Help w alarm system config w ooma

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Groundhound
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Re: Help w alarm system config w ooma

Post by Groundhound » Sat Oct 17, 2009 6:58 am

Or, if the alarm panel is in a more convenient location than the basement, there may be a pre-wired phone connection located there. You may need to get your alarm monitoring company's help to set it up though.

nabril
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Re: Help w alarm system config w ooma

Post by nabril » Sat Oct 24, 2009 11:22 am

Hello
Awesome post and replies. I have a similar setup: alarm box in upstairs master closet with wires going to a cable into the wall. At my phone junction box (outside front door) are 6 cables. I have 5 connections--3 bedrooms, kitchen, and living room, so I assume the 6th is from the alarm.

Does that mean that I need to disconnect the alarm cable from the junction box and wire that to the ooma hub or telo (Whichever I buy)? Or can I (somehow) go from the alarm panel to that bedroom's wall jack to connect the alarm? It's a long run, but a lot shorter and easier than pulling the existing cable that goes to the junction box and getting it to the location of the telo somehow.

Thank you

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OomaZooma
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Re: Help w alarm system config w ooma

Post by OomaZooma » Sat Oct 24, 2009 4:26 pm

CANONGATE1 wrote:OMG no landline & it is located in the closet in a metal box approx 80 ft from ooma setup
Maybe if I just pay someone to hook t up in atlanta area?

Thanks
How about going with a cellular unit? I live in the Atlanta area and I have Ooma with no landline and an alarm system being monitored independently. I called my alarm company and they came out and installed a cellular transmitter with battery backup and charge me an additional $10. more per month for monitoring. My alarm system will still alert the monitoring center even if someone cuts my phone and/or cable lines.

Gary

sundeep607
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Re: Help w alarm system config w ooma

Post by sundeep607 » Mon Oct 26, 2009 9:27 am

How about going with a cellular unit? I live in the Atlanta area and I have Ooma with no landline and an alarm system being monitored independently. I called my alarm company and they came out and installed a cellular transmitter with battery backup and charge me an additional $10. more per month for monitoring. My alarm system will still alert the monitoring center even if someone cuts my phone and/or cable lines.
Gary, which alram company you have for monitoring. Can you share the installation charges and monthly fees. I am currently in the process of identifying the best cost effective company.

Thanks
Sundeep

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southsound
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Re: Help w alarm system config w ooma

Post by southsound » Mon Oct 26, 2009 10:30 am

nabril wrote:Hello
Awesome post and replies. I have a similar setup: alarm box in upstairs master closet with wires going to a cable into the wall. At my phone junction box (outside front door) are 6 cables. I have 5 connections--3 bedrooms, kitchen, and living room, so I assume the 6th is from the alarm.

Does that mean that I need to disconnect the alarm cable from the junction box and wire that to the ooma hub or telo (Whichever I buy)? Or can I (somehow) go from the alarm panel to that bedroom's wall jack to connect the alarm? It's a long run, but a lot shorter and easier than pulling the existing cable that goes to the junction box and getting it to the location of the telo somehow.

Thank you
Chances are that your alarm box is connected to your telephone circuitry using an RJ31X jack. If so, and if it is located in a place where you can get to it, your conversion to ooma will be fairly straight-forward. The jack will have 4 wires connected: R, T, R1, and T1. The R and T connections on the jack have been fed by your telco wiring and will need to be connected to the ooma "phone" jack. Disconnect the wires going to those terminals and replace them with a cable from your ooma. You could use an unused pair from the bedroom's phone jack if that is easier than running a new cable. The R1 and T1 connections feed the phones in your home. No need for any changes there. Of course, if you were using a scout (hub only) or have DSL some additional things might apply - but if not, you should be good to go with just feeding the RJ31X as described. :cool:
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nabril
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Re: Help w alarm system config w ooma

Post by nabril » Mon Oct 26, 2009 10:51 am

thank you southsound. As usual you are wise.

