GIG Edge 3-1 System Kits:

• 2GIG Edge 3-1 Kit w/ AT&T LTE
• 2GIG Edge 3-1 Kit w/ Verizon LTE
• 2GIG Edge 3-1 Encrypted Kit w/ AT&T LTE
• 2GIG Edge 3-1 Encrypted Kit w/ Verizon LTE

We also have our 10-1 Edge System Kits that come with ten (10) door and window alarm sensors, and one (1) motion sensor. This size kit is best used for a larger home or a small business. Again, the same equivalents apply to this size, so you have four (4) possible kits to choose from. Here are the 2GIG Edge 10-1 System Kits from Alarm Grid:

• 2GIG Edge 10-1 Kit w/ AT&T LTE
• 2GIG Edge 10-1 Kit w/ Verizon LTE
• 2GIG Edge 10-1 Encrypted Kit w/ AT&T LTE
• 2GIG Edge 10-1 Encrypted Kit w/ Verizon LTE

Lastly, we want to check out the system accessories for the 2GIG Edge. There are a few usual suspects here, including a replacement transformer and a replacement backup battery, plus a specially prepared power cord released by 2GIG. But we think the most interesting accessory is the wireless touchscreen keypad built exclusively for use with the 2GIG Edge Alarm System. Again in a similar fashion to the IQ Panel 2 Plus, the 2GIG Edge Remote Keypad mimics the system's display and can perform virtually any system function, much like the IQ Remote. But unlike Qolsys and the IQ Remote, 2GIG has made their remote keypad with an end-user replaceable battery, which is a huge improvement in our eyes.

Here are the 2GIG Edge System Accessories:

• 2GIG AC1 Replacement Transformer
• 2GIG Edge 24+ Hour Backup Battery
• 2GIG Edge Prepared Cable w/ AC1 Barrel Connection
• 2GIG Edge Remote Keypad w/ Touchscreen Controls
• 2GIG Edge Remote Keypad Backup Battery

One final note about the 2GIG Edge is that there has been no indication that 2GIG intends to release a new "exclusive" sensor lineup for use with the system. Historically, this is a bit unusual, as you traditionally see a new security system (especially one as heavily promoted and anticipated as the 2GIG Edge) released alongside a new lineup of sensors designed specifically to accompany the system. Even the last major releases from 2GIG saw this, as the 2GIG GC2e and 2GIG GC3e became synonymous with the encrypted 2GIG eSeries Sensors. We only mention this because it's likely that some users out there will be actively looking for sensors to add to their new 2GIG Edge System, and they may be surprised to learn that there is no special 2GIG Edge Sensor Family. However, you still have a plethora of great sensor options to choose from, as the 2GIG Edge thrives in terms of backward compatibility. As we mentioned earlier, the system supports encrypted sensors from the 2GIG eSeries Lineup, plus non-encrypted Honeywell 5800 Sensors (uni-directional only) and 2GIG 345 MHz Sensors. If you are looking to expand upon your 2GIG Edge Alarm System, then those three (3) sensor families give you some awesome options to choose from!

The 2GIG Edge System, our 2GIG Edge System Kits, and the 2GIG Edge Accessories are all available now, and they can be purchased from the Alarm Grid website. Do you have any thoughts or questions about the 2GIG Edge? Leave them down below as a comment. We would love to get some discussions started on this super exciting new security system. Do you think the 2GIG Edge has what it takes to compete with strong systems like the Qolsys IQ Panel 2 Plus and Resideo PROA7PLUS? What aspect of the 2GIG Edge has you the most excited? Is there anything you would like to see in a future firmware update or patch for the Edge? Get the discussions started down below, as we look forward to hearing from you. And stay tuned to our blog for more security system news coming soon!

Here at Alarm Grid, we try to help as many people as possible with their alarm system. Sure, we hope it will lead folks to choose us for their alarm monitoring needs. But it's also because we're simply helpful people. An alarm in your home or business should help quell fears, not cause them.

We've begun what I think of as "Silly Season". You may be familiar with this term from Nascar, but for us in the alarm industry, this is the time when a lot of home buying and selling occurs. During this time, we get a lot of calls that go something like this, "I just moved into a home with an existing alarm. We haven't been using it, but somehow it got armed, and now it's going off, and I don't know the code to disarm it. Please help!"

Moving into a new home is exciting, but it's also stressful and can be overwhelming at times. So, I've (Ms. Manners) put together this guide to help you, the person who moved out of the home in this scenario, to leave behind your alarm system in a way that's as stress-free as possible for all parties involved.

Ms. Manners Says: Notify Your Alarm Company

If your alarm system is monitored, be sure to notify your alarm company that you are moving out and that the system is staying behind. This may seem obvious, but many people assume that if they stop paying their monitoring fees, the alarm company will know they no longer want service and will cancel it on their own. This is not the case for a number of reasons! There may be contracts involved. There could be liability issues. So for many reasons - not the least of which is it's the polite thing to do - any time you wish to stop monitoring service to a particular address, you should notify the alarm monitoring company as soon as possible.

