Can I Set Up WIFI as Primary & GSM as backup on an Interlogix Simon XTi or XTi-5?

No, you cannot set up WIFI as primary and GSM as backup on an Interlogix Simon XTi or XTi-5. These systems do not have WIFI cards, and they have no way of connecting to a WIFI network. However, cellular service can be used with an added cellular module and an appropriate monitoring plan.

Unless a cellular module is added, a Simon XTi or XTi-5 System will only be able to receive telephone line monitoring. This is sometimes referred to by security experts as a POTS (plain old telephone service) connection. This is a largely outdated technology that provides slow speeds and unreliable connectivity. Additionally, a POTS connection cannot be used with an interactive service platform like Alarm.com. For those reasons, upgrading to a better communication path is a top priority for users.

One might think that not being able to use WIFI with a Simon XTi or XTi-5 System is a big deal. However, this is actually not the case. This is because cellular service is considered to be superior to WIFI connectivity when used with alarm systems. Cellular service is significantly more reliable, and the provided speeds are right on par with WIFI. A cellular connection is virtually impossible to tamper with, and the service is not affected by normal power outages. For all those reasons, not having WIFI with the Simon XTi and XTi-5 is really not a big deal.

Additionally, a cellular connection will allow a Simon XTi or XTi-5 System to connect with the Alarm.com interactive service. This cannot be accomplished using WIFI. By accessing Alarm.com, a user can arm and disarm their system, control Z-Wave devices and check the current status of their sensors. And with the Alarm.com Mobile App, all of these actions can be performed remotely from virtually anywhere in the world. This is yet another reason to upgrade to cellular monitoring with an XTi or XTi-5.

In order to use cellular service with a Simon XTi or XTi-5 System, a cellular communicator will be needed. We encourage users to choose an LTE communicator. Connecting to an LTE cellular network will provide the fastest possible speeds. Also, cellular service providers have vowed to provide support for their LTE networks well into the future. This makes an LTE communicator an excellent longterm investment for an alarm system. In fact, we consider an LTE communicator to be the single most important upgrade that can be made for a Simon XTi or XTi-5 System. Adding a cellular communicator is also how you add support for Z-Wave device integration.