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Tag: Total Connect 2
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Comparing Alarm Interactive Services Apps: Alarm.com, Total Connect 2, SecureNet, Alula, Telguard
Interactive Services is the component that adds remote control capability to a home security and automation platform. The days of just remotely arming and disarming your alarm system from a smartphone have given way to controlling lights, locks, and thermostats as well. And don’t forget about video whether a video doorbell or interior or exterior cameras. Everything can now easily be controlled by a single app from essentially anywhere you have cell service or WIFI coverage.
The Interactive Services company chosen must match with the cellular or Internet communicator installed in your alarm panel. For example, if you have a SecureNet cell card you must use SecureNet’s interactive service. If using an Alarm.com cell card (whether built-in to the panel of external) it can only talk to Alarm.com’s data centers.
Interactive services which gives end-users the ability to remote control functions of their security and home automation from their panel must attach to the backend servers by cellular, Internet, or both for redundancy. Landline connectivity direct to a central station does not have the ability to control your system.
Honeywell Total Connect 2
Honeywell security systems traditionally use AlarmNet (owned by Honeywell) for interactive services. Total Connect 2 is the interactive services app that controls a compatible Honeywell residential or commercial panel from a smartphone, tablet, or computer. This includes the Vista series hardwired alarm controls as well as wireless Lynx Plus, Lynx Touch, and Lyric systems. ADT SafeWatch Pro 3000 panels are just Honeywell Vista-20P with special firmware loaded and can easily be converted to a generic Honeywell panel with a pop-in PROM change on the motherboard (kits available).
AlarmNet has been around the longest because Honeywell has been the leader in the residential and commercial security arena for almost 50 years and was first to market. Their latest generation app (TC2) is very simple to use, easy to understand, and works on both iOS and Android phones/tablets and any PC with a browser. There are tabs setup for the different alarm monitoring plans purchased. For example, if you sign-up for “Smart Security” only the Security tab will work, if using “Smart Home” then there also is an Automation tab for controlling lights, locks, and thermostats. Add video and the Video Doorbell and Camera tabs appear.
Alarm.com
Alarm.com is a newer interactive services company on the market but already 17 years old now and arguably the best app for remote control of compatible alarm systems. ADC does not actually make hardware though does market communicators and other accessories specifically for use with their data centers. They have partnered with multiple alarm manufacturers such as Qolsys, 2GIG, and Interlogix to provide superior interactive capabilities to their panels well above what was already on the market. Qolsys for example uses cell modules embedded on their motherboard and went all-in with Alarm.com whereas 2GIG, which uses a plugin cell communicator strategy, can use cell cards from Alarm.com, Telguard, or SecureNet.
What has set the Alarm.com service apart is the number of included features when compared to their competitors. Daily supervision of the connection to Alarm.com is standard with options for 6-hour and hourly check-in, activity monitoring of sensors even when the alarm system is not armed, Crash and Smash protection is included for capable systems (sends a signal before a wireless control panel can be ripped off the wall and smashed), and Image Capture on Alarm. This last feature applies to Alarm.com Image Sensors which combines an interior PIR motion detector with a high-quality video camera enabling snapshots to be sent to the app when the motion detector goes into alarm.
Telguard
Telguard’s focus in the residential security market is has been “telephone-capture” cell communicators. These devices connect to the landline connection on hardwired panels and essentially trick the alarm panel into thinking it still has an active landline for dialing out to the central station. These capture devices such as their popular TG1 Express are universal in nature and work with any alarm hardwired alarm system with dial-out capability.
Telguard introduced their Flex Interactive Services to augment their cellular connectivity so end-users could remotely arm and disarm their security system as well. While the TG1 is a great universal cellular communicator getting end-users migrated off expensive landlines and over to cellular which will save money while reducing risk, it is not a very good interactive services device because not all control panels can easily be setup for remote control. Keyswitch arming or at least a way to configure a zone and output trigger to arm and disarm is needed. The TG1 Express models are not very DIY friendly when interactive services is needed and better suited for a dealer to setup locally.
Alula
When two well known names in the security industry merged in early 2018, ipDatatel and Resolution Products, Alula emerged on the scene. ipDatatel already had a solid interactive services platform that serviced their popular product line of cell and Internet communicators. When the name changed to Alula so did their app though it also came with some cleaning up. It can certainly remotely arm and disarm compatible security systems, control Z-Wave home automation devices, and integrate Alula video cameras but its frankly still “basic” in its overall feature list when compared to Alarm.com or Total Connect 2. Because Alula (ipDatatel) makes so many communicators their Interactive Services platform is compatible with many different alarm system brands and models.
