Features Added in the 2GIG GC2 1.19 Firmware Upgrade

Features Added in the 2GIG GC2 1.19 Firmware Upgrade


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Description

In this video, Jorge talks about the new features added in Firmware Version 1.19 for a 2GIG Go!Control GC2 Alarm System. Keeping your panel on the latest firmware version is extremely important for ensuring that your system works properly. There are several ways to update the firmware for the panel.

There are three ways to update the firmware for a 2GIG GC2 System. The easiest method is to have an automatic firmware update pushed down from Alarm.com. The end user will need to pay a small fee for this service. But the advantage is that they will not need to take any action on their part. For an automatic firmware update, simply contact your alarm monitoring company to complete the process. Please note that this is only possible if your GC2 System is already connected with the Alarm.com Servers.

If your GC2 Panel is not connected with Alarm.com, then you will need some extra equipment to perform the update. You can use the updater cable or the easy updater tool. Using the easy updater tool is usually the easier method. Alarm Grid sells the easy updater tool on its website. You can also rent the easy updater tool and return it to us for a more affordable update. Please see the Alarm Grid website for more information. The updater cable is more affordable, but requires you to connect your panel with your computer.

Firmware Update 1.19 adds few new features for the GC2 System. The most important feature is that it allows support for LTE communicators. Older communicators will no longer work once the corresponding cellular networks are shut down. Cellular service providers have promised to support their LTE networks well into the distant future. Upgrading to an LTE communicator will allow your GC2 System to stay monitored for many years to come. Please be aware that you will need Firmware Version 1.19.3 or higher to use an AT&T LTE Communicator.

Note: Early in the video, Jorge says that there are only two ways to update the firmware for a GC2. There are three ways. These ways are the easy updater tool, the updater cable and an automatic push-down update from Alarm.com.

http://alrm.gd/get-monitored


Transcript

[MUSIC PLAYING] Hey, DIYers. I'm George, from Alarm Grid. Today, I'm going to be going over what is new in the 2GIG's GC2 1.19 firmware update. The main takeaway from this update is that it's going to start supporting the LTE communicators. Now, the LTE communicators are very important because they're going to offer your panel a longer lifespan. What I mean by that is if your panel right now is using a 3G, 4G, CDMA Verizon communicator-- 3G and 4G being AT&T-- then, those are soon going to be sunsetting. What I mean by that is those towers are soon going to be shutting down. And if you're looking to keep that GC2 up and running, for those of you out there who have one with the older style communicator, you will need to update the firmware update and buy a new LTE communicator for your system. Now, the firmware update for the system can be done two ways. You can buy the updater cable, which connects directly from your computer to the actual system. And you download a little patch file that transfers directly onto there, and it upgrades the firmware. Or two, we have an easy updater tool. The updater tool is just this little device. It comes with the software already on it. You plug it into the board of the GC2, and then it starts upgrading the firmware update on the system. Now, for the communicators, for those of you who don't have a communicator in your GC2 and are wondering what it is, the communicator is what allows the alarm system to communicate to alarm.com. Now, alarm.com is what you use to monitor the system and what you get with the interactive services. So, alarm.com is an app and a website. With that, once you're monitored with a company, they create an account for you so you can use the alarm.com site and app to control your system from anywhere in the world. alarm.com requires cellular connectivity. So pretty much, if you want to use alarm.com, you need to have a cellular communicator in your GC2 system. Now, alarm.com recently notified us that they're going to be putting a stop to all 3G, 4G activations. The reason for that is because in the coming years, the 3G, 4G towers are going to be sunsetting. So if you guys have a 3G, 4G communicator in your system, like I said earlier, you're going to need to get the LTE communicator. Now, the new firmware version that's out, the latest one, is version 1.19.3, right? So, there's two LTE communicators that are actually out right now. The Verizon one has been out for a couple of months, and the AT&T one just came out recently. In order to use the Verizon one, your panel needs to be on firmware version 1.19.1. If you want to use the AT&T one, which is the brand newest one, it just came out, you're going to need to have the firmware version 1.19.3. Now, if you go to our page, we actually have the patch file on our site. And if you guys have the updater tool, or if you guys have the cable, you guys can download that patch file directly onto it and then transfer it onto your GC2 system. So once you guys have upgraded the firmware on your GC2, you can then buy whatever LTE communicator you want-- whether it's AT&T or Verizon. Now, a lot of people, when they're choosing between the two, they start thinking about, oh, well, I'm with AT&T, or I'm with Verizon on my personal cellphone. Remember, this does not matter who your cellular provider is, think about this as something completely separate. This is just for your alarm system, and you want to choose the service that has the best cell reception wherever the system is located. Whether it's in a business, house, wherever it is, make sure that you guys are choosing the cellular provider that has the best signal. Don't choose the cellular provider that you're using. Why? Because you're not the one that's paying for the cellular service, the monitoring company is the one that's paying for it. So, you have nothing to worry about. You don't have to contact AT&T. You don't have to contact Verizon. The monitoring company is the one that takes care of the activation and the registration of the cellular communicator, so don't even worry about getting involved in that. Just choose the one that has the best reception for your system. Now, if you guys have any questions on how to update the firmware, what updater tool to buy for your system, how to get it updated, how to get it monitored, feel free to email us at support@alarmgrid.com. If you guys found the video helpful, make sure you hit Like underneath. Subscribe to the YouTube channel and enable the notifications, so whenever we upload new videos, you guys get notified. I'm George, from Alarm Grid, and I'll see you guys next time.


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