News Posts

Hi DIYers! Today we are extremely pleased to announce that the brand-new Qolsys IQ Panel 2 Plus Security Systems are here! Three different versions of the system are currently available on the Alarm Grid website. This is truly very exciting news, as we are sure you will love these systems.

With the IQ Panel 2 Plus, Qolsys has raised the bar for wireless all-in-one Alarm Systems. These are definitely some of the most robust and powerful panels we have ever offered from Alarm Grid. Currently, there are three versions of the system available:

• Qolsys IQ Panel 2 Plus with PowerG & S-Line + Legacy Interlogix/GE and Verizon LTE
• Qolsys IQ Panel 2 Plus with PowerG & S-Line + Legacy Interlogix/GE and AT&T LTE
• Qolsys IQ Panel 2 Plus with PowerG & Legacy Honeywell + 2GIG and AT&T LTE

All of the IQ Panel 2 Plus Systems provide support for the top-of-the-line PowerG Wireless Sensors. These sensors operate at 915 MHz, and they can be used from up to 2,000 feet away from the IQ Panel 2 Plus in open air. This will allow users to setup their sensors from virtually anywhere on the property, regardless of where their alarm system is located. The sensors are also protected by 128-bit AES encryption, making them nearly impossible to be hacked or taken over by others. These are definitely some of the most versatile and secure alarm sensors that we have ever encountered.

In addition to PowerG, each IQ Panel 2 Plus System will provide support for a sensor lineup at a lower wireless frequency. There are three different "flavors" that a user can choose from. These are support for 319 MHz Qolsys Sensors and Interlogix/GE Sensors, 345 MHz Honeywell 5800 Series Sensors and 2GIG Sensors, and 433 MHz legacy DSC Sensors. The 319 MHz and 345 MHz options are already available, and the 433 MHz option should be available soon. Also note that a Verizon LTE version of the 345 MHz sensor option should also be arriving in the near future.

Every IQ Panel 2 Plus System comes with a built-in WIFI card and an LTE cellular communicator. This will provide an immediate dual-path communication setup for the system. The only thing that an end user will need is an appropriate alarm monitoring plan. If either path ever goes down, the IQ Panel 2 Plus will still be able to use the other communication path and remain monitored. Both AT&T and Verizon LTE options for cellular monitoring are available.

The Qolsys IQ Panel 2 Plus has also made great strides in video surveillance. Users can view the live feed for their Alarm.com Security Cameras right from the panel itself. And Qolsys worked to better-integrate the system with the SkyBell Doorbell Cameras. Now, a users can answer their SkyBell doorbell from their panel. They can even have a live conversation with the person at their door from their IQ Panel 2 Plus! This is also possible for any ADC Camera that supports two-way voice.

The IQ Panel 2 Plus also supports a plethora of other features. These include Bluetooth disarming, an integrated glass break detector, a built-in 5MP camera, an integrated Z-Wave Plus Controller and an easy-to-use setup wizard for getting started with the system. All of this makes the IQ Panel 2 Plus one of the best systems we have ever had the pleasure of using.

The Qolsys IQ Panel 2 Plus is available from Alarm Grid now. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us at support@alarmgrid.com, or call us at 888-818-7728 from 9am to 8pm EST Monday through Friday. We hope that you will enjoy this system as much as we do, and we look forward to hearing from you!

Hi DIYers! Today we have great news regarding Total Connect 2.0. Honeywell has updated the website version of Total Connect 2.0, and they are also planning to update both the iOS and Android mobile app versions in the near future. Let's dive in and take a closer look at these changes!

On the website version of TC2, there is now a "Refresh Status" button under the "Locations" tab. Previously, this feature was only available for the mobile app versions of TC2. Pressing this button will send a "refresh status" signal between Total Connect and the alarm panel to help users determine if their panel is currently connected with the service. If the panel has recently lost its connection or has reconnected to the network, the Refresh Status button will allow users to confirm the current condition. This can be useful for making sure that the panel is currently communicating properly with Total Connect 2.0.

Total Connect will also soon be adding an option to use a fan icon in association with any Z-Wave smart home devices. This will be the recommended icon for any Z-Wave fans that may be used with the Total Connect 2.0 service.

Honeywell will also soon enable Total Connect 2.0 desktop notifications for the Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox web browsers. In order to receive desktop notifications, the user must enable notifications from their web browser, and they must have email notifications enabled for their TC2 profile. Desktop notifications will only be sent while the web browser is open. Honeywell is also working on enabling notifications for the Safari Browser as well.

