Total Connect 2.0 Posts

Hi DIYers! Today, we want to discuss some of our favorite smart locks from the likes of Kwikset, Yale and August. There are many great reasons to add a smart lock to your home, and we are sure that you will love the convenience they offer. They are great for Alarm Grid monitored customers.

Smart locks represent a great addition to nearly any home or business. These devices typically enroll with a central hub, such as a Z-Wave controller or into your Apple HomeKit network. You will then be able to control the lock through an app on the Android or iOS smartphone. This is great if you ever want to let someone inside while you are away and then make sure the door is locked after they leave.

Z-Wave locks are particularly useful because you can access them through the Total Connect 2.0 or Alarm.com service that you use with your security system. These services will also provide you with text and/or email alerts whenever your lock is used. And iOS users always appreciate HomeKit compatibility. They find it highly convenient to be able to control their smart locks through Siri voice commands.

Alarm Grid has been putting out some FAQs to help you get started with various Z-Wave locks. We encourage you to check out some of the FAQs listed below:

• How Do I Include My Yale Z-Wave Lock?
• How Do I Exclude My Yale Z-Wave Lock?
• How Do I Factory Default My Yale Z-Wave Lock?
• How Do I Include My August Smart Lock Pro?
• How Do I Exclude My August Smart Lock Pro?
• How Do I Factory Default My August Smart Lock Pro?
• How Do I Include My Kwikset Z-Wave Lock?
• How Do I Exclude My Kwikset Z-Wave Lock?
• How Do I Factory Default My Kwikset Z-Wave Lock?

Of course, you can buy some excellent Z-Wave locks from Yale, August and Kwikset on our site. Let's take a look at some of our favorites from each of the three companies:

Yale

We actually got a first-hand look at many of the Yale Locks at ISC West 2019. Our team was highly impressed with these locks, and we think any of them would make for a great addition to your home. The Yale Assure Locks were particularly exciting for their added reliability, touchscreen control and Z-Wave Plus functionality. These include the Yale YRD226, Yale YRD246 and Yale YRD256 models. The YRD256 receives special recognition for having both a HomeKit Version and a Z-Wave Plus Version available from Alarm Grid.

Alarm Grid has been particularly impressed with the ease-of-use and overall reliability offered from the Yale Locks. They are available in a multitude of designs and styles so that you can find the lock that fits your home. Whether you choose a HomeKit model or a Z-Wave Plus model, we are sure that you will be extremely pleased with the performance and reliability when controlled remotely.

August

August and Yale are actually both manufactured by the same company, Assa Abloy. The name of the game here is the August Smart Lock Pro. This is one of the best and most versatile locks in the industry, and we cannot recommend it enough. The biggest selling point of the August Smart Lock Pro is that it can utilize Z-Wave Plus technology and connectivity with Apple HomeKit at the same time. Usually, a lock is restricted between one or the other. But that is not the case here.

The round design helps the August Smart Lock Pro stand out from other smart locks. It is sleek and smooth, and an LED light helps the user with setup. The entire process is completed through the August Home App to make setup and installation as easy as possible. Users looking for something different with some great advanced features can't go wrong here.

If you want to use Apple HomeKit with the August Smart Lock Pro, then the August Connect WIFI Bridge must be obtained as well. Alarm Grid actually sells the August Smart Lock Pro and the August Connect Bridge in one convenient package. They can also be purchased separately. The Smart Lock Pro can also communicate with your phone wirelessly through a Bluetooth connection. This is great for automatic unlocking when you arrive home. And users will certainly appreciate the integrations with Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, Nest, AirBnB and HomeAway.

Kwikset

Not to be outdone, Kwikset offers their own smart locks that we have shown tremendous success in our personal testing. These are simple, yet effective locks that each feature their own timeless design. They use Z-Wave Plus technology for easy pairing with your wireless home security system. You can then control the lock from the panel or through a convenient app like Total Connect 2.0 or Alarm.com. You can even receive notifications from TC2 or ADC whenever the lock is used.

