Service Announcements Posts

Hi DIYers! We have learned that Alarm.com has rolled out the facial recognition feature for the Qolsys IQ Panel 2. This feature notifies a user if an unrecognized face disarms the system using a valid code. The user can receive these unexpected activity alerts via text and/or email.

This is the first time we have seen a home security system using facial recognition technology. Although the feature is still in its early stages, we believe it will be very useful in helping end users remain safe and secure. Facial recognition will work with both the standard IQ Panel 2 and the IQ Panel 2 Plus, as long as the system is connected with a local WIFI network and running at least Firmware Version 2.3.0 or higher. More about this Firmware Update is available here.

In order to use this feature, you must enable the Capture Panel Camera Disarm Images from within the IQ Panel 2 settings. To do this start from the main screen of the system, and press the small grey bar at the top. Choose Settings > Advanced Settings > Installer Code (default 1111) > Installation > Camera Settings. Then make sure the Disarm Photos option is enabled. Press the picture of the house at the bottom of the screen to return to the home screen when finished.

The setting will also need to be enabled and configured through Alarm.com. If you don't already have a monitoring plan with access to Alarm.com, you can check out our alarm monitoring page for more information. If necessary, check with your alarm monitoring company to make sure that the Unexpected Activity Alerts feature and the Images - Plus feature are both enabled. At this time, only customers in the United States can use this feature.

Each user should have their own access code for the system. This is necessary for the facial recognition feature to work properly. If you need to create a new user, you can login to Alarm.com through the website. Click the Users tab on the left, and then choose Add New User. Then follow the steps to add a new user to the system. This will involve choosing a system code and providing any notification information.

From there, you will proceed to turn on the facial recognition feature. Login to the Alarm.com website, and choose the Settings tab on the left. Then choose Facial Recognition. You must then approve the necessary agreements before continuing. This will tell the panel to start collecting data for facial recognition. However, you won't be able to use the feature right away. You need to collect some images first!

Most users should just go about their business collecting images as they use the panel. Or you can be like us and repeatedly arm and disarm the panel to quickly collect images. Make sure you are using the code associated with the user you want to enable the facial recognition feature for. Just be aware that it may take a few moments for the images to show up on alarm.com.

Once you have collected some images, choose the Settings option on the Alarm.com website, and choose the Facial Recognition option. Press the blue Get Started button underneath Configuration. Then choose the user you want to configure facial recognition for. Choose the calibration option. Alarm.com will show you if there are any images to review. Go through and choose the checkmark for any image that is yours. If you see any image without your face, press the X button. You will need a minimum of 10 images to enable the feature.

Once you have 10 images, you can enable Unexpected Activity for facial recognition. From Alarm.com, choose the Notifications tab. Then find the Unexpected Activity option, and make sure it is turned on. Then press the pencil on the right to edit the settings. You will see the option for Facial Recognition. Make sure it is enabled for the user with at least 10 approved images. Then you can choose where the notifications will be sent at the bottom of the screen. Both emails and phones for text messages can be configured. Press Save when finished.

You will then receive alerts for any unexpected activity!

If you have any questions about this feature, please reach out to us! You can email us at support@alarmgrid.com or call us at (888) 818-7728 during our normal business hours of 9am to 8pm EST M-F. We look forward to helping you get the very most out of your IQ Panel 2 System.

Hi DIYers! After you sign-up for monitoring service and get your system, you still need to have it activated! This is a one-time process that is used to get your system up and running and communicating properly. We have some tips to make sure that your alarm system activation is successful.

Alarm Grid is a DIY monitoring company. All the support we provide is either online or over the phone. When you sign up for one of our self-monitoring plans, we can usually activate your account remotely, with no one onsite. However, if you sign up for one of our central station monitored accounts, the process is slightly more involved and requires an appointment. Anyone on-site can complete this process, so you can certainly ask a spouse, relative or other roommate to do this on your behalf.