As for the mobile app versions, users will soon be able to conveniently access the TC2 Amazon Alexa Skill from the main settings menu. New users will also see a special Amazon Alexa Welcome screen upon first opening the app.

The Android version of the TC2 Mobile App will soon provide support for Total Connect Comfort and RedLINK Connected Thermostats. Users will be able to control these devices right from the TC2 Android Mobile App.

A new button will soon be added to the login screen for users to launch an option to login through face-recognition or fingerprint ID. The iOS app version will support both face-recognition and touch ID, depending upon which version of iOS is being used. The Android app version will only support fingerprint ID, at least initially. These features will be very useful for users who lost their password, have their password cleared or who have experienced a failed face-recognition or touch ID attempt.

We have received news from Honeywell that Tuxedo Touch Software Revision 5.3.21.0 is now available. This represents the latest firmware version for the Honeywell Tuxedo Touch WIFI Keypad that is used with Honeywell VISTA Systems. The update provides support for two additional Z-Wave devices.

This update provides support for the Honeywell T6 Z-Wave Thermostat and the Fibaro Dimmer 2 FGD-212 Light Dimmer Module. The latest device firmware version of 5.3.21.0 is recommended if you plan to integrate either of these Z-Wave smart home devices with a Honeywell Tuxedo Touch Keypad.

We've previously blogged about the Honeywell T6 Z-Wave Thermostat. This Z-Wave Plus thermostat provides great innovation with its ability to be used without receiving common power from a C-wire. Instead, the device can run reliably and consistently using battery power. This makes it incredibly easy to install for DIY users. The device will work with a multitude of Z-Wave controllers. And now it is compatible with the Tuxedo Touch Keypad as well. We are particularly excited about this addition, as we believe that it is the finest Z-Wave thermostat available on the market today.

The Tuxedo Touch Software Revision 5.3.21.0 can be downloaded here. For instructions on how to to apply the firmware update to the Tuxedo Touch Keypad, please review this helpful FAQ. If you would like more information about the firmware update, please check out the Software Revision 5.3.21.0 Release Notes.

Good day DIYers! We have another update on pricing for Qolsys products. We have once again lowered the prices for various Qolsys Sensors and alarm systems. We love Qolsys, and their hardware is always excellent. The price changes are outlined in the table below:

Update: We have discovered that Honeywell L5100 Systems running a firmware version of at least 5.00838, but less than 5.05000 (5.15000 in Canada) can also support the newer Honeywell L5100-WIFI units with the MAC prefix of B82CA0. Please see this update post for more information.

The latest technical notification from Honeywell says that the manufacturer is making changes to their L5100-WIFI Module for the Honeywell LYNX Touch Systems. New L5100-WIFI devices have a MAC prefix of B8:2C:A0. Modules with this MAC prefix will require the panel to be on at least 8.00.183.

The L5100-WIFI allows a Honeywell LYNX Touch Panel to connect with a WIFI network. This will allow the panel to receive IP monitoring service and connect with the Total Connect 2.0 interactive platform. Overall, it is one of the most important upgrades that can be made for a LYNX Touch System.

Older L5100-WIFI modules used a MAC prefix of 00D02D. These modules can be used with a LYNX Touch System right out of the box, with no firmware update being needed. This is not the case with the newer L5100-WIFI modules that have the B8:2C:A0 MAC Prefix. The new L5100-WIFI modules can be identified by having the following label on the outside of their boxes:

In order to use one of these newer L5100-WIFI devices, the LYNX Touch System will need to be running Revision 8.00.183 or higher. Only the Honeywell L5200, Honeywell L5210 and Honeywell L7000 will support this revision upgrade. The L5200 must have the firmware update pushed down to the panel over-the-air by Resideo. The L5210 and L7000 Systems can use the firmware updater tool to complete the update.

Update: As of October 2019, the L5200 can also use the LYNX Touch Firmware Updater Tool. Please see this blog post for more information.

