Well I figured I would start a thread on security sytems. For a while now I've been wanting to get one put in while I get a discount on it as an employee, so I called last week to schedule my Intelligenthome installation.
Tech was out today at 1:30, left at 5. Was an actual TWC Tech, not a contractor. He was actually the same guy who did our signaturehome install last January. I split the cost of this with my parents, and part of the reason we did it is obviously because of the security aspect of it, but also because of the modularity of the TWC system. It is all wireless, no drilling required, which is great since we are renting the house.
And as long as the house we build/move into is TWC serviceable, we can just take the system with us.
Anyway, the tech was great. Now the set up we have is a little odd. In my bedroom we have my own Motorola DOCSIS 3 modem, and my ASUS Router. Initially they wanted to hook it up between my modem and the router. I told them no, because I run google DNS on my router and I don't want to have to have everything go through a router I can't configure. And then in the basement we have the EMTA for our home phone service.
What they ended up doing was putting a 3rd modem and router in our living room in the corner. They used a very well known and reliable Motorola SB5101 modem, and a Netgear N300 wireless router.
What we got is.
8 Door/Window Sensors. One for the internal garage door, and the door from the garage into the basement. One on the front door, two on windows in dining room, one on sliding glass door and on the easily accessible windows in living room. A glass break detector which covers the downstairs for the back door, and the living room in case they break windows or the door. For now just one daytime camera which I have covering the garage door and front door. I'll definitely add more cameras later on, but for now this suffices. Oh and one key fob for my brother since he doesn't have a smartphone yet.
The tech did a great job and got everything put in. He showed us how it all works. For those who don't know IH allows you to set "rules" online through your portal for it. In addition to viewing current status. Armed/Disarmed (allows you to arm/disarm as well), whether doors or windows are open/closed, history, view life camera feed etc.
You can set rules. For example, I have rules set that if the alarm goes off, it changes from broadband to cellular backup, or if there is power loss, it sends both my mom and I a text message. I have it set so that if the alarm is armed and the front door or garage door is opened, for the camera to take pictures and video.
It is very customizable and configurable, which I like. The main control unit is a touchscreen device, which has the power cord get screwed into the outlet. It allows more basic configuration than online, but the basics are there. You can have multiple passcodes. of course the master code, and the duress code which are self explanitory. But you can have others, say you have a housekeeper. You can give them a code that only works on certain days between certain times to arm and disarm it. If you have kids, you can give them their own code so you know when they are home.
In the rules, say you know your kid gets home around 2:45PM. You can have it text or email you if they don't disarm it, or the front door doesn't open between 2:30 and 3:00 so you know they aren't home yet. Likewise, you can have it let you know that said event occurred so you know they are home.
The app for iphones/android is also easy to use so you can arm/disarm it before you walk in the house. Or from anywhere, in case someone needs to get in and they call you.
I took my family out for mothers day dinner tonight, and it was entertaining pulling up the app on my phone and watching the live feed of the cats play fighting and napping on the dining room table (>_
Again the tech went over how it all worked and what we could do with it. Went over the emergency contact protocol, etc. Overall it went very smoothly. I ordered the tech and myself some buffalo wings and fries too. I always treat those guys as well as I can. Overall the whole thing went very smoothly, more so than I expected.
I'll keep people updated with my experience as time goes on. If anyone has any questions for me though, I'll be more than happy to answer, just ask
Tech was out today at 1:30, left at 5. Was an actual TWC Tech, not a contractor. He was actually the same guy who did our signaturehome install last January. I split the cost of this with my parents, and part of the reason we did it is obviously because of the security aspect of it, but also because of the modularity of the TWC system. It is all wireless, no drilling required, which is great since we are renting the house.
And as long as the house we build/move into is TWC serviceable, we can just take the system with us.
Anyway, the tech was great. Now the set up we have is a little odd. In my bedroom we have my own Motorola DOCSIS 3 modem, and my ASUS Router. Initially they wanted to hook it up between my modem and the router. I told them no, because I run google DNS on my router and I don't want to have to have everything go through a router I can't configure. And then in the basement we have the EMTA for our home phone service.
What they ended up doing was putting a 3rd modem and router in our living room in the corner. They used a very well known and reliable Motorola SB5101 modem, and a Netgear N300 wireless router.
What we got is.
8 Door/Window Sensors. One for the internal garage door, and the door from the garage into the basement. One on the front door, two on windows in dining room, one on sliding glass door and on the easily accessible windows in living room. A glass break detector which covers the downstairs for the back door, and the living room in case they break windows or the door. For now just one daytime camera which I have covering the garage door and front door. I'll definitely add more cameras later on, but for now this suffices. Oh and one key fob for my brother since he doesn't have a smartphone yet.
The tech did a great job and got everything put in. He showed us how it all works. For those who don't know IH allows you to set "rules" online through your portal for it. In addition to viewing current status. Armed/Disarmed (allows you to arm/disarm as well), whether doors or windows are open/closed, history, view life camera feed etc.
You can set rules. For example, I have rules set that if the alarm goes off, it changes from broadband to cellular backup, or if there is power loss, it sends both my mom and I a text message. I have it set so that if the alarm is armed and the front door or garage door is opened, for the camera to take pictures and video.
It is very customizable and configurable, which I like. The main control unit is a touchscreen device, which has the power cord get screwed into the outlet. It allows more basic configuration than online, but the basics are there. You can have multiple passcodes. of course the master code, and the duress code which are self explanitory. But you can have others, say you have a housekeeper. You can give them a code that only works on certain days between certain times to arm and disarm it. If you have kids, you can give them their own code so you know when they are home.
In the rules, say you know your kid gets home around 2:45PM. You can have it text or email you if they don't disarm it, or the front door doesn't open between 2:30 and 3:00 so you know they aren't home yet. Likewise, you can have it let you know that said event occurred so you know they are home.
The app for iphones/android is also easy to use so you can arm/disarm it before you walk in the house. Or from anywhere, in case someone needs to get in and they call you.
I took my family out for mothers day dinner tonight, and it was entertaining pulling up the app on my phone and watching the live feed of the cats play fighting and napping on the dining room table (>_
Again the tech went over how it all worked and what we could do with it. Went over the emergency contact protocol, etc. Overall it went very smoothly. I ordered the tech and myself some buffalo wings and fries too. I always treat those guys as well as I can. Overall the whole thing went very smoothly, more so than I expected.
I'll keep people updated with my experience as time goes on. If anyone has any questions for me though, I'll be more than happy to answer, just ask
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