On the door of the alarm panel is a drawing showing the first 4 connectors going to RJ31 hack. But all I see are the 4 wires going into the wall. So I assume the Rj31 is somewhere in the wall between the 2nd floor panel and the telephone company's junction box by the front door. It should be visible somewhere near the alarm panel, no? I read this link, http://www.hometech.com/learn/rj31x.html, and I understand the setup a little better.

I do have DSL. You know I want to stop paying ATT $32 a month for my local service and get ooma. But it looks like this might be more complicated than I originally thought. I work in IT, and I am tech savy and handy, but this will be a challenge.

Then comes the issue of programming the alarm to dial the *99. SInce I am not the original owner, it will take some research to find out how to program that; I have the user manual.

murphy
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Re: Help w alarm system config w ooma

Post by murphy » Mon Oct 26, 2009 10:56 am

The RJ31X jack should be inside the alarm panel cabinet if it was installed properly.

To program the dialing prefix you need the installation manual and the installer's code.
That is not a user function.
It can't be done with the master code or a user code.
Customer since January 2009
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nabril
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Re: Help w alarm system config w ooma

Post by nabril » Mon Oct 26, 2009 11:11 am

murphy wrote:The RJ31X jack should be inside the alarm panel cabinet if it was installed properly.

To program the dialing prefix you need the installation manual and the installer's code.
That is not a user function.
It can't be done with the master code or a user code.
thanks murphy--i will look at panel closer tonight. I have the master code, but you say I cant do that with it? I need the installers, which I have no clue nor how to get it; I am not the original house buyer, so I wasnt around to ask it. Perhaps it's the house number..

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southsound
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Re: Help w alarm system config w ooma

Post by southsound » Mon Oct 26, 2009 12:36 pm

Even if you don't have the manual or installer's code, your monitoring company is probably able to accomplish this for you. I'd give them a call while you still have dialtone from the telco and see if they can do remote proramming. Most systems allow it, but you may have to enter a code in your keypad to allow it. They can give you the details. Also, even if you can't find the RJ31X, if you can identify the R and T connections on the panel you should be all set.

While making the determination regarading DSL without a landline, make sure to check if it finnacially advantageous to do so. I have Qwest and will be keeping a very basic landline even after my "Choice" plan is no longer giving me a discount on the DSL portion of my bill. The reason is that with the landline discount, keeping it is only about $5 a month more than not having it (including taxes and other charges). My DSL is not battery backed up from Qwest so unless I want to rely on my cell phone (spotty service in the house) the basic line is well worth the $5. You might want to keep a very basic landline for the alarm system if it is not too expensive.
ooma customer since February 2009
VoIP hardware: 2 Telo w/3 handsets & Linx / ooma core
Total Lines: 8 / Numbers: 11 / Handsets: 20
Lifetime Premier Member
Friends don't remember what Landline Integration was or why we did it.

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OomaZooma
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Re: Help w alarm system config w ooma

Post by OomaZooma » Mon Oct 26, 2009 3:52 pm

sundeep607 wrote:
How about going with a cellular unit? I live in the Atlanta area and I have Ooma with no landline and an alarm system being monitored independently. I called my alarm company and they came out and installed a cellular transmitter with battery backup and charge me an additional $10. more per month for monitoring. My alarm system will still alert the monitoring center even if someone cuts my phone and/or cable lines.
Gary, which alram company you have for monitoring. Can you share the installation charges and monthly fees. I am currently in the process of identifying the best cost effective company.

Thanks
Sundeep
Sundeep,

My alarm company is AMSA and they are located in the Atlanta area. I have been a customer with them since 1996 and they charge $12.95 per month for basic alarm monitoring. AMSA charged me $210.00 for the parts and labor to install the cellular transmitter and an additional $10.00 per month for the cellular account. The cellular transmitter they install sends the alarm details to the monitoring station. The cheaper models do not transmit the alerting zone and only provide basic information that a burglar alarm was activated. You can check AMSA and the cellular unit at http://www.only1295.com/cellular-communication.php. Good luck!

Gary

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