Any L5210 or L7000 System that was purchased after February 2018 will already have Revision 8.00.183 installed. These systems will readily support the newest L5100-WIFI modules. The LYNX Touch Systems that have Revision 8.00.183 pre-installed can be identified by having the following serial number:

If you have an older LYNX Touch System or if you are unable to get Revision 8.00.183 on your L5210 or L7000, then you will still be able to use an older L5100-WIFI with the 00D02D MAC prefix to get the system online. Keep in mind though that any newly manufactured L5100-WIFI module will not have the older prefix. Alarm Grid will stop selling the older L5100-WIFI modules once we run out of our current stock.

But if you do manage to find an older L5100-WIFI module with the 00D02D prefix, then you will be able to use it with your system. Alarm Grid will activate any compatible L5100-WIFI Module, whether it was purchased from us or somewhere else. Also remember that you will not need to purchase a new L5100-WIFI module or upgrade your panel's firmware revision if you already have a functioning WIFI module set up with the system.

Another option is to upgrade to the Honeywell Lyric Controller. The Lyric comes with a compatible WIFI card already built-in. This makes it extremely easy to connect to a WIFI network. The Lyric also readily supports Z-Wave home automation devices, and it is fully compatible with Apple HomeKit. A user will be able to bring over all their existing sensors to the Lyric Controller, so making the upgrade is very easy.

Alarm Grid has learned that Honeywell recently added a refresh button to Total Connect 2.0. This button is found inside the locations tab of Total Connect 2.0. While this may seem like a minor addition, it can help customers solve issues without having to contact their monitoring company.

Before this button was implemented, an end user would sometimes need to have a refresh signal sent to their Total Connect account by their alarm monitoring company. This refresh signal would then be forwarded from Total Connect to the panel. Now, end users can refresh their systems on their own through Total Connect 2.0.

This refresh signal is usually needed when an alarm or a trouble indication becomes "stuck" in the Total Connect 2.0 display. Total Connect may not recognize that the condition was actually cleared from the alarm panel itself. Sending a refresh signal will clear this problem. Being able to do this through Total Connect will be much more convenient and easier for end users.

The refresh button has many uses for Honeywell users. Some of the issues that can be solved using the refresh button include:

• Removing trouble conditions
• Clearing system alarms
• Restoring sensor faults

Any customer who encounters communication issues between Total Connect 2.0 and their Alarm system should try using the refresh button to see if that fixes the problem. To do this, simply login to your Total Connect account, navigate to the locations section, and click the refresh button. The refresh command should then be forwarded to the panel set up at that location. Please note that Total Connect 2.0 will not log the system refresh anywhere, and there is no way to view that the system has been refreshed from Total Connect. However, a user can tell that the refresh went through because the status in TC2 will match the status on the panel.

The refresh button is found within the locations section of TC2. This is true whether you are using the website, iOS or Android version. The screenshots below will help you locate the refresh button on iOS and Android devices.

For iOS Devices:

Start by clicking the "More" button in the bottom-right corner of the main screen.

Choose "My Location".

Then scroll down from the next screen, and hit "Refresh Status" at the bottom.

For Android devices:

From the main screen, press the menu icon (three horizontal bars) in the upper-left corner.

Choose "Settings".

Then "Locations".

Finally, "Refresh Status".

Today, July 20th, marks the 6th anniversary of Alarm Grid. For six years, our growing team has provided top-quality monitoring services for customers and proven that the DIY model is ideal for home security. It's great to know that many people feel safer at home thanks to Alarm Grid.

To celebrate, our office will closing early tonight. We will be unavailable for phone or chat support starting at 4PM EST. Any customer who needs support during this time should send an email to support@alarmgrid.com, and our team will respond as quickly as possible. We will resume our normal business hours of 9AM to 8PM EST starting on Monday.

The entire Alarm Grid team would like to thank all of our customers for their support throughout the years. We feel honored to be a part of your family, and we take tremendous pride in keeping your homes and businesses safe. From all of us, we look forward to providing you and those close to you with the very best alarm monitoring services for many, many years into the future.

Qolsys recently informed us that they plan to release the new PowerG and legacy daughtercards for the IQ Panel 2 in the coming weeks. New IQ Panel 2 Systems will be available with different combinations of these cards so that users can choose the proper type for their existing sensors.

Each daughtercard will function as a wireless receiver for the system. The types of daughtercard that are used will determine which types of wireless security sensors can be used with the system. There will be four main daughtercards available for the system. These include three legacy daughtercards (319.5 MHz, 345 MHz and 433 MHz) and a PowerG daughtercard (915 MHz).

