How Do I Connect My 2GIG System to Wireless Internet?

The process for connecting your 2GIG System to wireless internet depends on which 2GIG Panel you are using. The 2GIG GC3 System can connect to a local WIFI network right out of the box. The 2GIG GC2 System needs a 2GIG XCVR-345 module and a 2GIG Go!Bridge module to connect to WIFI.

Getting your 2GIG System connected to WIFI will allow it to use IP connectivity with Alarm.com. However, you will still need an Alarm.com communicator to connect with the Alarm.com servers. You must also pay for Alarm.com service. The Alarm.com package includes cellular connectivity for your system. You just need to purchase a compatible Alarm.com Cellular Communicator. For that reason, it doesn't make sense to not use a cellular communicator with a 2GIG System. Cellular connectivity is more reliable than IP connectivity, as it is much less likely to go down or experience outages.

That doesn't mean that IP connectivity for a 2GIG System is worthless. IP communication is generally faster than cellular connectivity. Plus, it doesn't hurt to have a second communication path available. Although it is highly unlikely for your cellular service to go down, IP connectivity can technically back it up in these cases. Using IP and cellular service connectivity together is sometimes referred to as "dual-path connectivity". Please note that you will need an alarm monitoring plan that includes cellular connectivity to use a dual-path connection. Most cellular plans also include IP service as well.

Nearly all GC3 Systems will use a dual-path connection, since WIFI is built into the panel. You need to add a cellular communicator to the GC3 to gain access to Alarm.com, so using a dual-path setup makes sense. But dual-path connectivity is less common for a GC2 system. The system doesn't have have a built-in IP communicator, and you need to add an Alarm.com Communicator to make it possible for the system to access ADC. While you can technically use the 2GIG Go!Bridge to get the GC2 connected with ADC, you will still need to pay the same price for accessing the service. And since cellular communication is more reliable most GC2 users just forgo WIFI connectivity add a cellular communicator like the 2GIG LTEA-A-GC2 or the 2GIG LTEV-A-GC2.

If you want to use WIFI with a 2GIG GC2, you will need a couple of add-ons. You will need 2GIG Go!Bridge module. This device connects with your IP router through a hardwired ethernet connection. You will also need a 2GIG XCVR-345 module, which allows the GC2 Panel to communicate with the Go!Bridge. For more information on connecting a GC2 to WIFI, please see the Install Guide for the Go!Bridge.

If you want to connect a GC3 System to WIFI, you don't need any extra add-ons. Complete the following steps to connect your GC3 to WIFI:

1. Access Network Settings. Start from the main screen of the GC3. Click the System Settings button in the bottom-right. Enter the Master Code (default 1111) or the Installer Code (default 1561). Choose Network Settings. You are now in the Network Settings Menu.

2. Connect to WIFI. Choose Wireless. Find the WIFI network you want to use. Enter the WIFI password. Press the Next button in the bottom-right. The system should connect with the WIFI network. This may take a few moments. The network information will be displayed when the process is complete.

3. Return to home screen. Keep pressing the back arrow on the left side of the screen until you return to the home screen.