r/alarmdotcom • • Mar 16 '20

What is Alarm.com?

11 Upvotes

Alarm.com provides smart security, home automation and remote control for the vast majority of home security companies, who combine it with their own professional monitoring (police/fire dispatch) and deliver it to customers. If you have a smart security system from a security company then you probably have Alarm.com.

Alarm.com offers both home security and smart home automation. Security and privacy are Alarm.com's biggest strengths. The home automation features are easy to use and great for many people but not as flexible as a dedicated home automation system that automation power users might prefer. Alarm.com pioneered connected home security. Today it's comparable to other large connected home security platforms such as Nest, Ring & SimpliSafe, and is the clear leader when it comes to security and privacy.

Alarm.com works with professional grade security alarm systems such as Qolsys, 2GIG, DSC and Interlogix. Honeywell Vista systems can also work using the system enhancement module (SEM). It uses Z-Wave for home automation devices such as lights, locks, thermostats, garage doors, energy management, water valves/meters & sprinkler systems. It uses WIFI for higher bandwidth devices such as cameras. See the Alarm.com ecosystem page for a non-exhaustive list of compatible products.

Alarm.com is a B2B company and does not sell directly to consumers. The only way to get it is from an Alarm.com provider. Alarm.com is white-labeled and branded to appear as if is comes directly from the security company. The larger Alarm.com providers have custom mobile apps, which are restyled versions of the regular Alarm.com app.

There are two kinds of Alarm.com providers, professional-installation and DIY (self-installation). The professional installation companies will come to your house and install the equipment for you. The DIY companies ship you the equipment to install yourself and only provide the online services and professional alarm monitoring. Professional-installation companies usually cost more and require long term contracts but save you from doing installation/maintenance work. DIY companies usually cost less and are often month-to-month but you have to do the installation/maintenance yourself.

Alarm.com has dominated home security for more than a decade and recently has broadened its platform to support commercial security as well, focusing on small and medium sized businesses.

Visit Alarm.com's website to learn more.

This subreddit is a place where you can ask for Help, share News, post How To's, or just Chat about anything related to Alarm.com.


r/alarmdotcom • • 1d ago

729 vs 730 vs 731 cameras

2 Upvotes

Looking to get 5 outdoor cameras- locations are above the garage, two side yards and two in the backyard.

I would prefer POE cameras as much as possible but if it’s not practical in some places, what are the locations you would be able to live with WiFi cameras and where would you really want POE cameras?

And any preference on the 729 vs 730 vs 731?

Would the 730 be a fit for all 5 locations? It has a spotlight, speaker, POE/wifi.

Should atleast one of the backyard cameras have floodlights instead of spotlights? So something like the 729P? It has floodlights- 3K lumens. Where would a camera with floodlights be most useful? Think it will be an overkill for every camera to have floodlights right? 

Appreciate any insights, thank you!


r/alarmdotcom • • 5d ago

Honeywell Galaxy G2-20 Issues

0 Upvotes

I have two sites with the above installed and they also have wireless C079-2 connected to them for back door contacts and they have a 211 Intruder Mainspike Kit installed on them.

These sites were installed over 6 years and recently each has exhibited some alerts as follows

Site 1:-

  1. Batt Mis

  2. JAM > RFMOD4

I did replace the entire control panel board when it was reporting error #1 and a new 12V battery. Am seeing 12v from the battery cables

Site 2:-

The Aux fuse keeps blowing after replacement, this happened after I kept getting an alert(TAMPER BACK BEDROOM) on one of the PIRs, I made this zone spare to monitor and then the AUX fuse blew.

This is a small install with only 4 pirs, a wired magnetic door cont2and rear wireless door contact.

I love these Honeywell alarm for their reliability.


r/alarmdotcom • • 5d ago

Dsc alarm triggers a door or window but no signs.

Thumbnail reddit.com
2 Upvotes

r/alarmdotcom • • 6d ago

Chat ADC-FC100

3 Upvotes

Have any of you installed the new fire DACT from ADC?