The two Kwikset Locks that stand out the most for us are the Kwikset SmartCode 888 (shown above) and the Kwikset Obsidian. The Kwikset SmartCode 888 is an affordable option for users who want all the great features and functions of a reliable smart lock. It offers a touch-button keypad, with backlit keys for easy operation at nighttime. Meanwhile, the Kwikset Obsidian offers a sleek and futuristic touchscreen keypad for entering codes. The device uses advanced SecureScreen technology to prevent intruders from figuring out codes based on fingerprints. It also offers 128-bit AES encryption for added security.

All of the locks mentioned above are available for purchase from Alarm Grid now. If you need help deciding on a lock, please reach out to us by sending an email to support@alarmgrid.com. We will check the email at our earliest convenience and respond as quickly as possible. We look forward to helping you find the perfect Z-Wave or HomeKit lock for your ever-growing and evolving smart home!

If you're looking to obtain alarm monitoring service for your home, then you can't go wrong with one of our home security system kits. Each kit has everything you need to get started. One of our highly-trained technicians will call you to active your system, and your home will be protected!

With an Alarm Grid Security System Kit, you can expect several essential components. You will receive a wireless alarm control panel that serves as the central hub for your system. This is where you can arm and disarm your system and make programming changes. You will also be able to access your system from an interactive service platform like Total Connect 2.0 or Alarm.com. This is great if you need to control your system while you are away or if you just want to make sure you remembered to arm your system before you left!

Each kit also includes door and window sensors and a motion detecting sensor. The door and window sensors will alert your security system if a door is opened, while the motion sensor will respond to a person moving throughout the area. We offer kits with varying numbers of sensors so that you can choose a kit that is the perfect size for your home or apartment! We also sell individual sensors if needed. You can start with a small security system now and then expand upon it later. Do whatever works for your home!

Users can also expect a Honeywell LT-Cable with each kit. This cable makes it super easy to provide power to your system with the included transformer. You won't need to strip or prepare any wires. The cable comes completely ready. You will just need a screwdriver to attach it. We also recommend choosing a kit that comes with a cellular communicator. This will serve as a reliable backup in case there is ever an internet outage in your home. If the internet goes down, your system will automatically switch to its cellular backup. Not all our kits include a cellular communicator, but we strongly recommend getting one!

Also, don't feel intimidated if you have never installed a security system before! Some other companies may not want you to believe it, but installing your own system is super easy! In fact, most wireless alarm systems can be set up using nothing more than a screwdriver. Wireless sensors can be mounted with double-sided foam tape, and wireless panel menus are easy to navigate. And our technicians will be there to help you every step of the way with online and phone support. Remember, you get free support as an Alarm Grid monitored customer. Before you know it, your brand-new system will be up and running!

Alarm Grid is your home for all your security system kits! If you need help choosing a system, please reach out to us! You may email support@alarmgrid.com or call (888) 818-7728 during our business hours of 9am to 8pm EST M-F. Just tell us about your home and what kind of monitoring service you want. Our planners will help you determine the best security system for your house or apartment. We are always happy to help, and we look forward to hearing from you!

Another part of the Resideo booth at ISC West 2019 that we missed yesterday featured the new and upcoming LTE communicators for Resideo Alarm Panels. These cellular communicators will provide fast and reliable communication and allow users to control their systems through Total Connect 2.0.

As you may know, the 3G sunset is quickly approaching. If you want to keep your alarm system connected to the network into the distant future, you will need an LTE communicator. Cellular service providers like AT&T and Verizon have stated that they plan to support their LTE networks for many years to come. Getting an LTE communicator represents possibly the most important upgrade you can make for your security panel.

The Resideo Alarm Communicators will connect compatible systems with the company's AlarmNet Servers. This allows the end user to access and control their system through Total Connect 2.0. This is an excellent platform that allows users to arm and disarm their system, check current system status and control Z-Wave smart home devices.