By notifying the alarm company, you do several things. You give them an opportunity to reach out to the new homeowner and introduce themselves. Hopefully, if you've had a good experience with your monitoring company, you will also put in a good word about them to the new homeowner. Both of these things give the company a leg-up when it comes to courting a potential new customer, and it also gives the new homeowner information based on your real-life experience, not just an advertisement in a new homeowner's mailer.

By notifying the monitoring company, you can also help to prevent any unnecessary dispatching of the authorities to this address. As bad as the scenario above is for the poor, uninformed new homeowner, it's worse for the police, fire, or EMS personnel who may respond to the alarm, which we know is false.

Remember, the person who signed up for the monitoring service at the address in the scenario above no longer lives there. That means the monitoring station is going to be calling people who have no idea what may be going on at this address (which is also an annoyance for the person receiving the call). In this situation, it is likely that the monitoring station MUST dispatch because if they don't (and there is some type of emergency) there may be repercussions for them. A monitoring station is always going to adhere to the adage, "Better safe than sorry." After all, safety is their business.

Ms. Manners Says: Default Users, But Not Zones

When you sell a house and the alarm system with it, you may think it's a good idea to set the alarm system back to factory default to allow the new homeowner a chance to program it as they see fit. Resist this urge! In most cases, what was your Front Door is now going to be their Front Door. What was your Kitchen Window is now going to be their Kitchen Window. John's Bedroom Window may become Jane's Bedroom Window, but this is a pretty simple thing to change and doesn't really call for the entire system to be set back to factory default.

When it comes to user codes, though, it is best to set these back to factory defaults. This will prevent the new homeowner from finding out what codes you used. After all, we are creatures of habit, and there's a good chance you'll use those same codes in your next system. Also, if you set the codes for the Installer and Master users back to their default, the new homeowner should easily be able to find out what they are by doing a quick search online. Then, if they find themselves in the messy scenario discussed above, they'll be able to get themselves out of it. Being able to get yourself out of a jam like this one can do wonders for your self-confidence.

System Manufacturers and their Default Codes

Use the information in the table above to set the codes in your panel back to their default values. If you don't see your panel listed, you can likely find the information you need with a quick online search. Performing this process is the single most helpful thing you can do for the new homeowner when it comes to the alarm system!

Ms. Manners Says: Leave Behind Good Notes

Any information you know about your alarm system, such as the manufacturer and model, the default installer code, and the default master code - each of which hopefully you have programmed into your panel by this time - will be helpful for the new homeowner. A list of zone numbers and their descriptions is also very much appreciated by a new homeowner. Leave them a note, tucked behind the keypad, or on a kitchen counter. Give them the sequence of keys to enter to disarm the system, or better yet, if you have the opportunity, show it to them, and then leave them a note to back up your demonstration.

If you're willing, leave them your contact information so they can contact you in the event that something unforeseen comes up. This is particularly important if your system is somewhat complex and has multiple home automation features integrated with it. I promise the last thing the new homeowner wants to do is bother you if they can avoid it. Everyone at Alarm Grid has talked with a frantic new homeowner who never even considered contacting the prior homeowner. It's usually something we suggest if we're unable to assist.

Fortunately, in most cases, we are able to assist, and we are happy to do so. This is just one of the many ways we make new friends here at Alarm Grid! I hope that anyone who is preparing to move out of a home and leave behind an alarm system will read this and use these suggestions to prepare.

If you happen to be moving into a home that already has an alarm system, and perhaps the previous homeowner didn't read this post, feel free to reach out to us. We're here Monday - Friday from 9:00 am to 8:00 pm Eastern Time. You can reach us via email, or by calling 888-818-7728.

Alarm Grid is here with a video recap! We have four (4) new videos this time, all featuring myself. We have cellular communicator installation videos for the 2GIG GC2 and GC2e and some videos explaining the use of thermostats on Alarm.com. Let's check out the latest Alarm Grid videos!

Upgrading the 2GIG GC2 to LTE

I show you how to upgrade the 2GIG GC2 to LTE. There are two (2) LTE communicators currently available for the 2GIG GC2. These are the 2GIG LTEA-A-GC2 AT&T LTE Communicator and the 2GIG LTEV1-A-GC2 Verizon LTE Communicator. Upgrading to LTE involves removing the system's old 3G or CDMA communicator and installing a new LTE module in its place. It is very important that you do this before the 3G Sunset to prevent any disruption to your monitoring service.

