Service Announcements Posts

Hi DIYers! This weekend is very special for Alarm Grid. Saturday, July 20th, 2019 is our 7th anniversary! Our entire team is super excited, and we hope that you are too. We wouldn't have been able to achieve this success without the support of our monitored customers. Thank you so much!

To celebrate, most of our staff will be going on a "team-building exercise" the afternoon of Friday, July 19th. This "team-building exercise" is going to start at 3:30pm EST. We will still maintain all normal operations until our regularly scheduled closing time of 8pm EST that night. But please understand that we will have a lighter staff than usual. We appreciate your understanding.

Don't worry, our "team-building exercise" is strictly for training purposes. We certainly aren't doing anything fun like going to a super cool video game lounge with an open bar so that we can all hang out and play arcade games. What do you take us for? This is strictly business ;)

Thanks again to all the customers who have supported Alarm Grid throughout the years. We are truly grateful for your continued patronage. If you have any questions, you can always email us at support@alarmgrid.com. We will check your email at our earliest convenience and respond back as soon as we can. Thanks again, and we look forward to hearing from you.

We have received news that T-Mobile and Rogers are both scheduled to shut down their 2G networks at the end of 2020. This is important for anyone using Alarm.com who is still using one of these communicators. Time is running out to upgrade your communicator and keep your system monitored!

We have talked about the ongoing 3G sunset on numerous occasions. Most 3G networks are set to be shut down by the end of 2022. Well the 2G sunset is even more pressing. Most of the 2G networks have already been shut down, and very few people are still using a 2G communicator for monitoring service. However, these people are still out there. They need to understand that if they don't take action soon, their panel will no longer provide monitoring service.

At this time, Alarm Grid only has a small number of customers using 2G communicators with their systems. These customers are using the 2G T-Mobile Network or the 2G Rogers Network in Canada to connect with the Alarm.com Servers. We want to make it very clear to these customers that if they do not replace their communicators by the end of 2020, they will no longer have active monitoring service.

We would also like take this opportunity to remind all our 3G customers that they will also have to switch to LTE in the coming years. Although the end of 2022 might seem far away, it certainly doesn't hurt to get a head start. An LTE communicator will provide faster and more reliable monitoring service, making it a great upgrade to make as soon as possible. And we're here to help you make the switch as easily as possible.

Fortunately, most Alarm.com Security Panels allow users to easily upgrade the cellular communicator for their systems. If you are still running a 2G communicator, then now is the time to make the transition to LTE. You can do this with an LTE cellular communicator. Start by powering down your panel by disconnecting its backup battery and unplugging its transformer. Then open it up (if necessary), and remove the old communicator. Install the new LTE communicator in its place, and power your panel back on. You can then contact us to activate your new communicator. If you already had cellular alarm monitoring, then there will be no need to change your monitoring plan.

Most of the LTE communicators available on our site connect with either the AT&T LTE Network or the Verizon LTE Network. You should choose whichever network provides better service in your area. Remember, this has nothing to do with your mobile service provider. Your smartphone and your security system are mutually exclusive devices. You can use a completely different cellular service provider for your alarm system.

If you are in the United States, then you should have no problem using an AT&T LTE communicator or a Verizon LTE communicator in your area. Just go with whichever service works better in your area. If you are currently using a Rogers 2G Communicator in Canada, then things are a little more complicated. We recommend checking this post we made on Alarm Monitoring in Canada.

And if you aren't sure of which communicator to get, you can always ask us for help. The best way to reach us is to email support@alarmgrid.com. We will check your email at our earliest convenience and reply back as soon as possible. You may also call us at (888) 818-7728 during our normal business hours of 9am to 8pm EST M-F. We look forward to hearing from you and helping you determine the perfect security option for your needs.

Hi DIYers! Many of our customers have been using Chamberlain and LiftMaster MyQ Garage Door Controllers with Total Connect 2.0. These smart garage door controllers are perfect for use with the TC2 platform. They offer a great way to integrate your garage door into your smart home network.

The Chamberlain and LiftMaster MyQ integration is great for tying in remote control for your garage doors to your Total Connect 2.0 account. By using this integration, you can consolidate your garage door control into one single app, instead of two separate ones. However, there is a limitation. The integration does not allow you to add the MyQ garage doors into a TC2 Smart Scene for automated control based on security system actions. For instance, you cannot create a scene that will automatically disarm your Resideo System if your garage door is opened. But fortunately, we now have a solution for this problem.