Resideo showcased many AlarmNet LTE Communications. Most have a variety of different carrier options, which are AT&T, Verizon and Bell Canada. Many wireless Honeywell Panels were represented. The display featured communicators for the Lyric Controller:

The Lynx Touch L5210 and L7000:

The VISTA Systems:

And even the L3000 got some love:

If you didn't know, Alarm Grid already sells many of these communicators. The ones offered on our site include:

• LYRICLTE-A (Lyric Controller, AT&T LTE)
• LTE-L57A (LYNX Touch, AT&T LTE)
• LTE-L57V (LYNX Touch, Verizon LTE)
• LTE-IV (VISTA Series, Dual-Path Verizon LTE & IP)
• LTE-XA (VISTA Series, AT&T LTE)
• LTE-XV (VISTA Series, Verizon LTE)
• LTE-L3A (L3000, AT&T LTE)

We are sure that Resideo users will achieve great results with these LTE communicators. Stay tuned to our blog for more content from ISC West!

Are you enjoying ISC West 2019 DIYers? We actually missed part of the Resideo booth yesterday, and we're playing catch-up to keep you up to date! We have learned that the Tuxedo Touch Keypad for Honeywell VISTA Systems has received a redesign. The new menus look super sleek and fresh!

Most owners of the current Tuxedo Touch Keypad love the device's performance, but they aren't thrilled with the look of the menus. Resideo is seeking to fix that with the Tuxedo Touch redesign. This makeover represents the third generation of Tuxedo Touch Keypads, and we believe that end users will absolutely love the new appearance.

The redesigned Tuxedo Touch serves the same purpose as the current model. It is a touchscreen keypad that is used to control a Honeywell VISTA System. The keypad wires-in directly with the main control panel to draw power and communicate as needed. By accessing the keypad, user can arm and disarm their system, control individual Z-Wave devices and perform smart automation scenes. We confirmed with Resideo that the updated Tuxedo Touch will support Z-Wave Plus 500 Series technology.

Resideo also updated their Honeywell 6280 Touchscreen Keypad. The new model is the Honeywell 6290, and it also offers a fresh new look. The 6290 will be basically the same as the updated Tuxedo Touch, except it won't have Z-Wave functionality. Nevertheless, it should provide a quick and easy access point for VISTA System users.

We have also confirmed that a user will be able to enter the IP address for the new Tuxedo Touch and 6290 Keypads into a web browser to control their system as if they were at the keypad itself. Just like the current models, the web browser will need to be on a device that is connected with the same local WIFI network to gain access. A great option if you want to conveniently add an additional keypad is to use the web browser on a tablet and then just mount the tablet to the wall.

Both the third generation Tuxedo Touch and 6290 Keypads will use WIFI to connect to a network. Unlike the older models, a hardwired ethernet option will not be available. This shouldn't cause too many issues though, as most users prefer the convenience of a WIFI connection anyway.

Thanks for staying with Alarm Grid for the latest ISC West 2019 updates. We will have more posts coming soon!

Welcome to ISC West DIYers! We wanted to get our first post up as soon as we had some juicy details. Right now, we're taking a look at the upcoming Resideo Pro SiX Series. The future of Resideo certainly looks bright with their state-of-the-art equipment that will be coming to the market.

The all-new Pro SiX Series is headlined by the all-in-one wireless panel, the Resideo Pro Series 7" All-In-One Plus. This panel will support the all new lineup of Pro SiX Series wireless sensors. These encrypted sensors will feature the latest technology, as they do everything the current Resideo SiX Series Sensors can do, and more. Users can expect the new Pro SiX Series Sensors to feature convenient auto-enrollment capabilities, an impressive wireless range and highly advanced security to thwart hacking attempts.

Just to be very clear, the Pro SiX Series devices are completely different from the current SiX Series devices. The Pro SiX Series devices will NOT work with the current Lyric Controller. They are being designed exclusively for the new Resideo Pro Series 7" All-In-One Plus.

The Resideo Pro Series 7" All-In-One Plus also offers support for up to four partitions. This will be great for users with roommates and businesses that want to section off different areas. Resideo says that the system will feature a completely new user interface that end users should find simpler and cleaner. If you are used to working with any of the current Honeywell Wireless Panels, you will find the new Resideo Pro Series 7" All-In-One Plus even easier to use.

