Can I Get Notified by My VISTA When an Alarm is Set Off?

Yes, you can get notified by your VISTA when an alarm is set off. By connecting your panel with Total Connect, you can receive email and text alerts that will inform you about any event that has occurred. Your VISTA will need an internet or cellular connection to access Total Connect.

Most Honeywell VISTA panels do not come with a built-in cellular or internet module. The lone exception is the VISTA-21iP, which comes with a built-in Honeywell 7847i that will support a hard-wired ethernet connection. All of the other VISTA systems will require an internet or cellular upgrade to access the Total Connect service. For VISTA panels, we recommend using a Honeywell iGSMV4G for an IP connection with cellular backup, or the Honeywell GSMX4G for a cellular connection. Both of these communicators use the AT&T cellular network. For users in areas where Verizon service may be better, the Honeywell CDMA-X is available.

Once your VISTA panel can connect to the network, it will need to be set up with Total Connect. This process will be completed by your alarm monitoring company. You will need to have a monitoring plan that includes connectivity with the Total Connect service. From there, you can contact your alarm company and let them know that you would like to set up your system with Total Connect. After they do this, you will receive an email that will walk you through the process of creating your Total Connect Account. Using this account, you will be able to access the Total Connect app to remotely arm and disarm your VISTA system.

To receive email and text alerts from Total Connect, simply log-in to your Total Connect account and access your profile settings. There will be options for you to provide your email and phone number to receive alarm notifications. Make sure that all of the information is correct, and then select "Save". You will be prompted to validate your information, then you will begin to receive email and text alerts regarding any alarm events that occur on your VISTA panel.

NOTE: There is also a "pager" feature on some Vista panels, which works only when a phone line is connected to the panel. Using this feature, the panel can call a phone number. If the number it calls is an actual pager, a numeric message will be displayed, indicating the type of event being reported. For more information, see page 13 and 14 of the programming guide.