Can I Set Up WIFI as Primary & GSM as backup on an Interlogix Simon XT?

No, you cannot set up WIFI as primary and GSM as backup on an Interlogix Simon XT. This is because Interlogix does not offer a way to get a Simon XT connected to a WIFI network. Instead, a user can upgrade the system to connect with a cellular network. This requires a separate module.

By default, a Simon XT Alarm System can only use a POTS (plain old telephone service) connection. With the appropriate add-on a Simon XT can utilize a cellular connection. This will allow the panel to be configured with the Alarm.com service. However, there is currently no way for the panel to use a WIFI connection.

Not being able to use WIFI is not a major limitation for the Simon XT Alarm System. Most security experts view cellular communication as being superior to WIFI in almost every possible category. Cellular connectivity is more reliable than WIFI, with the service almost never being down or unavailable. A power outage will not cause cellular service to stop working, but the same cannot be said for WIFI connectivity.

Thanks to LTE speeds, cellular connectivity is almost as fast as standard WIFI. Indeed, the speeds provided from LTE cellular communication will work just as well for an alarm system as WIFI. Finally, cellular service will allow a Simon XT Panel to sync with the Alarm.com service. This is not possible using WIFI.

Remember, the system will still need a cellular communication module in order to utilize cellular service. Every cellular communicator for the Simon XT Panel also doubles as a Z-Wave controller. So with one single upgrade, a Simon XT System will experience faster communication speeds, gain the ability to work with Alarm.com, and operate Z-Wave home automation devices. This makes adding a cellular communicator arguably the single most important upgrade that can be made for a Simon XT Alarm System.