During your activation appointment, you will be on a live phone call with one of our support technicians. The technician will create your account, verify the information you have provided for the monitoring company, and walk you through a test to verify a working system. Our activation appointments are allotted one hour. We know that your time is valuable, so we want to ensure that the process goes smoothly and quickly and results in a successful activation!

The basic premise behind an activation is that you will have a pre-arranged time slot during which an Alarm Grid activator will call you and provide you with one-on-one and focused attention to help program your system to communicate successfully. You will receive information beforehand via email with some basic guidelines to follow. This is designed to help get you ready for your activation. Remember, nobody is going to come out to your home or business. Your Alarm Grid activation will be completed over the phone, and you will be the one working at the panel.

While our team members will certainly do their jobs, you have to do your part as well for the activation to be successful! By following these five tips, you can help us perform our duties more effectively and make the overall process easier for both of us:

1. Be on-site. Although our support is provided over the phone, an activation occurs at the panel or keypad. Security systems cannot be initially setup or programmed remotely. You, or a designee, need to be on-site with the system to complete the activation. If you aren't on-site, we will need to reschedule the activation. There are no exceptions to this rule, and a rescheduled activation is very inconvenient for both of us. Don't think that you can activate your system while you are driving, on a plane, or on vacation. You must be at your home or business directly in front of the panel. All the work will be completed right there.

2. Know your codes. Many panel activations are stalled or terminated because a customer does not know their codes. We have no way of seeing any system codes until the system is activated. You really need to know these codes to complete the process.For an activation, you will need to know the system's Installer Code. This is the system code used for deep-level programming. If the system is brand-new, then the Installer Code is almost certainly at its default. If the system has been monitored before, then a different monitoring company may have changed the code to lock the customer out of programming.

Knowing your Installer Code is crucial as a DIY user. After all, you will want to be able to make your own system programming changes when needed. At Alarm Grid, we work to empower our customers and prevent them from ever being locked out of programming mode. That is why we advise our customers to keep their Installer Codes at the default. If you don't know your Installer Code, trying the default first is always a good option. If that code doesn't work, then you may need to get the information from your prior monitoring company. If they are refusing to provide your Installer Code, then they are holding your system hostage, and you can often threaten legal action!

Keep in mind that some systems offer the option for a backdoor method that can be used to get into programming if the Installer Code is lost. Once you are inside programming, you can change the Installer Code to something you know. However, this process is not possible for every panel. Any backdoor steps should be completed prior to your activation, as it takes up valuable time to complete the process. Alarm Grid offers the following FAQs that cover the backdoor process:

• Backdoor Method on a LYNX Touch
• Backdoor Method on a VISTA

The default Installer Code can usually be determined by the manufacturer of the panel. Keep in mind that there are occasionally some panels that break this norm. The typical default Installer Code and Master Code for various alarm system manufacturers is shown in the table below:

3. Program beforehand. Having to go through and program a panel will slow down any system activation. You really should have most or all of this process completed prior to your scheduled activation slot. Of course, if you have any questions or troubles with programming, then our team is happy to help. But just remember that it gets in the way of our main task of configuring the system. Getting an early start with programming is a great way to start learning your system and setting things up the way you want. This includes things like learning-in sensors and adjusting Entry and Exit Delay timers to your liking.

We offer many FAQs and videos that can help you complete various programming tasks. We also encourage you to use the search bar in the upper-right corner of our website to browse through any content we have created. Also keep in mind that there may be answers elsewhere. You can always search Google or YouTube to see what solutions and guides you come across. We fully understand that the typical DIY user will have a few minor programming questions; that is to be expected. But whatever you can figure out and complete yourself will save trouble and time during your appointment!

4. Listen to your technician. One thing you can most definitely expect during your activation is to receive instructions from your Alarm Grid technician. It is very important that you listen carefully and follow these instructions exactly as described. Your technician is working to get you through the process as quickly and accurately as possible. The steps we provide and the tasks we ask you to complete are given for a reason. We're trying to help you to keep your family, and your property safe. So put on your best listening ears and follow our instructions. Before you know it, you'll be ready to go with a complete security system!