You may also be excited to know that the system uses Z-Wave Plus technology for home automation. This is a real treat, as the current Lyric Controller only supports classic Z-Wave. End users will surely appreciate the increased battery life and the extended range that comes with Z-Wave Plus and the Resideo Pro Series 7" All-In-One Plus.

And with a new system comes all new devices! The Pro SiX Series lineup is diverse and all-inclusive, as it features all the sensors you would expect to find available. Some highlights include a combination smoke and CO detector, an outdoor siren and an indoor motion viewer with night vision capabilities.

We would like to give special recognition to the Pro SiX Series life-safety sensors. The biggest news is that they are all one-go-all-go. This means that they all tie in with each other. If one actives, every other Pro SiX Series life-safety sensor on the network will activate as well. If your smoke detector activates, your carbon monoxide detector will also go into alarm. Each of these sensors has an 85 dB sounder for alerting anyone on the premises. And with the outdoor siren being available, you can rest assured that those on the outside will be alerted as well.

The indoor motion viewer is also particularly interesting; it's basically a motion sensor with a built-in full-motion video camera. The upcoming device will send 10 second video clips to the end user through Total Connect 2.0. This will be great for confirming a break-in, especially for those in verified response areas. Resideo also says that the video clips will be made available to the central monitoring station so that dispatchers can also confirm an emergency event. And IR night vision is built-in!

Another feature is the ability to support up to eight wireless touchscreen keypads. These keypads feature 7-inch touchscreen displays, and they look like an absolute joy to use. This will be great for users in larger homes or businesses who want to access their systems from multiple on-site locations. And having multiple wireless keypads will certainly tie-in nicely with the ability to establish up to four unique partitions.

Finally, we asked about the backwards compatibility of the Pro Series 7" All-In-One Plus. According to Resideo, the system will only support the new Pro SiX Series out of the box. However, they promised an add-on module that will allow the system to support the legacy 345 MHz frequency used by the Honeywell 5800 Sensors and the 2GIG 345 MHz Sensors. They also stated that the module will be able to support 319.5 MHz sensors (Qolsys and Interlogix/GE), 433 MHz sensors (legacy DSC) and Bosch Sensors.

We will make sure to keep you updated as we learn more about this exciting new lineup from Resideo. Keep checking our blog for more information.

Update: We did receive word that the new Pro Series 7" All-In-One Plus will support existing Honeywell SiX Series Sensors. However, any SiX Series Sensor must be deleted from the current system before it can be enrolled with a Resideo Pro Series Panel. This means that you will need to have access to the system's Installer Programming to clear the settings for the sensor. If Lyric Lock is enabled, then you may need to replace your existing sensors. When the SiX Series Sensor is enrolled with the Pro Series 7" All-In-One Plus, a firmware update will be applied to the sensor to make it compatible with the new equipment.

Hi DIYers! Unfortunately, we have to keep this news brief, as we are currently preparing for ISC West 2019 in Las Vegas, NV. But a new dual-path communicator from Resideo for their VISTA Systems is now available. Presenting, the all-new Honeywell LTE-IV Verizon LTE Dual-Path Communicator!

The Honeywell LTE-IV uses a hardwired ethernet cable to connect a VISTA Panel to an IP network. If the internet goes down, it will have the ultra-fast and reliable Verizon LTE Cellular Network as a backup. Either way, the system will remain connected with the AlarmNet 360 Servers and the Total Connect 2.0 Service.

This release is huge, as this is currently the only dual-path communicator for a VISTA System that can connect with an LTE Network. Before this, the VISTA Panels had to rely on the Honeywell LTE-XV and Honeywell LTE-XA modules, which had no IP capabilities. Now with the Honeywell LTE-IV, VISTA owners have a dual-path LTE option that will keep their system connected for many years to come!

Note that the Honeywell LTE-IV connects with the Verizon LTE Network. We expect a similar AT&T communicator to be released at some point. You can purchase the Honeywell LTE-IV from the Alarm Grid website. If you have any question, please email support@alarmgrid.com or call (888) 818-7728 from 9am to 8pm EST M-F.

