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If you've noticed some weird Total Connect 2.0 behavior starting yesterday morning and going throughout the day yesterday, it's because Honeywell had an issue with their AlarmNet servers that lasted from 8:30AM to 9:30AM EST.

The issue did not affect all Honeywell AlarmNet customers but if you had reports from the central station about an E353 trouble or saw error messages on your keypad about a Check 103 LRR or 103 trouble, that was most likely caused by the server issues.

It seems that any commands sent from TC2 during the time the servers had the problem may not have gone through, and any commands initiated from the local keypad did not report properly to TC2 at that time. Once the issue was resolved, the server had a back log of TC2 alerts that hadn't gone out and then the servers started releasing all of the back logged alerts/events.

This caused some people to get TC2 alerts that their system was disarmed when it in fact was still armed. We realize how inconvenient that can be as an alert telling you that your system was disarmed when no one is home can be very disconcerting.

We wanted to use this Honeywell server error as a chance to explain the Total Connect 2.0 "virtual keypad" feature so that everyone understands how that works, and in case of future server errors, may be able to avoid running home to verify if a system is armed or disarmed.

On the Total Connect 2.0 "front end", you'll see a system status showing if the system is armed or disarmed. Unfortunately, that status is reported from the servers and can sometimes be wrong (depending on panel communication issues or server issues). However, if you understand how the virtual keypad works, you will have a way to know for sure if your system is armed or not. On the totalconnect2.com website, you'll find the option for the virtual keypad under the Security module.

You can see in the picture below that the word Keypad is hovering over the actual keypad icon. That's just because we had our mouse hovered over the keypad when we took the screen shot to highlight where the icon is displayed.

If you hit that button, it pulls up a new screen and actually initiates a live connection to the system. You'll first see a screen showing the virtual keypad and the display on the keypad will read "Connecting..."

After a minute or so, the live connection to the system will be established, and you'll see the keypad screen update to the actual system status.

As this is a live connection to the system, as opposed to the "front end" TC2 status which was just the last status that was reported to the servers, there's no way for this status to display anything other than the real system status.

If you ever receive an arm/disarm signal from the system to your TC2 account that doesn't seem to be accurate, check the virtual keypad and you'll know for sure what the system is doing. If you do see your front end TC2 status different than the live keypad connection, just initiate a set of arm and disarm (if you are currently disarmed) or disarm and arm (if you are currently armed) commands which should bring the front end status back up to date.

The virtual keypad can also be initiated from the mobile app as well. Using the Security tab in the app, you simply click the word Keypad in the top right to initiate the connection to the virtual keypad.

That will take you to the "connecting" screen:

and then after a minute or so, you'll see the true live system status:

Your TC2 account's front end should not ever be out of sync with the true system status with any kind of regularity, but understanding how to use the virtual keypad in cases where you suspect it may be out of sync will give you the confidence to know what the true system status is, and then you can use the virtual keypad to fix the front end yourself.

One last important note is that if your system is offline, meaning the AlarmNet communicator your system is using (IP, cellular or both) is fully offline, when you try the virtual keypad connection, you'll end up on a screen that looks like this on the totalconnect2.com website:

and like this on the Total Connect 2.0 mobile app:

You'll notice that it stays on the "connecting" screen for much longer than usual in these instances. If you ever get to this message, you'll need to troubleshoot your communicator's connection as the error is an indication that your system is currently offline.Your TC2 front end can be showing the wrong state if the system is offline as the server's only know the last state of the system before it went offline.

We hope this information helps make your experience with using Total Connect 2.0 an easier process and as always, feel free to contact us at support@alarmgrid.com if you have any questions about Total Connect 2.0.

AT&T has been announcing a deprecation of the 2G radios for a number of years. At midnight January 1, 2017, the network was turned off.

If you're one of the many Americans who has a 2G alarm system, and you've been caught flatfooted for one reason or another, Alarm Grid is here to help. For those who upgrade their 2G radio programmed to a different company's service to a new radio, Alarm Grid will provide 2 months of free monitoring.