5. Minimize conversation. Our support technicians are all very friendly, and we will gladly listen to you. But just remember that we're here to get a job done within a relatively small time window. We understand that you may be very excited about getting a new alarm system. And if you just moved into a new home, then you most definitely have some interesting stories to tell about the experience. We realize that you probably want to tell everyone about your new house that you've worked hard for. While that's great, it also slows down our activation.

Look, we know that some small talk is to be expected. We enjoy talking with our customers and providing friendly service. That's one of our top-goals. But we also want to move through the process efficiently. If you start getting off-task, then it will not be in the best interest of our activation. While we won't shoot down any customer who wants to socialize, we will be trying to subtly move the process along. You're certainly free to talk with us during your activation, but you may want to save any deep conversations or lengthy stories for a neighbor, your family or your co-workers at the water-cooler. It's nothing personal, we just have a job to do!

Have you signed-up for Alarm Grid monitoring yet? If not, now is a great time to get started. Just click the orange Monitoring button at the top of the page to check out our plans. You can also start browsing our site for a security system to install in your home or business. If you need help planning an Alarm Grid security system, reach out to us by emailing support@alarmgrid.com. We also accept phone calls at (888) 818-7728 during our normal business hours of 9am to 8pm EST M-F. We look forward to working with you during your activation!

The Alarm Grid office will be closing early at 6pm on December 31st, 2018. We will remain closed through January 1st, 2019. Our office will reopen at 9am on January 2nd, 2019. Our support team will not be answering phones or checking any emails or online chats while we are closed.

If you need to reach us during this time, your best option is to send an email to support@alarmgrid.com. We will review all our emails thoroughly when we return on January 2nd and respond as quickly as possible. We appreciate your patience and understanding during this time.

Alarm Grid would like to wish everyone a Happy New Year's Eve and New Year's Day. Please stay safe, and remember to arm your security system if you decide to go out. If you are experiencing a real emergency, you can always reach your local authorities by calling 911. Please check back to this blog in 2019 for more updates from Alarm Grid.

Hi DIYers! We have very exciting news for Qolsys IQ Panel 2 users today. Software update 2.3.0 is now available! This biggest highlight of this update is the ability to control up to four distinct partitions with the system. Other great features are also provided to enhance the system.

With the all-new partition support, the IQ Panel 2 is now the second wireless alarm panel we carry to support the feature, after the 2GIG GC3. This feature allows a user to essentially section off their alarm system so that they can restrict access to certain areas. Each partition can be assigned a certain set of user codes in order to determine who can access each part of the security system.

After receiving the update, a screen lock feature will also be added to limit access to the panel. Please note that you must enable partitions from within Installer Settings before the feature can be used. This will also apply the screen lock. After you have done this, the main screen will reflect that partitioning has been enabled, and there will be a Partitions option within the Advanced Settings menu.

Also note that this update is available for both the original IQ Panel 2 System, as well as the Qolsys IQ Panel 2 Plus. Other features that also come with the update include:

• Support for new PowerG devices for IQ Panel 2 Plus System, including the PG9936 Smoke Detector, PG9933 CO Detector, PG9307 Recessed Contact, PG9309 Vanishing Door and Window Contact, PG9309 Door and Window Contact with Auxiliary Input, PG9312 Outdoor Door and Window Contact, and PG9862 360-degree Ceiling Mount PIR Motion Sensor.
• Ability to create 6-digit user codes.
• Improvements to panel camera, including "peek-in now" and "peek-in next motion" from Alarm.com, as well as disarm photos after remote disarm through Bluetooth, key fob or ADC.
• Local automation features for panels not yet set up with ADC, including automatic locking of all locks at night, setting all thermostats to automatic mode, and controlling lights to activate Light 1 at night and turning off all lights in the morning.
• Maximum number of thermostats increased from 6 to 10.
• Maximum number of door locks increased from 6 to 20.
• User code names now sync automatically between the panel and ADC.
• New Sensor Type of "Temperature - Group 51" for the PG9905 PowerG Temperature Sensor.
• Fixed various bugs.