Installing a Cellular Communicator Into a 2GIG GC2e

I show you how to install a cellular communicator inside of a 2GIG GC2e. The 2GIG GC2e Security System does not come with any available communication path by default. You must add a cellular communicator to get the GC2e monitored. The communicator will connect the system with the Alarm.com servers. Alarm.com then forwards important information, such as alarm events and system trouble conditions to a central monitoring station and/or the end user directly via text message and/or email.

ADC-T2000 and ADC-T3000 Thermostats Work with Alarm.com

I explain how you can use the Alarm.com ADC-T2000 Thermostat and Alarm.com ADC-T3000 Thermostat with the Alarm.com interactive platform. Both the ADC-T2000 and ADC-T3000 are Z-Wave Plus thermostats that pair with virtually any Z-Wave controller or hub. If that Z-Wave hub also happens to be an Alarm.com Security System that is actively being monitored, then the thermostat will be automatically pushed over to the Alarm.com platform after it has been enrolled with the system and the system syncs with Alarm.com.

Adding the ADC-T2000 to an Alarm.com Account

I show you how to pair the Alarm.com ADC-T2000 Thermostat with your Alarm.com account. The ADC-T2000 is a Z-Wave device. Like most Z-Wave devices, when you pair it with your Alarm.com Security System, the device will be automatically pushed over to your Alarm.com account the next time that your alarm system performs an automation sync with the server. You will then be able to control the thermostat remotely through the Alarm.com website and mobile app and include it with Alarm.com Smart Scenes.

In preparation for the upcoming 2GIG Edge Security System, Alarm Grid has finished building the product pages for both the AT&T LTE and Verizon LTE versions of the 2GIG Edge Alarm Panel. We now have more information than ever on what looks to be a truly state-of-the-art alarm system.

• Check out the 2GIG Edge w/ AT&T LTE here SKU: 2GIG-EDG-NA-AA.
• Check out the 2GIG Edge w/ Verizon LTE here SKU 2GIG-EDG-NA-VA.

If you check the two product pages linked above, you will see that the 2GIG Edge is currently marked "discontinued". It will stay that way on our site until we have it available for purchase. But at least now, you can check out the page and see all of its great specifications and capabilities. Needless to say, it has a ton to offer. You could say that we're on the edge of our seats waiting.

We would like to take a moment and discuss some of the more noteworthy specs of the 2GIG Edge. Just like its 2GIG GC3e predecessor, the 2GIG Edge supports the same sensor lineups, included the encrypted 2GIG eSeries Sensors, the 2GIG 345 MHz Sensors, and the Honeywell 5800 Sensors. It also supports up to 100 zones, which is the same as the GC3e. There is a possibility that 2GIG might release a new sensor lineup of devices built exclusively for use with the Edge, but we have not seen any confirmation one way or another.

A very interesting discovery about the 2GIG Edge is that its internal LTE cellular communicator cannot be replaced, much like what we have already seen with the Qolsys IQ Panel 2 Plus. For us, this is a mixed bag, or a double-edged sword, if you will. On one hand, this means that you don't have to buy a communicator separately, and you will not have to install one inside the panel. But unfortunately, this means that you must replace the entire panel in the event that something goes wrong with the communicator. It also means that we may someday see all the 2GIG Edge Systems go offline at the same time due to a possible "LTE Sunset" that may happen someday in the future. That said, such an LTE Sunset wouldn't happen for a very long time.

Other features for the 2GIG Edge include its built-in WIFI, and its integrated Z-Wave Plus V2 700-Series Z-Wave Controller. That's right, this is the first system we know of to support Z-Wave 700-Series. That in itself is really exciting, as we expect this panel to be an unquestioned champ when it comes to automation. Alarm.com connectivity has also returned with the Edge, and you get all of the benefits of that platform once you get the system monitored with a proper service plan. This includes the ability to interface with smart home voice assistants like Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa, Amazon Echo, Siri Shortcuts, and so much more!

We won't go too in-depth on every new feature right now, but you can expect facial recognition, optional automatic Bluetooth disarming, Alarm.com Camera streaming, one-touch arming, emergency panic buttons, disarm photos, over-the-air (OTA) firmware updates, and so much more to be available with the 2GIG Edge. This is truly a great system to look forward to, and we hope that waiting doesn't push you over the edge of insanity.

We have some other 2GIG Edge accessories you can check out on our site right now, though none are currently available for purchase. We will be expanding upon these product pages as we learn more. These include:

• 2GIG Edge Cable w/ AC1 Barrel Connection - SKU: 2GIG-EDG-CBL
• 2GIG Edge Backup Battery - SKU: 2GIG-EDG-BATT
• 2GIG Edge Remote Keypad - SKU: 2GIG-EDG-RK
• 2GIG Edge Remote Keypad Battery - SKU: 2GIG-EDG-RK-BATT

Please comment below with any thoughts or questions you have about the 2GIG Edge. Are you excited about this system? Let us know. And stay tuned to our blog for more security news and updates coming real soon!