Best Cellular Monitoring Option

[tmbrown97]

Hey All,

Just a quick poll here... what's the current preferred method of going cellular-only for alarm monitoring of an M1? Pros/Cons of different options? My current home has no land line and no Vonage - I'm only using Ooma for their $3.50/month basic service.

I know I certainly prefer something that connects to the data bus - I don't want something that captures and fakes the phone line if I can avoid it.

Going through the Elk documentation, I got the impression that the Uplink AnyNet would be the best way, but it doesn't appear to be a current product from UpLink unless I'm missing something - is there a replacement model that works the same way, or did I miss something?

Just looking for some real world experience here... I'll most likely go with NextAlarm because of their advanced notification options (to replace what the XEP doesn't do well).

What do you do if cell service fails? Will the alarm know it wasn't successful in transmitting an alarm? Is anyone using multi-carrier systems?

Thanks!

 

[WayneW]

The Uplink 2500 appears to be the replacement (or new name) for the AnyNet. It works with an Elk XSP, not directly on the Elk databus. AFAIK, this communicates via SMS. Yes, I believe that Elk would indicate a Comm Failure if all central station notification methods failed. I wish Elk would log when it had to use your secondary notification method so you could tell how reliable your primary was.

 

[Steve]

Personally I would use the HAI C3, even if I still had the M1.

 

[mikejrc]

I have been looking for the same for 2 weeks now and so far there is no communicator that will interface directly with the elk that I know of
in order to have full reporting capability all cellular or radio communicators emulate a phone line and capture your reporting codes
work2play I sent you a private message about this and my ideas on coming up with a different solution that doesn't rely on central stations and the current line of cell or radio backups
let me know what you think

 

[mikejrc]

the only way to communicate everything that happens with your elk without using a "dial capture" type of transmitter is to capture the data coming out of the serial port
no cell or radio device on the market does this

 

[tmbrown97]

the only way to communicate everything that happens with your elk without using a "dial capture" type of transmitter is to capture the data coming out of the serial port
no cell or radio device on the market does this

Sorry man - I thought I'd replied that day but saw it still open on my screen today.

I know the Uplink Anynet connects over a serial port using an XSP - that's why I was thinking that sounded like a better option... Steve - I'm curious why you stated you'd prefer HAI? If I understood correctly, that was a dialer capture device.

The reason I know I don't like dial-capture devices is that the Elk thinks is successfully transmitted and communicated with a central station - it has no idea if the device (be it most cellular transmitters or ABN's) actually connected. I believe - but want to confirm - that when using an UplinkAnynet or similar that it'll have some sort of positive feedback whether the signal was sent or not.

That was the point of this thread though - to see what others have learned.

 

[mikejrc]

technically no... once a panel receives the kissoff from the central receiver the panel hangs up can considers the transmission a success.
on a control panel you can make a siren or a strobe flash after successful central station communication which helps if you are at home but not when you are away.
in other words what we need is a two way communicating/reporting device or method that would give you real time feedback.

I looked some info about the HAI and it is dial capture
I looked some info about the Uplink 2500 that someone mentioned and is not full reporting it has inputs for 4 zones etc but not dial capture or serial connection.
I will look for the one that connects to the XSP

 

[Del91574]

the 2500 is serial OR can take generic inputs.

The better dialer capture units, like the TG1 (not express) TG4 or higher or DSC's GS3060, have a supervisory relay or multiples, that (in a proper installation) get wired back to the host panel and programmed to a 24 hr supervisory zone. While they don't tell you the exact nature of the trouble, such as a FTC, LB or similar, at least they'll notify the panel something's wrong. The 2500 and a serial port connection will at least, with the proper rule, tell the panel itself if the cell is online or not. Until you start spending a big chunk of cash, none of the units are going to be a true cellular dialer to a central station, so a true FTC condition won't be known if the cell is "up" and it still receives it's data, but at least with the proper installation of a capture unit, either via the serial port or otherwise, it'll still show something on the panel is going on, but like you said, if you're not there, you won't know.

The real thing to consider is how your cell backup provider acts as protocol on a "lost" cell transmitter, such as contact the subscriber or what.

Read page 25, specifically the bottom of the serial port manual for the Elk, all right there.

 

[mikejrc]

that is correct the uplink 2500 has a serial port
I was thinking that the elk manual referred to an uplink anynet digicell unit which seems to be discontined
the 2500 is the only one capable of full reporting
but I agree the only way to know if a signal was sent or not would be dependent on the protocol used by uplink
if a transmitter can't finish sending a signal to report something back to the elk
uplink also could request a signal retransmission from their end, upon several requests if a transmitter can't communicate back then to contact the home owner and notify something is not ok with the unit or network

 

[kauthier]

I was just browsing through this tread and I gather the reason you don't want to go with dialer capture is that you are under the impression that the cell unit will generate a kissoff regarless if it transmitted or not. I know for sure the DSC's GS3060 will not generate a kissoff unless it has successfully reported to the clearing house. Ofcourse your monitoring company would need a Sur-Gard receiver since from the clearing house it gets to them via IP.
The unit also has the added benefit of being installed between the panel and a real phone line, so you could use it as a back up. If the phone line fails it will take over, or if it determines the panel is having trouble dialling out it will take over.