I currently have a Concord 4 with a 3g module that was used to connect to alarm.com through a local alarm company. I’m cancelling my service with them, and wanted to upgrade the module myself from 3g to 4g LTE and use Surety instead for the alarm.com hookup. I’ve done some research, and just wanted to make sure I understand the process properly.
Purchase a new 4g LTE module: I noticed How to Upgrade to a 4G LTE Cellular Module for the 3G Sunset mentioned a 600-1053-LTE-VZ 4G LTE cellular module, is this what I should look for? Is there a place I could easily purchase this, or do I need to do some searching and looking at places like ebay? (EDIT: I see Get Surety with your Concord 4 - Surety was a place to purchase the module but seems to be out of stock)
Since I’m installing a new module, I wouldn’t need to have my old alarm company deactivate the module from alarm.com right? I would just need to create a new account with alarm.com, or can I somehow use my existing one with surety?
I can retrieve my installer code (if needed?) through EEPROM dumping
Once I have the new module installed, setting up with Surety and alarm.com should be pretty simple? Is there any gotchas I need to consider?
I believe the 600-1053-LTE-VZ is the latest version of that module, but it was discontinued and the manufacturer no longer makes any parts so it may be difficult to find from standard vendors.
I couldn’t vouch for any sellers, but you might find one for sale on ebay, or some vendors online may still have old stock. There is a potential issue if the module is a few years old and never used before where the carrier may simply deactivate it. That has happened with some 2GIG modules in the past. That may or may not be relevant though, and if it was previously used (like most on ebay would be) it should still be able to be registered I believe.
You would need to verify with the seller that the module is unregistered currently. If it is tied to another Alarm.com account it can’t be reused until that account is cancelled. You can request the IMEI and check on our website.
You would not need to cancel first with the old company you currently use, no. Not if you are switching to a different module.
Once you have an unregistered 4G module, service purchase and activation is performed on our website. If you are ready with the system powered up it can take as little as 5-10 minutes to get started:
I have found some upgrade packages on ebay that say they’re meant for replacing existing CDMA/3g cellular communicators for my panel, however I’m not certain yet if they would work. My panel currently is hooked up to Verizon, these upgrade panels are for AT&T, does this matter? Also it states that I would also need to have a Concord Panel version 4.0+, and a SuperBus 2000 gateway module. How do I ensure my panel is version 4.0 or greater, and is the SuperBus 2000 gateway module the circuit board with lights that the current 3g board seems to be ontop/connected to?
EDIT: The page listed needing a SuperBus 2000 Gateway (60-861), the board I’m referring to that the cellular module connects up to doesn’t look exactly the same circuit wise (but is enclosed in the same housing on pictures I see online). My board says 55-822-A, looks like I’d need to purchase this as well?
So that I can assist, please provide the model number of the cellular module you are referencing. It is possible you are looking at a non-Alarm.com compatible part.
The CD-421-US-VZ should be fine, all things considered, that is a standard Verizon Alarm.com module.
The CD-411-US-AT-LTEUP should not be purchased. That is I believe an upgrade program module. Alarm.com years back had a 3G to 4G upgrade offer with discounted modules. Those modules however can only be used by a dealer to swap out the IMEI for an existing account under their service. They are blocked from activating a new account, based on past experience.
If I were to go the route of swapping my main panel out and keypads, does the https://suretyhome.com/product/qolsys-iqpanel2plus-319-interlogix/ kit contain a new main panel (where all the wired sensors hook up to) and the keypad… or is it just the keypad? If this contains everything I would need (main panel, keypads can be swapped from the old concord 4 to these without any extra wiring?, alarm.com hookup) this may be a better option since right now the CD-421-US-VZ is about $300 on ebay.
Right now I have 8 zones, majority are hardwired, and two wireless motion sensors.
To clarify, the IQ Panel is an all in one system. The “main” panel and the keypad are one thing. It uses wireless sensors.
Secondary keypads can be purchased. The IQ Remote has the same touchscreen interface as the main panel. These connect to the main IQ Panel via wifi.
Your wired sensors could be reused with a hardwire translator, which turns them into a wireless signal the panel accepts.
You can typically reuse old panels’ keypad wire as the power wire for the panel and any IQ Remotes, to deliver power from the included plug-in power supplies. You may need to double conductors 2 for positive 2 for negative. If the length of the wire is more than about 75 feet though that would be too far for the gauge of wire used with old panels.
I was able to secure a CD-421-US-VZ to swap out my old 3g panel with. My only confusion is since I currently have an alarm.com account (tied to the old panel) and I believe it was created from my old provider. Is it on them to close that account out? How would I be able to reuse that account since it’s tied to my email address? Should I just use a different email address for this new one until they decide to finalize closing everything with the old account (my old alarm provider)? Thanks again for the help!
Yes, you would need to have your old provider cancel any prior account, though that wouldn’t be necessary to do first if you are using a new module.
You can reuse the same email address, a unique Alarm.com username must be chosen but you can always change it later after your previous account is cancelled and the name is free to use again.
I installed the new unit, set up my surety account and have access to alarm.com again. I’m able to see all my sensors on alarm.com, however I see a bus 1 error on the concord 4 keypad. From researching it looks like I may have to remove my old 2g panel from the accessories menu, however when I look at the list of IDs there, I can’t seem to match it with any of the numbers on the 2g superbus circuit board. I want to make sure this is it before removing, or maybe I have something else wrong if not.
Also with that said, do I have to manually add the new 4g accessory too? or does that auto add to the next available ID?
If you see BUS 1 error, that means the ID associated with BUS 1 needs deleted.
You can manually delete a bus device by entering the installer menu and going under System Configuration > Accessory Modules > Bus Device Settings
To delete learned unit numbers:
With the display showing BUS DEVICES, press #. The display
shows the bus device set to unit number 0.
Press A or B until the bus device unit number you want to delete is
displayed.
Press D. The display changes the unit number to None.
You do not need to add the new one manually, it is automatically set.
Is there any way to verify the device before deletion, I’m pretty sure that’s what it is, but was just seeing if I can double check. I haven’t identified any of the writing on the outside matching the BUS ID number. My assumption is BUS 0 is my first keypad, BUS 1 was the old 2g panel
edit: I guess another route is verifying the other keypad bus IDs as they’re listed on the backside. I’ll go that route, thanks!