To perform the update, press the small grey bar at the top of the main screen. Choose Settings > Advanced Settings > Installer Code (default 1111) > Upgrade Software > Patch Tag. Then enter in "iqpanel2.3.0". Press OK. Then choose "Upgrade Using Network". If the panel is connected via WIFI, you will be able to begin the installation process.

If you have any questions about this update, please reach out to us! You may email us at support@alarmgrid.com. You may also call us at (888) 818-7728 during our normal business hours, which are 9am to 8pm EST M-F. Please note that our office will be closing at 6pm on December 31st, and we will be closed all day on January 1st.

The Alarm Grid office is currently closed for the holidays. We will remain closed through Monday, December 24th and Tuesday, December 25th. We will not answer phones or check emails during this time. Our normal business hours (9am to 8pm EST) will be resumed Wednesday, December 26th.

We would also like to provide you with advance notice that our office will also be closing early on Monday, December 31st in observance of New Year's Eve. We will remain closed all day Tuesday, January 1st in observance of New Year's Day. We will resume our normal business hours on Wednesday, January 2nd.

If you must reach us during any period when we are away, we strongly recommend leaving an email at support@alarmgrid.com. We will work to get back to you as soon as possible once we return to the office. Once we do return, you may also call us at (888) 818-7728 or contact us through online chat support.

From everyone at Alarm Grid, we wish you, your family and your friends a safe and merry holiday. Now is the best time of the year for togetherness, and we are very proud to help keep you and your loved ones safe and protected at all times. We look forward to providing you with the very best support and service in the coming new year!

We are happy to announce that the TC2 Alexa Skill can now be used for smart home scene control. Previously, the feature only allowed users to arm or disarm their systems and check their current arming status. This feature will make things much easier for Alexa users with Total Connect 2.0.

Any voice commands for your system that are made through Alexa will be forwarded to the Honeywell AlarmNet Servers and Total Connect 2.0. From there, the command will be sent to the panel so that the action can be performed. This will obviously require that the user has an active Total Connect 2.0 account and that their panel is synced with their account. Check out our monitoring page for more information on how you can get started with the Total Connect 2.0 service.

At this time, users can only use spoken Alexa voice commands to run specific scenes. This is done with the spoken command, "Alexa, tell Total Connect to run (scene name)." The ability to control specific Z-Wave smart home devices is expected to be made available at a later date. To use this feature, you must enable the TC2 Skill in the Alexa App. More information is available in this FAQ, which while written for the Lyric specifically, could apply to virtually any Honeywell System that is set up with Total Connect 2.0.

If you have more questions about the Alexa Skill for TC2, please email us at support@alarmgrid.com, or call us at (888) 818-7728 during normal business hours, which are 9am to 8pm EST M-F.

We have received notice about the earthquake that has occurred in Alaska as well as the tsunami warning. During this time, Alaskan customers might experience communication failures, and emergency services might be slow or unresponsive. Police stations near Anchorage are currently unable to dispatch.

It's also possible that customers in the Cook Inlet area and the Southern Kenai Peninsula might experience delayed or unavailable police or other emergency response services at this time.

If you are in the affected area, our thoughts are with you. Please heed the tsunami warning and move inland and/or to higher ground. Tsunamis travel at hundreds of miles per hour. By the time you see one, it's too late to run from it. Report downed power lines to the proper authorities, and watch out for burst water and gas pipes that may have shifted during the earthquake. If you smell gas, leave the area immediately and report the gas leak to the proper authorities.

Alarm Grid will provide an update when more information becomes available.

Update: The tsunami warning for Alaska has been cancelled by the National Weather Service. Please continue to be careful during this time, as dangerous conditions may still be present.

