Ooma Linx for Alarm System Monitoring (COMM FAILURE)

[waterskierUT]

Howdy -

So I recently installed an Ooma Telo and Linx and dumped voice via my POTS. I still maintain a dry-loop DSL service that provides broadband to the house. I have a wireless DECT 6.0 phone system for the house that is connected to the Telo. I do not need the in-wall phone jacks for any other reason other to deliver a DSL signal to the DSL modem in the home office.

I designated one of my 2 VOIP lines to a private account and this is assigned to a Linx (set to Alarm Mode). The Linx has been connected via a stripped RJ-11 cable to the corresponding Ring (Red) and Tip (Green) terminals on the RJ-31x after the ones from the POTS line were removed.

I cancelled my voice service, but as is typical with POTS Co's it took them a couple days to deactivate the voice service and now all I hear when plugged into the POTS is a "Busy" tone. DSL is still working as before.

Here's the issue: the alarm system monitoring station (AlarmRelay) is not getting my signals and now I'm getting a COMM FAILURE on the panels. It had worked OK previous to getting a "busy signal" on my POTS voice line.

The Linx is working properly, testing performed by plugging in an extension to it and I got dial tone with notification of of active line with left LED lit up amber when off-hook and blue when on-hook.

When the Linx is plugged back into the RJ-11 line feeding to the RJ-31x from the Alarm System Board, the Linx displays "off-hook" notification (left LED is amber) and when removed it returns to blue.

I am wondering why the Alarm System control panel placing the Linx in an "off-hook" status and if in fact it actually has something to do with the busy signal on the voice side of my POTS. The RJ-31x is designed to "seize" the line, but it does not appear to be happening.

1) Is there a feedback from the Linx into the other jacks in the house with this setup?
2) If I remove the POTS wires that connect to the BRN and GRY terminals on the RJ-31x will I cut signal to downstream wall plates and therefore disable my DSL feed to the wall jack in my office?
3) Would removing the blade connections from the Handset feeds (21/22) on my Safewatch 3000EN control unit board yield the same results as #2?
4) Since I'm not using the POTS lines in my home for voice at all, would I be able to bypass the RJ-31x completely and secure the Tip and Ring wires directly to the control board after connecting a blade to the cut wires? (really the Alarm Control Unit just needs to call out and it's been given a dedicated line).
5) Could I, suddenly, have a faulty RJ-31x jack and the shorting bar is not engaging the pins properly when the cable is connected?

I have not disconnected the wall plate where my DSL modem is connected, but looking at the cable feeding to modem it appears to have RJ-14 connector with 4 wires. I have yet to open the NIB outside my home (we have a lot of snow in the yard at present) to see if the DSL runs on L1 or L2, but does this really matter?

I'm hoping that someone has encountered this setup and issue before and would be able to offer guidance.It would be greatly appreciated.

All the best!

PKM

P.S. I have very robust UPS for the Linx and another for the DSL Modem/Router/Telo group. Each should provide 4+ hrs of backup given the minimal power these devices consume.

[waterskierUT]

OK, not a reply but another consideration.

I presume that there is an ADSL splitter in/nearby the NID outside my house. Would disconnecting the voice lines from the splitter solve my problem without breaking the daisy-chain of downstream wall plate jacks that feed the DSL signal?

[murphy]

Ideally you want the incoming DSL line to go directly to the DSL modem and no where else.

You do not need the line seizure capability since there are no downstream phones to disconnect. Wire the Linx output directly to the input terminals of the alarm board and leave the RJ31 out of the picture. The output terminals of the alarm board should not go anywhere. You are providing a dedicated phone line to the alarm system.

[waterskierUT]

Murphy

Thanks for the prompt reply. I will try this.

PKM

[waterskierUT]

Murphy -

You're a gem. I attached the two-wire to the Tip and Ring on the panel. While I was on the phone with AlarmRelay and about to set it to test mode the COMM FAILURE resolved as the panel was sending updates to the monitoring center. A final test was successful. Yea!

Thanks for making it easy!

BTW, I unplugged the 4 wire cable from the RJ31x and it didn't affect my DSL. DSL must be running on L2.

- PKM

[murphy]

You are welcome.

It's either on L2 or a totally direct run. I don't think DSL would work if it was routed through an alarm panel.