We are particularly excited about the PowerG Sensors. These sensors boast an incredible range of up to 2,000 feet away in open air when used with the IQ Panel 2 Plus. They also offer 128-bit AES encryption to remain protected against hacking attempts. Overall, these are some of the most powerful and advanced security sensors we have ever seen, and we are sure that users will be extremely satisfied with their performance.

On the IQ Panel 2 board, there are four daughtercard ports. One port should be used with either a PowerG daughtercard or an image sensor module, while the other port should be used with one of the legacy daughtercards. The PowerG and Alarm.com Image Sensor modules operate on similar 900MHz frequencies. That means you will have to choose one or the other. Likewise, a user should not use more than one legacy daughtercard with the system at any given time, as two legacy daughtercards may cause interference with each other in the 300-400 MHz range.

When deciding which daughtercard is needed, users should verify the type of any existing wireless equipment and consider future expansion. The wireless frequency and sensor matrix is as follows:

• 319.5 MHz: Legacy Interlogix/GE and all Qolsys Sensors (319 and S-Line!)
• 345 MHz: Legacy Honeywell (5800 series) and 2GIG Sensors
• 433 MHz: Legacy DSC Sensors
• 915 MHz: PowerG Sensors

Since only one legacy daughtercard can be used, it will not be possible to use multiple types of legacy sensors with the system (except for Honeywell and 2GIG since they operate on the same 345MHz frequency and use the same daughtercard). For example, a user would not be able to simultaneously use older Honeywell 5800 Series Sensors and Interlogix Sensors at the same time. However, a wireless converter will likely be able to overcome this issue.

Qolsys has informed us that the daughtercards will not be available for individual purchase. Instead, they can be obtained by purchasing a new IQ Panel 2 System. According to Qolsys, the following versions of the system will be available:

• IQ Panel 2 with PowerG and Legacy 319.5
• IQ Panel 2 with PowerG and Legacy 345
• IQ Panel 2 with PowerG and Legacy 433

Additionally, each of these options will be split into two further options for AT&T and Verizon LTE cellular communicators. These will both operate with Alarm.com and open up a world of possibilities with the dexterity of the Alarm.com ecosystem. According to Qolsys, these systems will be available in September 2018. We'll make sure to keep you updated with any further news on these exciting new products!

Honeywell has informed us that there is currently a problem with their Total Connect 2.0 service. Until the issue is properly resolved by Honeywell, users may experience longer than expected delays or intermittent failures in processing Total Connect 2.0 security and automation commands.

Our team may also experience difficulties pushing information down to Honeywell panels until the error is corrected. Fortunately, alarm services are not affected by this issue. Any alarm event that occurs on a system will still be received by AlarmNet360 and properly routed to a central station and/or the end user. But users should be aware that commands sent through Total Connect 2.0 to their panel may not work properly during this time. This includes any arming/disarming commands and home automation commands.

Honeywell says that they are currently working on this issue, and it should hopefully be resolved shortly. We will update this post when we have more information available.

Update: Honeywell has resolved this issue, and Total Connect should now be working properly.

Hey DIYers! As you know, we mentioned in a post yesterday that the MR7 firmware update for the Honeywell Lyric Controller is now available. The big news yesterday was that this update would restore Apple HomeKit functionality for Lyric Systems running an IP-only communication path.

However, the other major component of this update it is that it will allow for some exciting new products to be used with the Lyric.These products include various Z-Wave home automation devices and an upcoming Honeywell SiX Series Sensor. The following products will become compatible following the update:

• Honeywell's new T6 Pro Z-Wave Programmable Thermostat (TH6320ZW2003) - Not to be confused with the T6 Pro WIFI Thermostat models (TH6320U2008, TH6320U2000, or TH6320U2001)
• The upcoming Honeywell SiXCOMBO, which features dual smoke and carbon monoxide detection, as well as a one-go-all-go function
• The August Smart Lock Pro with Z-Wave - The first generation August lock with Bluetooth only is not compatible
• Eaton & Cooper Z-Wave Light Switches and Outlets

Honeywell also says that this update will improve general system performance and overall end-user experience.The system can be updated from the Installer menu. This is done through Security > Tools > Installer Code (default 4112) > Update Firmware. The update can also be pushed down by the user's alarm monitoring company.

If you are having any trouble pushing the update, please contact us at 888-818-7728 from 9AM to 8PM M-F or email support@alarmgrid.com.