Alarm Grid would like to remind its customers that the sunset of Total Connect 1.0 is quickly falling upon us. The service is set to be terminated by January 2020. By then, all users must upgrade to the Total Connect 2.0 service. Almost all Total Connect users have already made the upgrade.

Total Connect 1.0 was introduced as a way for users of Honeywell Alarm Panels to operate their systems remotely. The service was relatively limited in what it could offer. It was later replaced with the Total Connect 2.0 service that is still very widely used today. The TC2 service is much more reliable and offers vastly superior functionality when compared with the original TC1 platform. As of late November 2018, nearly all TC1 users have upgraded to TC2. But there are still a very small number of users running TC1. You can recognize that you have TC2 by the mobile app icon, which features the white letters "tc" with a red background. The icon is shown above.

If you are still running TC1, you must upgrade to TC2 by January 2020. If you don't, you will lose remote functionality for your system. By upgrading to TC2, you will ensure that your remote system services will work well into the very distant future. You will also gain several different features that are only compatible with TC2. Some of these features include:

• Access to TC2 App and Website
• Support for Amazon Alexa
• Support for MyQ Garage Doors
• Support for SkyBell Video Doorbells
• Support for August Smart Locks
• Support with Total Connect Comfort Thermostats
• Control up to Eight Partitions (if supported by system)
• Push Notifications
• Video Alerts
• Smart Scenes
• Support for Honeywell HD Cameras
• iOS Face ID Recognition
• Android Voice Recognition
• Support with Apple Watch
• Multi-Language Options
• 100+ Locations per Account

Most users who are still running Total Connect 1.0 are doing so because they have an alarm panel or a system communicator that works with TC1, but not TC2. For these users, some type of upgrade is necessary for gaining access to Total Connect 2.0. This could include replacing the communicator or replacing the panel entirely. Any Alarm Grid customer can contact us to receive assistance on the easiest way to upgrade their system. These customers should email us at support@alarmgrid.com, or call us at (888) 818-7728 during normal business hours, which are 9am to 8pm EST M-F to receive further assistance. Our team will work with them to ensure that they obtain the proper equipment to get started with Total Connect 2.0.

Remember, you must upgrade to TC2 by January 2020. This is just slightly more than a year away. Make the upgrade to TC2 now so that you do not lose remote services for your Honeywell Panel!

Hi DIYers! We would like to inform you that the Alarm Grid office will be closed today for the Thanksgiving Holiday. During this time, we will not be answering our phones, and we will not be checking our support emails. We will resume normal hours and operation on Friday November 23rd.

If you require any support during this time, we strongly suggest sending an email to support@alarmgrid.com. Our team will respond as soon as possible after we return on Friday the 23rd. On Friday, you may call us at (888) 818-7728 during our regular business hours of 9am to 8pm EST.

Everyone at Alarm Grid would like to wish you and your family and friends a fun and safe Thanksgiving Holiday. If you are visiting loved ones, remember to arm your system before leaving. You can always check Total Connect or Alarm.com to make sure your system is armed!

Whether you're stuffing your face with a delicious dinner, falling asleep in front of the TV, chasing those Black Friday deals, or just spending time with those who matter most, Alarm Grid will be there to keep your home or business protected. We're very thankful to have you as an Alarm Grid customer.

If you have been following the functionality problems between SkyBell and Total Connect 2.0, we now have an update. Honeywell (now Resideo) has stated they have fixed the issues on their end. SkyBell Smart Doorbells will now work with Total Connect 2.0 without issue. No action is needed.

All connected SkyBell devices will now successfully send any newly saved recordings to an associated Total Connect 2.0 account. Users will not need to take any action on their end to see proper functionality. All saved recordings can be viewed from the TC2 website or the mobile app.

If you are still experiencing any problems, please contact us for further assistance. You may email us at support@alarmgrid.com. You may also call us (888) 818-7728 during normal business hours, which are 9am to 8pm EST M-F. Please note that we will be closed tomorrow, Thursday November 22nd, for the Thanksgiving holiday.