When you integrate your MyQ Garage Door Controller in with Total Connect 2.0, you can control your garage door remotely through the platform. You can also receive text and/or email alerts when the garage door opens or closes. However, if you try to integrate your MyQ Controller with smart scenes, you will be unable to do so. But we recently came up with a solution for this issue that will work for the Lyric Controller and all LYNX Touch Systems. This solution will also provide your system with the ability to truly monitor the activity of your garage door.

The answer is to add a sensor to your garage door. You will want to use either a tilt sensor or a contact sensor with a wide spacing gap. The Honeywell 5822T is a wireless tilt sensor that can easily pair with a Lyric or LYNX Touch System. Another option is the Honeywell 958. This is a hardwired contact designed for overhead garage doors. You can either wire the Honeywell 958 back to the panel, or you can connect it to a wireless sensor that accepts a wired input, such as a 5816 or a SiXCT. Whether you go with the 5822T or the 958 is really up to you, as they are both perfect options for this job.

You should program the sensor into one of the designated wireless garage door zones. The designated garage door zones for an L5100, L5200, or L5210 are Zones 46 thru 48. For an L7000, they are Zones 45 thru 48. And for the Lyric, they are Zones 127 thru 130. You should give the Zone Descriptor a name that allows you to easily recognize it as your garage door.

Please note that each garage door zone is associated with a particular garage door slot. The table below outlines this:

From there, you should program a "virtual" Honeywell 5877 Relay Module into the system through the Automation Menu. The 5877 is a Honeywell Wireless Relay Module that provides remote control for garage doors. However, it is not compatible with MyQ Garage Door Controllers. With this trick, you don't actually need a 5877 Relay, but you will program your system as if you are using one.

What you want to do is start from the main screen of your panel. Choose Automation > down arrow > Garage Door Setup. From there, choose the garage door slot associated with the zone you set up with the tilt sensor or the contact sensor. Click on "Assign Device". Then go to the "Enter Serial Number" field. Since you aren't actually using a real 5877, you can just enter a fake serial number like "1111111". Click "Done" in the bottom-right corner when you have finished. This will make the system think that a 5877 Relay has been enrolled. You can then return to the main screen by repeatedly pressing the return arrow in the upper-right.

You can then create TC2 Smart Scenes to have the system respond automatically based on the status of the garage door. For example, you might have a smart scene to disarm your system automatically when you open your garage door. To do this, you will want to use the garage door slot that you set up on the system when creating the smart scene. The system will know to change the status of the garage door (opened or closed) based on the activity of the associated zone.

Now, you might be wondering why you need the "fake 5877" setup with the system. The reason for that is because you can't create smart scenes to Arm or Disarm your system based on zone faults. So even if you have sensor programmed for your garage door, you cannot use it as a trigger for arming or disarming your system. But you can use a garage door as a trigger. By making your system think that it has a true garage door programmed, you can use that as a trigger for smart scenes.

It must be mentioned that there are a couple of limitations to this setup. For one, you cannot use this work-around to have your garage door respond automatically based on system activity. This is because there is no real relay module to tell the garage door what to do. So if you want to have the garage door automatically open/close when you arm/disarm your system, it will not work. Second, this will not work with Honeywell VISTA Systems, as those systems do not support the 5877. As a result, you cannot program a "fake 5877" on a VISTA Panel. But other than these limitations, this is a pretty good work around. You also get the benefit of enabling your system to truly monitor your garage door for activity.

If you have any questions about this work-around, 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 as soon as possible. We look forward to helping you.

Alarm Grid will be closed Thursday July 4th, 2019 in observance of Independence Day. We will not be checking emails or answering calls during this time. If you have any issues during this time, you can email support@alarmgrid.com. We will read your email as soon as possible after we reopen.

The Alarm Grid support and planning departments will both resume normal operation on Friday July 5th, 2019. This means that our office will be checking emails and answering phone calls. However, there will be limited shipping available on July 5th. Some products will be unable to be sent out until the following Monday. Keep this in mind if you order anything on July 4th or 5th.

Additionally, our content department will have the 5th off. This means that there will be no new blog post for July 5th. You can expect a new blog post from Alarm Grid on Monday July 8th. Keep in mind that our regular office hours are 9am to 8pm EST M-F, and our phone number is (888) 818-7728.

From all of us at Alarm Grid, we wish you happy and safe Independence Day, no matter how you plan to enjoy the holiday. Our support and planning departments look forward to working with you on Friday.

