killervette
Active Member
I have an Elk m1 gold with the ethernet module. is there anything else i need to use the nextalarm service? i see the ABN talked about, but i am not sure if i need it. Also, where in ElkRP do you setup NextAlarm?
What is needed to communicate to NextAlarm?
- Thread starter killervette
- Start date
Sandpiper
Active Member
NextAlarm cannot communicate with the M1 via the ethernet module. NextAlarm requires either POTS telephone or the ABN module.
killervette
Active Member
I was hoping to use the ethernet internet line. If i cant use that, i guess i will need a anynet wireless module. If i get that, how will it interface with elk? thanks guys
WayneW
Senior Member
The marketing folks would like you to believe that you are REQUIRED to have the ABN module for VOIP use, but there are many of us here that use VOIP without the ABN module and no apparent problems. YMMV and murphy's law says your VOIP issues will be worst when you really needed that alarm notification, rather than a routine arm/disarm notification.
The M1 XEP can only be used with a (probably local) dealer using a central station that supports IP notification. NextAlarm currently doesn't, although they talked about it previously.
icellama21
Active Member
From my experience with VOIP, get a cellular backup. Unfortunately some of the problems with VOIP can lead your panel to think a "failure to communicate" was "success". So I'd use the VOIP as the backup.
My only problem with that is people HAVE had problems using IP connection with NextAlarm when they didn't use the ABN. The fact that it doesn't seem to be consistant is enough for me to receommend that people pay the extra money for the ABN. To cheap out at the last moment and potentially get a connection that fails when needed most just isn't worth it IMHO. Everyone will have their own personal opinion - this is just mine.
If you are looking at cellular options, I would really look at the new HAI cellular communicator that is now shipping. It runs around $200 (probably a little less), but looks like a regular land line to nextalarm, so you don't have to pay for the extra "cellular" service charge. Of course you have to pay for the cellular service itself, so it might be a wash if you didn't already have service you could piggy back on.
mustangcoupe
Senior Member
ddennerline
Active Member
I just finished hooking up my ElkM1G to NextAlarm last weekend. All that was required was using the ElkRP software to modify the, “Telephones and Communicator,†dialog screens. It was much easier than I anticipated. The hardest part was entering all the zone information manually into NextAlarm Web site.
I spent lots of time researching VoIP, Cellular, ABN because I did not have a POTS. I used cable Internet and cellphone.
After crunching numbers and options, the decision came down to alarm industry is still stuck in the POTS time capsule.
• Cellular – Requires extra equipment including a battery backup. Extra expense too.
• VoIP – May or may not work depending on the audio codec (i.e., compression) that is used. Your calls are being routed over Internet. Who knows how your alarm call will be routed/multiplexed? One minute your UDP/RTP packet can be traveling to SanDiego and the next millisecond packets have been redirected to Chicago.
• POTS – works out of the box with ElkM1G. In addition, the M1G can be controlled over the phone remotely. Lastly, the dinosaur analog phone system has been in place for 20-30 years. Analog calls have higher connection rates and lower drop rates.
• ABN – Proprietary technology. I couldn’t find a UL listing for the device. The ABN is probably very reliable signaling alarm notification device. There are some unsubstantiated reports on Internet about delayed alarm signals.
• IP signaling – this would probably be the best option if redundant/high availability signaling protocol was deployed. This way you could use any IP capable transmitter. For example, Clear/Wimax has just started service in my neck of the woods.
Basically, I switched to DSL Extreme and barebones POTs. I think the cost is about $65 – which was around same cost that Comcast was charging me for Cable Internet (no TV programming).
Needless to say I wasn’t too excited to have to re-install POTs. It basically came down to the analog phone system has a proven track record. I want my alarm signal to be 100% responded to. Cellular was probably my next best choice, but with equipment and service charge, it was a push – with analog reliability being the trump card.
I spent lots of time researching VoIP, Cellular, ABN because I did not have a POTS. I used cable Internet and cellphone.
After crunching numbers and options, the decision came down to alarm industry is still stuck in the POTS time capsule.
• Cellular – Requires extra equipment including a battery backup. Extra expense too.
• VoIP – May or may not work depending on the audio codec (i.e., compression) that is used. Your calls are being routed over Internet. Who knows how your alarm call will be routed/multiplexed? One minute your UDP/RTP packet can be traveling to SanDiego and the next millisecond packets have been redirected to Chicago.
• POTS – works out of the box with ElkM1G. In addition, the M1G can be controlled over the phone remotely. Lastly, the dinosaur analog phone system has been in place for 20-30 years. Analog calls have higher connection rates and lower drop rates.
• ABN – Proprietary technology. I couldn’t find a UL listing for the device. The ABN is probably very reliable signaling alarm notification device. There are some unsubstantiated reports on Internet about delayed alarm signals.
• IP signaling – this would probably be the best option if redundant/high availability signaling protocol was deployed. This way you could use any IP capable transmitter. For example, Clear/Wimax has just started service in my neck of the woods.
Basically, I switched to DSL Extreme and barebones POTs. I think the cost is about $65 – which was around same cost that Comcast was charging me for Cable Internet (no TV programming).