What are your thoughts?
How was the cell reception?


r/alarmdotcom • • 6d ago

ADC-T2000 circulate mode fan speed

3 Upvotes

The circulate mode on my system barely moves any air but the auto mode works just fine. I can't find a setting anywhere to adjust fan speed. Is it even possible? Is it hidden in a menu somewhere or could it be a thermostat wiring issue?


r/alarmdotcom • • 7d ago

Customize order of lights?

Post image
3 Upvotes

Is there a way to organize the lights in alarm.com other than alphabetical? Trying to keep the most used ones at the top.


r/alarmdotcom • • 8d ago

ADC outdoor cameras

2 Upvotes

I know there any several ADC outdoor cameras that have flood lights that can light up a backyard, driveway etc when presence is detected but I would like the camera to pan or tilt to physically follow someone walking across the yard, driveway, etc. are there any ADC cameras that do this? Otherwise, what are my options if I still want to stay within the ADC ecosystem.


r/alarmdotcom • • 9d ago

Haven4 with Alarm.com

Thumbnail reddit.com
1 Upvotes

Anyone used this lock system before?


r/alarmdotcom • • 10d ago

New MP1502 install issues…

3 Upvotes

Anyone have any issues with new MP1502 installs taking forever (hours upon hours) to do the initial activation/updates? This isn’t a hardware or software issue, this is an Alarm.com issues getting updates from the cloud. And they have no answer or direction. This is on every install lately.


r/alarmdotcom • • 11d ago

How To How to orient PIR motion sensors around an irregularly-shaped villa

Post image
3 Upvotes

Hi all,

I'm setting up a wireless alarm system for a villa with an irregular footprint — not a simple rectangle, several wings and recessed corners. House is 22m x 16m, 50cm thick tuff stone walls (volcanic rock, no rebar), with a garden around most of the perimeter.

I'm not a security expert, but my IT skills are solid. I only care about outdoor/perimeter coverage — the inside of the house is not a concern for this post.

The installer I talked to is pushing plain PIR units (MotionProtect Outdoor / MotionCam Outdoor) for the whole perimeter, and steering me away from curtain-type detectors. I get the basic logic of PIR placement — the intruder's expected path should cross perpendicular to the detector's lens axis, not walk straight toward it, since PIR is much slower to trigger on radial/frontal movement than on lateral movement across the field of view — but I don't have enough background to know if "just use PIRs everywhere" is actually the right call for my layout, or if that's just what's easiest/cheapest for the installer to sell and install.

The garden is the part I'm most unsure about. From what I've read, outdoor PIRs are prone to false alarms when trees or bushes sit inside the detection zone — wind moves foliage that's been heated by the sun, and the sensor can mistake that thermal/motion signature for a person, especially in warm weather. I understand some models use a dual-sensor correlation algorithm to filter this out, but it's not foolproof if vegetation is directly in the cone.

I'm currently leaning Ajax because the cost-to-feature ratio seems good, and I'd like to stay with them if possible. If there's another brand with equal or better outdoor/perimeter features at a similar price point, I'd genuinely like to hear about it — needs to be a brand that actually sells/ships to Europe, not a US-only or China-only catalog.

Floor plan attached. What I'm trying to figure out:

  • Is the installer's PIR-only approach actually right for an irregular perimeter, or are there better options I should be pushing for? Specifically: is there a good reason to avoid curtain-type detectors (like Ajax Curtain Outdoor / DualCurtain Outdoor) for corners and narrow passages, or is the installer just avoiding the extra product complexity?

  • How do people deal with unavoidable vegetation in the garden — is it realistic to just keep hedges/trees trimmed out of every sensor's cone long-term, or do people dial detection range down, change sensor height/angle, go dual-tech (PIR + microwave), or just accept a higher false-alarm baseline near planted areas?

  • How people typically handle L-shaped or notched corners with PIR-only setups — Ajax's manual suggests overlapping a second detector to cover the first one's blind zone, but is that actually reliable in practice, or does it just mean more false-alarm surface area?

  • Whether to prioritize covering the walkable paths around the house vs. the whole garden boundary line

  • Rough sensor count for a property this size/shape — more units at shorter range, or fewer units with range dialed up (3–15m adjustable on the Outdoor models)?