Hi DIYers! We have a quick tip today to help you save time. If you ever email us to make changes to your central station document, then you will need to provide your false alarm passcode or the last four (4) digits of your credit card on file. This is necessary for verifying your identity.

This information is applicable for any Alarm Grid customer with monitoring service that includes central station service from Criticom Monitoring Services (CMS). Any customer with central station service will have a document on file with Alarm Grid that includes important instructions and information. For example, this document will include the phone numbers to call during an alarm, the order that these numbers should be called, your false alarm passcode and more.

The easiest way to make simple changes to your CMS document is to email us at support@alarmgrid.com with the changes. For example, you might want to add a new phone number to your account. Or maybe you want to have the central station call your spouse before they call your neighbor. Perhaps you want to change your false alarm passcode to something you can more easily remember. Emailing support@alarmgrid.com in these situations is a great way to get the change made as quickly as possible.

However, it isn't enough to just send us an email from your email address you have on file. We need verification to prove that it's you. At Alarm Grid, we take protecting your account information very seriously. If we get an email telling us to make changes to your account, we want to be certain it's you. For all we know, someone may have hacked your email and is trying to gain unlawful access to your account. That is why we strongly encourage all customers to keep their email passwords safe and protected.

Now you may be wondering, how can we prove that you are really who you say you are when you send us an email. The easiest way is to include your false alarm passcode or the last four (4) digits of the credit card that you have on file with Alarm Grid. This is classified information that only you and people you absolutely trust should know. On that note, we must also remind customers to never share this secure information with anyone who should not have access to their accounts. This is important.

Just to be clear, your false alarm passcode is not the same as your verbal duress code. Your false alarm passcode is what you say if the central station calls you and wants to know that everything is okay. The dispatcher will ask you for your secret false alarm passcode so that they know it's you on the line and not an intruder who made an unlawful entry.

Your verbal duress code is something completely different. This is also a secret code that you say to a central station dispatcher, but this code is used in an emergency hostage situation. As soon as the dispatcher hears this code, they will hang up and immediately call the police. This code is useful if an intruder is holding you hostage and you want to request emergency dispatch without actually calling for help.

Always make sure that you know the difference between your false alarm passcode and your verbal duress code. Never mix them up, as doing so can certainly lead to a false alarm. Remember, you can always contact us or CMS to change your false alarm passcode or your duress code. Our team is happy to help you with these issues whenever needed.

Keep this tip in mind the next time you email us to make account changes. Remember to include the last four (4) digits of your credit card or your false alarm passcode so that we can verify your identity and quickly make the changes. We look forward to hearing from you!

Hi DIYers! We have received news from Alarm.com that there will be a couple of new features coming to the ADC Mobile App next month. Customers will soon be able to setup video analytics and access the Alarm.com Knowledge Base for easy answers to their questions right from the app .

According to Alarm.com, these features will be made available for the Alarm.com Mobile App sometime mid-next month (July 2019). These features are already available from the website version of Alarm.com, but you will now be able to use them on the Alarm.com Mobile App for Android and iOS devices. We are sure that many Alarm.com users will take advantage of these mobile app features. Remember that you will need an appropriate alarm monitoring plan to access Alarm.com.

Video Analytics is a useful tool that allows you to get the very most out of your Alarm.com Cameras. This feature gives you ultimate control over when your cameras will start recording and when you will receive Alarm.com notifications. You can use Video Analytics to differentiate between people, cars and animals. You can also set activity zones so that triggers only occur in very specific areas. For example, you might have an alert set to trigger when a vehicle pulls into your driveway, but not when one drives past your house. Alerts can even be triggered based on direction or duration. This can be useful if you want to know when someone comes into a room or area, but not when they are coming out. And duration rules are good if you want to know if someone is loitering outside your home, but not if they are just walking by.

The Alarm.com Knowledge Base is a great tool if you want to get fast answers regarding your Alarm.com service. This is the same resource the technicians at Alarm Grid often use to get answers for Alarm.com products and services. Now if you have a question, you can quickly and conveniently get an answer from the Knowledge Base on the Alarm.com Mobile App. Everything from using the Alarm.com service to configuring your security cameras is available from this platform.

We think these new mobile app features will be very useful for Alarm.com users. Of course, Alarm Grid monitored customers can still contact us if they have questions regarding their Alarm.com service. We offer free support for monitored customers. If you ever need to contact us, the best way to do so is to email support@alarmgrid.com. You can also call us at (888) 818-7728 during our normal business hours of 9am to 8pm EST M-F. We look forward to answering any questions you might have.