If you have a bf error showing on your panel or a Check 103 error, we have some great FAQs explaining what you need to do to fix the error. Additionally, below, you will find a guide explaining how to go about fixing the problems. Generally you will need to replace your radio - a move that is dependent on the type of system you have. The following alert is on our FAQs pertaining to this issue, and will walk you through what you need to do to upgrade.

Happy Holidays! And whatever holiday you celebrate, we hope that you have a wonderful weekend.

Alarm Grid is taking today off.

Everyone is at home all snug in their beds. If there's something you need, call the central station instead! Or perhaps, if you need something they just can't do, send an email to support@alarmgrid.com, and on Monday when we're back, we'll promptly get back to you.

We hope that the holidays treat you all well. That you're safe and secure. And that the holidays end for you with lots of stories to tell. Perhaps when we're back, the next time you call, you can tell them to us. We'll listen to them all. :)

Honeywell has discontinued the 5811 sensor and magnet. This popular sensor is the unit that has always been sent out with our most popular kits. It has been replaced by the Honeywell 5800MINI, a smaller, slightly sleeker device with a number of added benefits and improved range.

While not as common in the field as the 5816, the 5811s have, to date, been the contact that anyone looking for a small profile unit have purchased. And while not as thin as the 5820Ls, which are perfect for applications where a window has a very small lip, the discreet 5811 sensors are a well-loved mainstay of the Honeywell line. We are sad to see them go, but are excited about the new 5800MINIs that have replaced them.

For those ordering kits, our images show the old sensor. You will, however, from now on, be receiving the 5800MINIs. We'll be replacing the product shots in short order, but for now, please be aware of the change.

Unfortunately, for those looking to replace old 5811 sensors with new 5811 sensors, we are completely out of stock as is Honeywell. The new 5800MINIs should suffice.

The Alarm Grid team is going to be enjoying the holiday. If you are in need of service, please email us at support@alarmgrid.com.

As usual, Alarm Grid's monitoring partner, CMS will be open through the Thanksgiving holiday, and will make sure that your homes are being looked over while you are gone. You can reach the central station by calling the Alarm Grid main phone number, and dialing "1".

If you're in charge of cooking this year, don't forget to turn off your oven. And if you're one of the intrepid souls who is deep frying your bird, do it safely. While we have confidence in our life safety devices like the 5808W3 or the 5809, our hope is that you never ever ever need to use them.

Oh, and before I forget, here at Alarm Grid, we are thankful that you have given us the opportunity to protect your home and family. Thank you for being part of the Alarm Grid family. And we hope that next year, when this holiday comes back around, that you are still here.

The 6150 series keypads have always been the non-programming version of the 6160s. Mimicking many of the features, the 6160s allow users many of the same functions the 6160s have minus the simple programming. They are usually used as a companion keypad, for that reason. The 6160 used to program, the 6150 used as the peripheral keypads.

The 6150V, the voice annunciating version of the 6150 has been discontinued. For those who are after a voice annunciation option, the 6160V is the replacement that will work on a VISTA wired security system.

The IPCAM-WOEXT is being kicked to the curb. This useful unit was an extension cord for Honeywell's popular Alarmnet outdoor camera. But as Honeywell is slowly upgrading their line of cameras, everything is changing. And while this piece has been one of the simplest ways to get an extra bit of range from your electrical outlet to the camera, it is not going to be with us in short order.

At this time, Honeywell has not indicated whether the part is going to be replaced by anything new. But we suspect that once it is gone, it will be gone for good. It is a piece that is included in the IPCAM-WO box, though that may come to an end as well. We shall know very soon. Though we suspect it is going to continue to be included in the camera box, and not available on its own.

For those who need it, now is a good time to pick one up. We have a few left, and as supply gets exhausted, the cords will be doled out on a first come first serve basis.

Honeywell has discontinued its pan tilt camera, and Alarm Grid is saying goodbye to the unit as soon as we run out of inventory. This camera was among our favorite of the Honeywell Alarmnet cameras, and we're sad to see it go. That said, its replacement, the IPCAM-PT2 is a vast improvement over the old version of the camera, and it is going to be a little bit cheaper!