Alarm Grid will post more information about the Honeywell LTE-IV as it becomes available.

Get ready DIYers! We're here to inform you that next week is the International Security Conference & Exhibition West, more commonly known as ISC West. Our content and video teams will be in Las Vegas, NV to cover all the exciting action and the latest news from the security industry!

ISC West is the largest converged security industry trade show in the United States. This year's edition runs from Wednesday, April 10th thru Friday April 12th. Our content and video teams will be exploring the massive convention and talking to some of the brightest and sharpest minds in the security industry. We will learn all about the upcoming products and offerings from the industry's leading security and home automation manufacturers - products that you can expect on Alarm Grid soon. And you can be sure that we will keep you posted on all our findings. Expect exclusive pictures, videos, interviews and more, as we bring ISC West directly to you!

From Wednesday thru Friday of this week, you can expect multiple posts per day covering our findings at ISC West 2019. You will certainly want to be checking our blog often, as our goal is to get any important news out quickly. And don't worry if you need help or support during this time! Our support and planner teams will still be at Alarm Grid headquarters to provide you with any assistance you need. Remember, the best way to reach Alarm Grid is to email support@alarmgrid.com. If you need to call us, you can do so at (888) 818-7728 from 9am to 8pm EST M-F. Please don't hesitate to reach out to us, as we love supporting our monitored customers!

Let's get ready for a great ISC West 2019, and make sure to stay tuned for more updates!

We have learned that Version 5.8.5 of the Total Connect 2.0 Mobile App for iOS has a bug that affects WIFI thermostats. The update leaves users unable to control their WIFI thermostats with the mobile app. However, iOS users can still control their WIFI thermostats through the TC2 website.

Many users have found that upon updating to the latest version of Total Connect 2.0, they have been left unable to operate their WIFI thermostats through the app. This includes any Honeywell Lyric Round Thermostats and any WIFI thermostat that pairs with TC2 through a Total Connect Comfort, Honeywell Home or Redlink integration.

Please note that the bug only affects the iOS version of the Total Connect 2.0 Mobile App. Android users are not affected. Additionally, Z-Wave Thermostats are also unaffected. If you are currently running iOS Mobile App Version 5.8.5, then you can still use the TC2 website to control your WIFI thermostat. You should be able to access the website using the standard web browser on your iPhone or iPad.

We expect that Resideo will release an update to fix this bug in the near future. But it may take some time before this happens. Until then, Alarm Grid monitored customers should reach out to support@alarmgrid.com with any questions. Alarm Grid will provide an update when we learn that the bug has been fixed.

Just last week, Resideo purchased startup company Buoy Labs. This is the first acquisition from Resideo since the company completed its spin-off from Honeywell in October of last year. The purchase of Buoy Labs should greatly assist Resideo in its technology for environmental sensors.

Buoy Labs is best known for its smart home products that allow users to track the amount of water they use and quickly identify leaks. Their lineup fits in perfectly with Resideo. The company already offers many great flood detecting sensors. These include the Honeywell 5800FLOOD and the Honeywell 5821 when used with a Honeywell 470PB Probe or Honeywell FP280 Probe. Many of our monitored customers use these sensors to receive alerts in the event of a water leak. They can then take action before serious water damage occurs. This equipment works great with the wireless panels from Resideo, including the Honeywell Lyric Controller.

We believe that this acquisition will help Resideo make fantastic strides in its offering of environmental sensors, particularly for flood sensors. Buoy Labs has an impressive portfolio of smart home water management and water leak detection products. Resideo has cited industry studies claiming that homeowner's insurance companies pay more than $9 billion in water damage claims every year. The average claim is roughly $9,000. With the purchase of Buoy Labs, we expect that Resideo will achieve great success in reducing these figures and preventing house floods. And if you still don't think flood sensors are important, think again.