Hi DIYers! If you have an Alarm.com 3G Cellular Communicator, the time to activate it is NOW. This is your very last chance. If you do not get your Alarm.com 3G Communicator activated by the end of Friday, June 28th, you will be unable to do so. The deadline to activate is almost here.

The actual cutoff date for Alarm.com 3G activations is Sunday, June 30th. However, Alarm Grid does not perform activations on the weekends. If you want to activate your Alarm.com 3G Communicator for use with Alarm Grid monitoring services, you must do so by the end of this Friday. Our team will get your communicator up and running for alarm monitoring service so that you can use Alarm.com.

By activating an Alarm.com Cellular Communicator and signing up for cellular alarm monitoring service, you can start using your system with the Alarm.com platform. Alarm.com allows you to arm and disarm your system, check current system status, control Z-Wave smart home devices, view the live feed for Alarm.com IP Cameras, and more. You can access this great service using the convenient Alarm.com Mobile App on your Android or iOS device.

An activated 3G communicator will provide consistent and reliable monitoring service until the 3G networks are shut down. AT&T is planning to shutdown their 3G network in February 2022, and Verizon is expected to shutdown their 3G CDMA network around this time as well. Remember, if you deactivate a 3G communicator after the cutoff date for any reason, you will not be able to reactivate it. Trying to reactivate a communicator is considered the same as an initial activation.

If you miss the deadline for activating an Alarm.com 3G Communicator, you will still be able to activate an LTE communicator for use with Alarm.com. Cellular service providers have stated that they plan to keep their LTE networks activated well into the very distant future. Getting an LTE communicator is the best way to provide long-term monitoring service for your panel.

At this point, a 3G communicator is only a temporary solution. Additionally, an LTE communicator will provide faster connection speeds than a 3G communicator. The difference isn't huge for monitoring itself, but LTE can make a big difference when it comes to home automation. Anyone looking to keep their system running for many years to come should make the jump to LTE as soon as possible.

If you need to activate an Alarm.com 3G Communicator, please reach out to us immediately. You may email us at support@alarmgrid.com, or call us at (888) 818-7728. Remember our office hours are 9am to 8pm EST M-F. We look forward to hearing from you.

Hi DIYers! We have learned that there is a radio firmware update for the PowerG Daughtercard used with the Qolsys IQ Panel 2 Plus Systems. The new radio firmware is v80.25, and it provides various fixes for sensor compatibilities. The update can be applied by entering a patch tag.

The new radio firmware for the Qolsys IQ Panel 2 Plus PowerG Daughtercard provides some general fixes for using the system with PowerG Sensors. According to Qolsys, radio firmware version 80.25 fixes a transmission delay that occurs when PowerG Sensors are enrolled on IQ Panel 2 Plus Zones 1, 2, and 3. It also corrects the PowerG compatibility issues that many users experienced when trying to use the PowerG PG9914 Wireless Motion Sensor and the PowerG PG9933 Wireless Carbon Monoxide Sensor on radio firmware version 80.17.

There are two ways for Alarm Grid monitored customers to apply this firmware update. The first is to contact us to have the firmware update pushed down automatically from Alarm.com. This will require a small added fee, which will be applied to the customer's next bill. If you want to update the radio firmware for free, you can perform it manually by completing the following steps:

1. Click the small grey bat at the top of the main screen.
2. Press Settings.
3. Press Advanced Settings.
4. Enter Installer Code (default 1111).
5. Press Upgrade Software.
6. Press Patch Tag.
7. Enter v3cardfix1 and press OK.
8. Press Upgrade Using Network.

Please note that the panel must be connected to WIFI for the update to go through. It may take several minutes for the panel to reboot and the update to be applied. After the process is complete. the panel will begin the re-sync process with all of the PowerG Sensors. You may notice reports of PowerG Sensors opening and closing during this time. This is normal. It may take up to 20 minutes for the re-sync process to complete. Your PowerG Zones should be operating like normal after this process.

Please note that only IQ Panel 2 Plus Systems with a PowerG radio firmware of 80.XX are affected by this upgrade. If you have a PowerG radio firmware of 4.XX, you will notice that the radio firmware does not change to 80.25. The update will still go through, but no noticeable changes will be made. Again, this is normal. If you want to check your firmware, complete the following steps:

1. Click the small grey bat at the top of the main screen.
2. Press Settings.
3. Press Advanced Settings.
4. Enter Installer Code (default 1111).
5. Press About.
6. Press PowerG.
7. Locate the Radio Firmware Version.

