We are looking at the 2Gig system but I have a question about Crash and Smash. The most logical place for me to mount the control panel is in the utility room off the garage. If someone broke in from the garage door and set off the door alarm - it would take literally seconds for them to locate and smash the control panel.
I understand how the system sends an alert and would be unable to disaram the alert if smashed - but how fast does that initial alert register? I know this is a cellular system - but is like opening a phone call to create the initial alert or is it more like a cellular ping? I am concerned if it is like a cell call due to the amount of time it takes to initiate - the panel could be dead before it makes the first alert call.
The main panel should be installed center of home, use TS1’s or PAD1’s at/near entries
As for the crash and smash-
The panel sends out an ADC signal once delay entry is activated (e.g., “…standby for disarm confirmation”), if that confirmation is not received, a “crash and smash” alert is sent to Central Station.
The signal depends on your cellular connection/signal strength, and whether or not you have delays enabled for the sensors. On the average, the signal is sent within seconds. If that is your concern, then also consider a IP broadband communicator (BRDG1) for dual path communication via cellular and internet (IP), and program all sensors with no delays for near instantaneous communication with ADC.
I will go with the TS1 by the entry. Should the main Control Panel have the alarm disabled then as well so it takes longer to locate?
I also have a question about windows - I know you have the Stay and Away modes for perimeter and Motion plus perimeter. What about 2nd story windows? Is there any way to program those so during away they are fully monitored but during night in the summer when they may be open, I would only want alarms active on 1st story windows. I also only the need to protect a few of my second story windows.
I know I could seasonally alter the programming so the upstairs windows are only events not alarms, but I would prefer them to be in alarm mode while away but have the option of having alarms enabled or off based on whether they are open at night.
You can’t programmatically disable the alarm on the main control panel. Most people consider crash and smash protection sufficient for security if the control panel is in the middle of the house because they don’t have super high security needs. Some people have physically disconnected the speaker to achieve what you’re asking about.
For second story windows, the easiest way to do it is to open the windows before you arm the system and they will be bypassed when you arm and then automatically unbypassed when you disarm. Another, more secure, approach is to install an additional magnet on the window so the window can be armed while in an open position.
Most people consider crash and smash protection sufficient for security if the control panel is in the middle of the house because they don't have super high security needs.
Indeed I find it hard to imagine a situation where this is likely to be defeated. Even if the intruder knows exactly where the central panel is before they enter the house, it is unlikely they could make it to the panel and destroy it in ~3 seconds or less. With the dual path Ryan mentioned that latency goes to <1 second. A system using a legacy PSTN dialer would take much longer to notify than either of these options.
if the unit is connected via cell and broadband, and someone cuts the outside cable, will that set off a crash and smash alert?
No. The panel does not supervise your cables outside, or their integrity. Crash and smash means that a delay entry signal was sent, and no disarm confirmation, or alarm confirmation was received (e.g., panel no longer communicating).
The panel can also use POTS (telephone) monitoring
The panel can also be set for detection of RF jamming, and issue a trouble alert.
Q65(1) rf jam causes trouble
The panel can be set to supervise cellular/radio modem and will issue a trouble alert notification.
If cellular goes down (customimizable for minutes, where 30 min is default), a notification alert is issued (radio modem network failure).
Q23(30) radio modem network failure time
Q24(1) radio modem network failure trouble
Q25(1) radio modem network failure reports
The panel cannot distinguish if your internet goes down/loses connectivity as normal condition, or if the cable is cut outside the home. The end result is the same though (broadband network failure).
This is something I’ve thought about, and as far as I can tell there is no way to fully mitigate this concern. There are three paths the 2GIG (and any) security panel can take for communication - cellular, broadband, and phone. Broadband and phone can be defeated with a cable snip; cellular can be defeated with an (illegal) signal jammer. Multi-path helps but doesn’t stop an intruder from doing all of the above.
In the real world I think this is pretty unlikely. Security, at the end of the day, is about risk mitigation, not risk removal. My (completely non-scientific) assessment is that cellular by itself gives you 99% mitigation (maybe 1% of bad guys would be sophisticated enough to get and properly deploy a cell jammer). If you add dual path of either broadband or phone, that takes the mitigation to 99.9%. If you harden your cable entry points, maybe 99.99%. You can never get to 100% - even if you live in a bank vault there is that 0.00000001% chance that a sophisticated intruder can get in there.
TL;DR cell + broadband for crash and smash is about as good as you can get for normal folks.