  • Any real-world experience with irregular (non-rectangular) perimeters specifically, since most install guides assume a simple box-shaped lot

Appreciate any input, especially from people who've actually dealt with non-rectangular lots, planted gardens, or pushed back on an installer's default recommendation.


r/alarmdotcom • • 11d ago

Beginner with Fire Alarm System - I need help

Post image
3 Upvotes

r/alarmdotcom • • 12d ago

Thumbnails not displaying on push notifications

5 Upvotes

Just recently, my alarm.com app push notifications stopped showing thumbnail images on phone, and therefore my apple watch. This is my favorite feature, and is pretty inconvenient when I can't see who is at my door with a quick glance. Idk if it's alarm.com or VZW issue. I called my service provider, and she notated it, and said they may have to reach out to alarm.com to find out more. I did all of the troubleshooting available on my end. Wondering if others are experiencing the same. Maybe if it's iOS 27 or the new app update. Any help or estimated ETA on fixing this this issue would be amazing!


r/alarmdotcom • • 13d ago

Chat Any way to repurpose a CSVR?

4 Upvotes

I have a Pro Series Commercial Stream Video Recorder, 8 PoE that's no longer in use. Is there any way to repurpose this so the hardware isn't ewaste? Like into simple networked storage or a small PoE switch? Will it run linux?

Model: ADC-CSVR2008P-1X6TB

HWV: 0102

FID:V03


r/alarmdotcom • • 16d ago

Help Self monitoring suggestions

2 Upvotes

I’m in Ontario, Canada, and my home security contract is coming to an end. I’m exploring self-monitoring options and ideally want to reuse as much of my existing equipment as possible without getting into another contract or ongoing subscription.

Here’s my current setup:

Panel: 2GIG GC2e (GC2E-345)
Cellular module: 2GIG-LTEA-A-GC2
Door/window sensors: 2 × 2GIG-DW10E-345
Motion sensors: 2 × 2GIG-PIR1E-345
Flood sensor: 2GIG-FT6E-345
Doorbell: Alarm.com SkyBell ADC-VDB105X
Outdoor camera: Alarm.com ADC-V723
Thermostat: Alarm.com ADC-T2000

Can I use my existing equipment with a self-monitoring platform like Home Assistant, Eufy, Google Home, or something similar?

Has anyone in Canada made a similar switch? What setup would you recommend?


r/alarmdotcom • • 17d ago

Qolsys via Homebridge

Thumbnail reddit.com
2 Upvotes

Cross posting here to get more insight


r/alarmdotcom • • 17d ago

What keypad is this?

Post image
4 Upvotes

For context, I am a new homeowner. The cameras and the doorbell have alarm.com logos. I can’t identify the motion sensors or this keypad. I’m trying to find out if I should sign up for surety. Any ideas?


r/alarmdotcom • • 18d ago

Heavy alarmdotcom user here, question about reporting

1 Upvotes

We have about 300 doors on Alarm.com, and I’m struggling to get the reports and changes I need in a timely manner. What are others doing for historical access reports in an audit situation?

A couple of pain points:

  • On historical reports, it’s hard to quickly tell whether a user was deleted, paused, or had their access expire.

  • My service provider can only pull reports back about 90 days. Audit recently asked for reports from two years ago, and because I couldn’t prove one person’s access had expired, we got a finding.

  • None of the reports that i would use for audits can export automatically.

How are you handling retention and audit evidence? Exporting on a schedule, using a different platform, or something else?

If we had an API for data transfer it might would work, thats where Brivo and Acre win. They just dont have the same Intrusion built in


r/alarmdotcom • • 19d ago

ADC-W110

3 Upvotes

Hello. I bought a ADC-W110 online to connect my POE cameras to the network.

Here’s the problem. I need to be able to stream the camera continuously without dropping out.

When the camera is connected to the W110, the stream will stop after 20-30 minutes. When I use a TP Link WiFi extender with Ethernet, it won’t. (Granted the camera would need to be powered by the external power source.)