Below is an example of a Qolsys IQ Panel 2 Plus with radio firmware version 4.06:

If you have any questions about this radio firmware update, please email us at support@alarmgrid.com, or call us at (888) 818-7728. Keep in mind that our office hours are 9am to 8pm EST M-F. We look forward to hearing from you.

Hi DIYers! We are pleased to announce that the ADC-T3000 Smart Thermostat is now available for purchase from the Alarm Grid website. This thermostat improves upon the older ADC-T2000 Thermostat with increased capabilities, a new slimmer design, and advanced features for end users.

End users looking for a state-of-the-art smart thermostat can receive great results from the Alarm.com ADC-T3000. This Z-Wave Plus Thermostat is designed for use with the Alarm.com platform. However, you can really use it with any Z-Wave smart home network. This includes Resideo Systems that use the Total Connect 2.0 platform. No matter how you control your smart home devices, you will love the performance of your new ADC-T3000.

There are many great features that make the ADC-T3000 a worthwhile upgrade. For one, this has more space for wiring than the previous model. Installers will also appreciate the improved access terminals that make it easier to wire the connections. It is also easier to understand what action the HVAC system is performing, as the ADC-T3000 will actively display the word "Heat" or "Cool" based on the current activity. The device measures 4.1"L x 5.0"W x 0.7"D, which is even slimmer and sleeker than the previous model. The device uses two (2) AAA batteries for backup power, and all the necessary mounting hardware comes included.

Additionally, Alarm.com has also expanded upon the list of their certified Z-Wave smart lighting devices. All of the lights listed below have been certified by Alarm.com, but not for "real-time" status. This means that they have been tested and will work well with Alarm.com, but they will still count against the 10 device limit for displaying status. For more information on the Alarm.com displayed lighting status limit, please review this FAQ.

• Jasco Enbrighten Smart LED Bulb A19 (39723)
• Jasco In-Wall Dimmer Toggle (14322, 14296)
• Jasco Dimmer Switch Toggle (14319, 14293)
• Leviton In-wall Switch (DZ15S)
• Leviton In-wall Dimmer (DZ6HD - 600W)
• Leviton Plug-in Outlet (DZPA1)
• Leviton Plug-in Dimmer (DZPD3)

Finally, Alarm.com has announced that the ADC-V622 Security Camera is now compatible with their Video Analytics feature. Video Analytics is an advanced feature that allows users to receive real time alerts (text and/or email) regarding unusual activity or movement, while ignoring routine movement. This is done using advanced AI software that is only available from Alarm.com. This technology can actively distinguish between people, vehicles and animals. It can also determine direction of movement and the duration of any captured activity.

If you have questions about any of these Alarm.com updates, please reach out to us by emailing support@alarmgrid.com. Remember that our support hours are from 9am to 8pm EST M-F. Keep this in mind if you decide to email us. We look forward to hearing from you.

Hi DIYers! We are very happy to announce that software revision 1.09 is now available for the Resideo Lyric Security System. This software revision is more commonly known as firmware update MR9, and it can be downloaded for free by any end user with active alarm monitoring service.

The biggest addition that comes from firmware update MR9 is support for the upcoming Verizon LTE Communicator. We expect this communicator to be released sometime later this summer. Support for the existing AT&T LTE Communicator is also carried over to MR9. The update can be pushed down from the Resideo AlarmNet Servers and is completely free of charge. In order for the update to take effect, the system must be disarmed, with no trouble conditions present.

If you want to apply the update yourself when the system is disarmed, you can do so by entering the following commands from the main Lyric screen: Security > Tools > Installer Code (default 4112) > Update Firmware. The button will grey out to confirm that it was selected. Then return to the home screen using the return arrow in the upper-right corner. The update process should begin automatically.

Depending on the speed of the communication path, the update process can take anywhere from a few minutes to up to an hour. The system will then reboot to apply the update. If you want to confirm the update, go to Security > Tools > Master Code (default 1234) > Advanced > System Information. The listed Revision on the top line should start with 1.09.

If you want more information about the MR9 update, please check the associated release notes. If you have any further questions about the MR9 update, please reach out to us. The best way to reach us is to email support@alarmgrid.com. We look forward to hearing from you!