SecureNet
SecureNet Technologies is a small Florida based interactive services service formed in 2003. They have a good all-purpose app (SmartLink+) for controlling various alarm panels using a SecureNet compatible cell card. In some cases they are the only available remote control service (example the 2GIG Rely) but in other cases such as Resolution’s Helix and DSC’s iOtega they have lost ground and not the only available interactive services choice. Their customer support is excellent, and the app is clear and easy to use, albeit somewhat basic in functionality. They do not have the range of compatible video cameras and video doorbells as some of their competitors such as TC2 or ADC.
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Purchasing a Professional-Grade Home Security System Without Paying Expensive ADT Pricing
Today homeowners are very cost conscious when it comes to home security alarm systems. This is because not only may there be a large upfront investment in equipment and installation labor, but the monthly alarm monitoring charge can set you back several thousand dollars if you go with a national company like ADT that requires a three-year monitoring commitment with every sale. Professional-grade systems from well known industry leaders such as Honeywell, DSC, Alula/Resolution, 2GIG, and Qolsys are now available to homeowners to install themselves in just an hour or two without having to rely on a local alarm dealer to install.The hurdle to DIY installation of quality alarm equipment has always been panel programming as well as warranty support. Manufacturers such as Honeywell only sell to authorized security dealers and not to actual homeowners. The same for warranty support – it must go through the local dealer who installed the equipment. However more and more online dealers offer professional-grade home security equipment and handle all warranty issues just like a local dealer. Some will even program the security panel (the brains of the system) remotely. SafeHomeCentral for example will remotely program panels for the life of the system for free as long as cellular or WIFI/Internet connectivity to the panel is maintained.
Saving Money Installing Your Own Security System
Installing a home security alarm system does not have to be difficult. Modern fully wireless systems are now finally a reality which were designed to make life easier for dealers, but can also make life just as easy for a DIY homeowner while saving money! Installation can be fast and easy going wireless rather than the traditional method of running wires throughout the home. Its actually rare anymore for even dealers like ADT to install hardwired systems. Yes the equipment will cost more but time is money. Rather than having a three man crew at a home for two days installing an alarm system, one person (even the homeowner) can now do it all on a Saturday morning.
What is professional-grade alarm equipment?
I’m talking security systems made by Honeywell or DSC for example. Honeywell has been used by ADT for several decades now, though white labeled since ADT does not manufacturer any hardware. What I’m not referring to is no name brands sold on eBay or big box retailers such as Home Depot or Best Buy. This also includes consumer-grade security equipment from SimpliSafe.
There is a big difference between professional-grade and consumer-grade home security hardware:
- Ability to remotely control all security or home automation (lights, locks, thermostats) functions from a smartphone, tablet, or laptop
- True UL central station monitoring capability
- Video surveillance capability, especially with remote viewing from a smart device
- Cellular and dual-path (redundant by adding WIFI/Internet) alarm monitoring options
- Broad range of wireless security sensors such as door/window, motion detectors, glassbreak detectors, shock sensors, smoke detectors, carbon monoxide detectors, flood detection, low temperature detection, panic buttons, additional sirens and keypads, etc.
- Encrypted wireless sensors to combat sophisticated intruders.
- Sensor transmission range of 1000 ft. or more
Alarm Monitoring Services
Local dealers make their real profit from recurring monthly revenue (RMR), better know in the security industry as alarm monitoring. This is why your local dealer such as ADT will require alarm monitoring and lock you in for a 3 to 5 year agreement with an expensive early termination fee, even if you move. Online dealers monitoring dealers such as SafeHomeCentral can offer pretty much the same (if not exact) as the local dealers for half the price. If installing a Honeywell Lyric wireless system for example (their newest and best on the market for 2018) you’ll need Honeywell’s AlarmNet interactive services (Total Connect 2) for remote control from a smartphone and a UL central station such as COPS Monitoring. Your local dealer will charge $35 – $60 per month for a three year commitment where SafeHomeCentral charges just $15 for cellular remote control with UL central station dispatch. I note this because many online dealers offer self-monitoring as an option which requires the homeowners to actually call the police of fire department. Crazy! For a real shock take a look at ADT’s alarm monitoring fees.Saving Money Going DIY
Saving money without spending a lot of time installing your home security system upfront as well as on the backend (alarm monitoring) is what its all about.
- Do some research on the brands and models available, both from local dealers as well as online security dealers
- How long has the dealer been in business? This can be important especially with guys working out of their trunk and online dealers who just set up shop with their laptop. SafeHomeCentral for example has been in the home and commercial security alarm business since 1987.
- Always go with an industry leader such as Honeywell, DSC or Alula/Resolution. Some newer brands such as 2GIG and Qolsys are up and coming but just don’t have the sensor range of options yet. For a recommendation we standardized on the Honeywell Lyric for our own pro-installs in the Philadelphia area. Hard to go wrong using Honeywell security products.
- Use an online alarm monitoring provider. Always go no contract, don’t get locked in! Some can save you even more with annual prepay discounts too.
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