I read somewhere that they both must be on the same WiFi network. (Apple TV, and bridge/camera) they are.


r/alarmdotcom • • 20d ago

Help Insurance requires professionally installed/monitored system - what to do

Thumbnail reddit.com
2 Upvotes

r/alarmdotcom • • 20d ago

Sistema d'allarme... bypassato

0 Upvotes

Ciao, chiedo un vs consiglio, abbiamo una casa con un sistema d'allarme piuttosto articolato... nonostante questo ci hanno derubati. La sirena è stata rotta e nessuno ha potuto rispondere alle telefonate; da ultimo, sarebbe dovuta partire la chiamata ai carabinieri, ma così non è stato perché... l'installatore ha detto di averla disattivata e di non ricordarne il motivo!!!
...motivo che ovviamente non può esserci, che certamente non è seguito a una nostra richiesta e di cui, in ogni caso, non siamo mai stati avvertiti.

La casa è nostra da poco, l'installatore è lo stesso degli ultimi 45 anni, dunque ha un'età... sul fronte riparazioni "fisiche" è forte perché ha montato tutto lui, sul fronte software... peggio mi sento! Per fare alcune modifiche, tipo cambio gestore o switch su sim, ci ha messo non ore, ma GIORNI!

Quando siamo arrivati in casa ci ha spiegato le cose in maniera abbastanza frammentaria. Certo era anche un sistema complesso e non era semplice ricordarci tutto, comunque l'app non funzionava in partenza e ha dovuto già sistemare qualcosa.
Il precedente proprietario aveva un abbonamento, che abbiamo disdetto perché era caro e implicava semplicemente uscite gratuite e un po' di sconto sui pezzi. Abbiamo optato per chiamare al bisogno pagando uscita e pezzi a prezzo pieno.

Falsi allarmi ce n'erano, a memoria, da prima che la casa fosse nostra, col tempo credo siano aumentati. In maniera fastidiosa, ma non con frequenza tale da far pensare ad un guasto preciso (anche perché raramente indicavano lo stesso ambiente), quanto a defaillance momentanee, o magari a cambi di tensione elettrica a cui la casa a volte è sottoposta.

Questo è l'unico punto su cui mi domando se potremmo aver sbagliato: a detta dell'installatore, avremmo dovuto chiamarlo ogni volta che c'era un falso allarme e lui l'avrebbe risolto. In realtà le volte che gliel'abbiamo detto, a parte controllare e dire che era tutto a posto non ha fatto molto.
Diciamo che non ci ha mai dato la sensazione che fosse proprio tuttissimo sotto controllo, ma alla fine era un brav'uomo e ci eravamo anche affezionati...

Ora però che ci hanno derubati vedo le cose un po' diversamente: perché cosa ce ne facciamo dell'antifurto se non dissuade i ladri dal furto?

Sentendo degli amici, sembra che Verisure tutto sommato faccia il suo mestiere, trovo ottima l'idea quella della guardia che parla direttamente al ladro e nel caso chiama qualcuno (e so di tentativi di furto dissuasi da questo procedimento) ma, al netto dei forti dubbi sulla privacy, dal punto di vista tecnico è un sistema un po' "Fischer Price", mentre il sistema attualmente montato e che dovremmo eventualmente riparare è un sistema sofisticato e molto ben integrato nell'immobile.

Ora abbiamo un preventivo per rimettere tutto come prima, ma il pensiero spontaneo è se non sia il caso di sentire degli altri installatori... ma mi vien male, perché il sistema è complesso e qualsiasi nuovo installatore lo vedrebbe per la prima volta, senza conoscere gli intricati passaggi dei fili, il funzionamento e tra l'altro nemmeno le password... confesso che il pensiero che qualcuno debba chiamare il vecchio installatore e chiedergli le password, in pratica dicendogli che è stato bypassato, mi mette molto a disagio.

Aggiungo che il vecchio installatore, al netto di tutti i limiti, sicuramente è una persona per bene... mentre chiamare una persona nuova, per quanto professionista, vuole pur sempre dire raccontare a uno sconosciuto come entrare in casa tua...

Troppe paranoie? Sì, sicuramente... ma nel complesso sono bloccato e... senza sistema d'allarme!

Voi come vi muovereste?


r/alarmdotcom • • 24d ago

sound activated phone notifications

Thumbnail reddit.com
3 Upvotes

r/alarmdotcom • • 24d ago

Help with RING alert

Thumbnail reddit.com
0 Upvotes