Unlike its predecessor, the IPCAM-PT2 is takes images in high-resolution 1280x720 video and it supports flash upgrades, meaning that it can be brought up to date with technology as it changes. All of the other things that you have come to know and love about the IPCAM-PT will continue on in the new model.

We strive to have some of the best pricing on the internet for security products. When prices are reduced for us, we do our best to quickly pass off those savings to anyone who has made a purchase here.

In the last week, we have reduced the prices on over 100 items an average of 6%. Our Lyric kits have all seen price reductions between 6% and 19%.

Below is the list of all items whose price has been reduced. We hope you enjoy the savings!

Alarm Grid has been beta testing the Lyric Controller for about 6 months now, letting users install it on their own using their DIY resources.

“We were the only DIY company to test and release the Lyric to end users. And our users have loved the system,” said Sterling Donnelly, President of Alarm Grid. “Even though the system is more advanced than any other system Honeywell has released to consumers, our videos and FAQs have made the installation process a breeze for anyone who wants to take advantage of the new features of the Lyric.”

In a unusual move, Honeywell announced the new system in January 2015 at CES. The buzz surrounding this new, modern, HomeKit compatible system was astounding. “The day that Honeywell made their announcement, we started getting inquiries,” said Joshua Unseth, Alarm Grid’s director of marketing. “We wanted to make sure that everyone who wanted to get a Lyric was able to as soon as they were released.”

Alarm Grid made good on that promise, releasing the Lyric some 5 months ago. “Since we released the system, it has become our most successful launch to date,” said Unseth. “The system has sold better than the L7000 and L5210 combined, and the response by the do-it-yourself community has been astounding. Our users love the Lyric.”

Needless to say, there are a number of features that make this panel different than any other security system ever developed. Most notably, perhaps, is the way the wireless sensors, themselves, communicate to the main board. While previous systems had been developed allowing one-way communication between the mounted sensors and the panel, Lyric’s SiX sensor technology, allows for two-way, fully encrypted communication between the panel and the sensors. This means that sensors themselves can receive firmware updates and that the communication between the Lyric and its sensors is uninterruptible. Moreover, for those that have invested in the older 5800 Honeywell technology which was standard with all wireless systems before the Lyric, the sensors are backwards compatible.

“Users can upgrade their old system without having to buy all new sensors,” said Donnelly. “They can get all the functionality of their old sensors, and the new functionality available as part of the Lyric at a really affordable price.”

To date, the Lyric was only available to dealers who were approved by Honeywell, which meant that the panel was difficult to get. But now that it has been tested for some months in the field, Honeywell has opened up the distribution of the system to all dealers. “We hope that the work we did with the Lyric will help other dealers deploy this state-of-the-art panel successfully,” said Unseth. “We have worked with Honeywell closely to suss out some of the early software problems that the panel suffered, and Honeywell has been extremely responsive in rolling out updates. We think that our partnership has been extremely beneficial to the project, and are excited to see the Lyric end up in the hands of more and more consumers.”

When asked if there were any features that end users would dislike, Unseth said, “the Lyric lock program will allow companies to lock end users into their service. If an end user wants to unlock the panel, they really can’t. We recommend that end users ask their alarm technicians if their company locks the panel when it is installed. Get in writing that they do not or will not. We never lock panels,” said Unseth, “but we understand why companies do. Companies work hard for their accounts, and unscrupulous companies will often try to swoop in and steal customers. That said, customers should do what they can to retain control of their options for monitoring. One way to do that is to politely ask their dealers not to lock their Lyric controller after the installation.”

“We strongly believe this is going to be the most popular DIY panel of the next 5 to 10 years,” said Donnelly. “It’s easy to install, it provides a unprecedented level of security, and it looks really good on the wall. For those looking to get this system affordably, or to upgrade their old system, give us a call, we would love to help them get the best security system on the market at a cost they can stomach.”

Alarm Grid provides resources on YouTube, and encourages anyone with questions to email them at support@alarmgrid.com.