Needless to say I wasn’t too excited to have to re-install POTs. It basically came down to the analog phone system has a proven track record. I want my alarm signal to be 100% responded to. Cellular was probably my next best choice, but with equipment and service charge, it was a push – with analog reliability being the trump card.
I have an OmniproII. I really don't want POTS as well. I decided to stick with Comcast internet and continue to use my ooma VOIP. I initially had the ooma hooked up to the OP, but we kept getting communicator trouble every couple days. Purchased the ABN from nextalarm, and since have had no communicator trouble. I check nextalarm online once in a while and they have been receiving my triggers immediately.
I bought the HAI C3 and am about to install it. It's too easy for someone to cut the cable or POTS line outside, so I felt it's important to have it as a backup anyways. Tmobile card 10$ for 30 minutes should last the 90 days its good for, so it's 40/year.
I bought the HAI C3 and am about to install it. It's too easy for someone to cut the cable or POTS line outside, so I felt it's important to have it as a backup anyways. Tmobile card 10$ for 30 minutes should last the 90 days its good for, so it's 40/year.
killervette
Active Member
Can you not just use a Uplink Anynet as the primary communications device? why would you buy an ABN and then another item on top of that? Is there a downside of just using the cellular device?
Anynet can't sent contact ID from the Omnipro, but the C3 device can. Would require an additional 7.50/month as well to use anynet.
For primary use, I would have to get a real line of GSM service, as I would likely use a lot of minutes. That's going to cost me a lot over the long run if service is around 30-40/month. Buying an ABN is a little over 100, plus you get 3 months free monitoring. With cell as a backup, a prepaid service is enough and will be only 40/year.
ddennerline
Active Member
When visiting friends home that have alarms, I have taken in informal survey. Most homes with alarms have demarcation box in plain sight. In many cases the, phone wire is not even protected.
I moved my green demarcation box inside the house. From a certain distance from house, I dug up the cat3 wire and placed inside conduit. The telephone line is completely buried. It's rather difficult to figure out where it's coming into house. Intruder would have to bring some electrical signal finding equipment or figure out a way to break into street switching box.
The bare-bones POTs line is $24 – including taxes.
The ElkM1 and Digicell Anynet ($~150) combination can support sending Contact information. This combination requires a Elk-XSP lighting module for ~$63 [more $$$$].
Purchase an auxiliary power supply and battery because Digicell can use up two 2amps [more $$$$].
Locate an appropriately “secure†place to install the Digicell. There may be problems with placing the device in flush mounted (inside wall) structured media box. You probably would want to hide it in a closet out of harms way, so the box cannot be pulled down from the wall [more work].
Wire the Digicell back to panel [more work].
You would have to reconfigure panel to use Digicell is primary or backup [more work].
Get a prepaid GSM account. Most prepaid cell accounts require a credit card. Using credit cards to automatically pay bills has been a problem with me in the past due to fraud and loosing credit card. The prepaid account would always have to have a big enough buffer to cover the lock-out period, receive new card, and update account information window [potential hassle].
I really considered doing all the above because have a strong distaste for Ma Bell. At least for Elk, the POTs is an easy to setup with no additional equipment charges.
I moved my green demarcation box inside the house. From a certain distance from house, I dug up the cat3 wire and placed inside conduit. The telephone line is completely buried. It's rather difficult to figure out where it's coming into house. Intruder would have to bring some electrical signal finding equipment or figure out a way to break into street switching box.
The bare-bones POTs line is $24 – including taxes.
The ElkM1 and Digicell Anynet ($~150) combination can support sending Contact information. This combination requires a Elk-XSP lighting module for ~$63 [more $$$$].
Purchase an auxiliary power supply and battery because Digicell can use up two 2amps [more $$$$].
Locate an appropriately “secure†place to install the Digicell. There may be problems with placing the device in flush mounted (inside wall) structured media box. You probably would want to hide it in a closet out of harms way, so the box cannot be pulled down from the wall [more work].
Wire the Digicell back to panel [more work].
You would have to reconfigure panel to use Digicell is primary or backup [more work].
Get a prepaid GSM account. Most prepaid cell accounts require a credit card. Using credit cards to automatically pay bills has been a problem with me in the past due to fraud and loosing credit card. The prepaid account would always have to have a big enough buffer to cover the lock-out period, receive new card, and update account information window [potential hassle].
I really considered doing all the above because have a strong distaste for Ma Bell. At least for Elk, the POTs is an easy to setup with no additional equipment charges.
TXFlatLander
Active Member
The ABN, from my observations, is just a Linksys PAP2T. NextAlarm has Asterisk boxes with a ContactID module on them. If you search the Asterisk site you can find it. The PAP2T is configured to their Asterisk boxes as the VoIP provider. The panel dials out through the PAP2T which is modulated to their Asterisk box and the DTMF tones are deciphered by the ContactID module. This allows them to stay away from the modulation to demodulation to modulation to demodulation and codecs that plagues normal ContactID via DTMF over VoIP. If you were to unlock the ABN (PAP2T), you could see the configuration that they have to connect to their Asterisk box. Again, my observation but I doubt they reinvented the wheel.
killervette
Active Member
well, i ordered a ABN to get me started. I will worry about backup cellular stuff later on. thanks guys