Alarm Grid will certainly keep you up-to-date with the latest news regarding any new environmental or flood sensors released from Resideo. This acquisition means Resideo has some big plans in store, and we are very excited to see what the future holds. Stick with Alarm Grid as we move forward in the exciting worlds of security, property protection and home automation!

Hi DIYers! We have learned that Resideo put out a new feature for Total Connect 2.0 in the form of "No Activity Alerts". Users can now receive text and/or email alerts when no system activity occurs after a set period of time. This can be great for making sure that a loved one is active.

The No Activity Alert feature represents an ideal method for keeping tabs on a relative or loved one and ensuring that they are moving around and using their system like normal. The feature can be be set to send notifications after every hour, four hours, eight hours, 12 hours or 24 hours. If no system activity occurs after the set period of time, then a notification will be sent to out to any phone number or email address listed as a recipient.

Total Connect 2.0 previously made it possible to send out a notification if a specific event did not occur within a set period of time. Users had to create individual notifications for each activity that did not occur. This general No Activity Alert feature is more of a "catch-all" to eliminate the need for setting up a series of notifications.

Additionally, this new feature will continue to send out notifications every time the set period passes without activity occurring. For example, if you have the feature set to send alerts after four hours of no activity, you will receive a first notification after four hours of no activity, then a second notification after eight hours of no activity, and so on.

Users should keep in mind that No Activity Alerts will only be sent out when the system is in a Disarmed state. If the system is Armed, then No Activity Alerts will not be sent out. The list of activities that can prevent a No Activity Alert from being sent out is extremely extensive. No notification will be sent out as long as at least one of the following events occurs during the set time period:

• Sensor Open
• Sensor Closed
• Sensor Trouble
• Sensor Trouble Cleared
• Sensor Alarm
• Sensor Alarm Cleared
• Sensor Bypass
• Sensor Bypass Cleared
• Sensor Tamper
• Sensor Tamper Cleared
• Sensor Supervision
• Sensor Super. Cleared
• Sensor Low Battery
• Sensor Low Batt Cleared
• Sensor Close Left Open
• Sensor UnMask
• Disarmed
• Armed Away
• Armed Away (Bypass)
• Armed Stay
• Armed Stay (Bypass)
• Armed Away Instant
• Armed Away Instant (Bypass)
• Alarm
• Alarm (Bypass)
• Armed Stay Instant
• Armed Stay Instant (Bypass)
• Disarmed (Bypass)
• Fire
• Alarm Cancelled
• Disarmed Not Ready
• CO Alarm
• Alarm Silenced
• Exit Alarm
• Night Stay
• Night Stay (Bypass)
• Night Stay Instant
• Night Stay Instant (Bypass)
• Armed Custom
• Armed Custom (Bypass)
• Armed Custom Instant
• Armed Custom Instant (Bypass)
• Comm Fail
• Comm Fail – Resolved
• AC Restored
• System Battery Restored
• Phone Line Restored
• Program Exit (New Config)
• Arming
• Disarming
• Cover Tamper
• Cover Tamper Restored
• Duress Alarm
• Partition Removed

Overall, this feature is particularly useful for making sure that loved ones are using their system like they are supposed to. You can set it up for an elderly or disabled user to make sure they haven't fallen down or experienced an injury. It's also great for making sure that your kids or your spouse has returned home safely.

You can set up this feature from the Total Connect 2.0 website or mobile app. For this post, we're going to show the feature on the website. Start by logging into your Total Connect 2.0 account, and then choose the Notifications tab on the left, followed by List. Then choose the Add Notification button:

Choose Security > System. Then provide a Notification Name. In our example, we chose "No Activity Example". Then select No Activity Alert. Finally, choose the time interval for when a notification should be sent out. We chose 12 Hours in our example. Press Continue when you have finished:

Next you will choose who will receive the notification. You can use an existing group, or you can create a new one. In our case, we used a group called "Example", but you can set yours accordingly. Press Save when finished, and then press Yes to confirm:

Your new notification should then appear somewhere in your list under the Security section:

If you are an Alarm Grid monitored customer with questions about this new feature, please do not hesitate to reach out to us. You may email us at support@alarmgrid.com, or 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!