VOIP and Alarm monitoring system

2002

Hi,

I've just signed up for Blueface with the intention of getting rid of my Eircom phone line as I have wireless Broadband.
However I've just been told that my Eircom phonewatch system won't work with VOIP.
My options seem to be to install a GSM card in the phonewatch box (€275) or find an alernative alarm monitoring system that will work with VOIP.

Does anyone know of an alarm monitoring system that will work with VOIP or are there any other options?

Thanks in advance.

paulm17781

I think GSM is your only option. VOIP is still far too small over here that I would think.

2002

Thanks for your response - yes it looks like that's the only option if I stay with IBB. I suppose the other option is that I move to Smart.

Thanks again.

bhickey

2002 wrote:

However I've just been told that my Eircom phonewatch system won't work with VOIP.
My options seem to be to install a GSM card in the phonewatch box (€275) or find an alernative alarm monitoring system that will work with VOIP.

I'm curious as to what exactly won't work? I'd have thought that an alarm system is just like any analogue handset in that it rings up certain phone numbers in the event of an alarm. Surely a setup where :

Alarm -> ATA -> VoIP

is the same as a normal phone line setup as far as the alarm unit is concerned? Is it possible for you to try this setup out?

2002

I'm so new to this that I don't even have Blueface yet. I subscribed last week and am awaiting delivery of my ATA.

I was preempting any difficulties and contacted both Eircom and Blueface who both told me that I would need to keep my phone line.

I agree with you though as far as the alarm system goes it shouldn't matter - as soon as I get my ATA I'll plug it in and give it a go.

Thanks

paulm17781

Smart use VOIP at the exchange so it won't work.

VOIP is not like an analogue line. It is a digital signal decoded. Modems/Alarms can't use this as they use analogue to communicate. Try dialling any thing using a modem over VOIP.

jimmycrackcorm

Slightly off-topic but is anyone aware of alarms that interact with computers i.e. can use broadband to send notification of alarm going off etc?

wexfordman

I have an alarm system that is working with my VOIP fine with no problems. It depends I suppose on how your alarm system reports back commands. If it is through some form of data call, then it will probably not work , for the same reasons fax etc will not work. Howeever, if, like mine the alarm system works by DTMF tones etc, then it should work.

I actually use mine for self monitoring, it phones me and reports the alarm or event, and I can celar it down, reset or listen in, but there is an option to set it up with an alarm monitoring company. The insurance discount in my opinion, does not justify the monitoring charges, and I get the same result practically by haveing it contact me when an alarm/event arises. Adding the savings for not having to pay monitoring charges, on top of no longer paying line rental, on top of the reduced call costs etc by using blueface, I am easily saving over a grand a year.

Thing to bear in mind however, with using your VOIP line for your alarm, is that in the event of a power failure, your BB goes, down, along wiht your router and ata, and hence your phone line, unless you invest in some sort of UPS battery back up, which given the savings you will make, should still make sense.

Regards,
Wexfordman

jimmycrackcorm

What's the make of that - I'd be interested to get alerts and then check video over BB.

2002

Yes, I'd be interested in knowing as well - self monitoring sound like an option.

Back to my original question - as it happens we had am Eircom phonewatch service man out yesterday and off the record he said that the alarm monitoring should work with a DSL splitter on my IBB connection. As far as he was concerned broadband is broadband and a DSL splitter will work either over a phone line or over wireless broadband.
I had presumed that a DSL splitter was only for a DSL line and not for wireless broadband.
Any comments on this?

Thanks.

wexfordman

There are loads of autodialler alarms you can get, but the one I have is called Comfort. It is a wired system, but there are wireless autodiallers availalbe also. You can see a version of both at the link below, which is where I purchased mine. Lots of other cool features also with these systems, remote control of your lighting and heating etc.

http://www.letsautomate.com/index.cfm?CFID=157731&CFTOKEN=F981A3F4-416F-4C98-9B1B29CF0388B810&Nav=Security&

Let me know if you need any other info.

Regards,
Eamon

spartacus93

2002 wrote:

Yes, I'd be interested in knowing as well - self monitoring sound like an option.

Back to my original question - as it happens we had am Eircom phonewatch service man out yesterday and off the record he said that the alarm monitoring should work with a DSL splitter on my IBB connection. As far as he was concerned broadband is broadband and a DSL splitter will work either over a phone line or over wireless broadband.
I had presumed that a DSL splitter was only for a DSL line and not for wireless broadband.
Any comments on this?

Thanks.

That does not make sense.

For the alarm monitoring to work over wireless BB wouldn't the phone connection from the alarm have to be wired into some sort of ATA and connected to your router?

JimmySmith

It should be easy.
Get a voip number you use for alarm only. shouldnt cost you anything extra.

When your alarm goes off a normal phone dialer calls your mobile number.
If you have the voip number in your mobile contacts as 'House alarm' then your sorted.

wexfordman

"Back to my original question - as it happens we had am Eircom phonewatch service man out yesterday and off the record he said that the alarm monitoring should work with a DSL splitter on my IBB connection. As far as he was concerned broadband is broadband and a DSL splitter will work either over a phone line or over wireless broadband.
"had presumed that a DSL splitter was only for a DSL line and not for wireless broadband.
Any comments on this?"

I dont understand what he means by a DSLL splitter also, surely he means an ATA adaptor. As far as I know a DSL splitter is some for of filter, to filter out the frequencies used to carry your broadband, and pass through your normal phone line freq's.

If you substitute DSL Splitter for ATA in the above quote, then things make sensee to me.

Wexfordman

Tony

IBB is wireless broadband and not DSL so the phone watch guy is misinformed.

aaronc

2002 wrote:

Back to my original question - as it happens we had am Eircom phonewatch service man out yesterday and off the record he said that the alarm monitoring should work with a DSL splitter on my IBB connection. As far as he was concerned broadband is broadband and a DSL splitter will work either over a phone line or over wireless broadband.
I had presumed that a DSL splitter was only for a DSL line and not for wireless broadband.
Any comments on this?

He's completely wrong. A DSL splitter connected an ATA or any other way is not going to work on a wireless broadband connection (maybe he's confused by the Eircom marketing that uses "wireless broadband" to describe a DSL connection with a WiFi access point).

Aaron