zaphod Posted April 30, 2019 Share Posted April 30, 2019 I have a DSC alarm system with a panel that looks like the one below that is connected to my C4 system. I am getting rid of my landline so I want to change the system to use the internet rather than dialup. There is a module that is required to do this that I am having the new monitoring company install in the near future. My old security company, which was also, for a short time, my previous C4 dealer, is refusing to give me the installer codes as they say these are "proprietary", unless I pay a $250 minimum for a service call. If I gave them dealer access would they be able to do this remotely with a navigator screen? Do I need the installer/master codes? Failing that, what are my options? A factory reset? If that is the case, how much of a pain is it to reenter all of the zone names? And how do I cycle through the zone names today to know what they are - ie how do I see Zone 1 and see the label that is "front door" to reenter after the reset? And if I do a factory reset back to defaults are there any ramifications for C4? Does everything need to be redone from scratch in C4, or as long as I use the same zone names am I good? Or does C4 map the zone numbers to the rooms? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dew1551 Posted April 30, 2019 Share Posted April 30, 2019 The DSC can be reset and started over without affecting the control 4 system. That is if you are connected by the HSIM module. It has zone names in composer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zaphod Posted April 30, 2019 Author Share Posted April 30, 2019 Thanks - but I will still have to reenter the zone names into the DSC system won't I? (That is assuming that I want to be able to see the zone names on the alarm panel when there are alarm conditions). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Lowe Posted April 30, 2019 Share Posted April 30, 2019 DSC is pretty great should be able to find info online. Im pretty sure it has to be rest locally, and will wipe everything, but only takes a few minutes to program if you know what zones are what. C4 also released a certified driver for it100 with the new security proxy. its pretty great but still has some issues that i not to fond of yet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjbasford Posted April 30, 2019 Share Posted April 30, 2019 3 hours ago, dew1551 said: The DSC can be reset and started over without affecting the control 4 system. That is if you are connected by the HSIM module. It has zone names in composer. As long as installer lockout is not enabled. Then it wipes the system and still wont clear the installer code. A new 1832 panel is pretty cheap online, and unless the system is some kind of monster, reprogramming the entire thing, as well as re configuring with Control4, should not take long. The new monitoring company, assuming they are another local company working the same area as the old company, probably even knows the installer code for the old company. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjbasford Posted April 30, 2019 Share Posted April 30, 2019 4 hours ago, zaphod said: Do I need the installer/master codes? Yes, you do. Your code is the master, or should be. The installer code is their code. It is usually kept pretty secret, but $250 to clear it is extortion, unless you are way out of their service area. The default is 5555 if you want to try it. Failing that, what are my options? A factory reset? If that is the case, how much of a pain is it to reenter all of the zone names? And how do I cycle through the zone names today to know what they are - ie how do I see Zone 1 and see the label that is "front door" to reenter after the reset? *1 for Zone bypass, and write them down. Luckily the zone labels on your system are stored in the keypad, so wont be lost when/if you default the system. And if I do a factory reset back to defaults are there any ramifications for C4? Does everything need to be redone from scratch in C4, or as long as I use the same zone names am I good? Or does C4 map the zone numbers to the rooms? C4 should be unaffected beyond having to resync everything. Power cycle your panel while sitting near it. Do you hear clicking sounds when you first apply power? If you do, installer lockout is enabled. The PC1832 panels are pretty cheap online. Also, if your new alarm dealer is a local company, who works the same market as the old company, i bet they know the old company's installer code. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zaphod Posted April 30, 2019 Author Share Posted April 30, 2019 I tried 5555 and 1234 but neither or them seem to work. How do you power cycle a panel? I don't know if my new monitoring company will know the codes as I am in Toronto which is a pretty big market. Even if I don't know the dealer codes, isn't there a factory reset that wipes everything and sets the codes back to the default? Why would I have to buy a new panel? When I read up on how to do a factory reset it says: "This process does not default the keypads or wireless receivers. You will still have the previous zone labels saved as well as the serial numbers for the wireless devices." Does that mean that it still maintains the master code and installer codes? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ejn1 Posted April 30, 2019 Share Posted April 30, 2019 i would not say changing a panel and programming is trivial and takes a few minutes imho. How many zone to you have ? All wired or some wireless? Also, I would not go internet only with no cellular backup communicator. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zaphod Posted May 1, 2019 Author Share Posted May 1, 2019 2 hours ago, ejn1 said: i would not say changing a panel and programming is trivial and takes a few minutes imho. How many zone to you have ? All wired or some wireless? Also, I would not go internet only with no cellular backup communicator. Why would I have to change the panel? Can you not do a full factory reset that wipes the codes back to the defaults? I have 19 zones, some wired and some wireless. Why not go internet only? That's what I have had for the last 13 years - the monitoring was over a "phone line" but my phone line was Vonage which was VOIP so it really was dependent on the internet being alive. My internet has been very reliable in recent years so I am not too worried about it being down for extended periods. All of my crucial networking gear (modem, router, switch) is on UPS' so short outages won't kill my internet. Adding cell phone backup is an additional $10/month. IMHO the joint probability of internet being down and a fire starting or being robbed is pretty slim. Or is the worry that fire takes out internet/power first? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjbasford Posted May 1, 2019 Share Posted May 1, 2019 Unhook battery. Unplug transformer. Wait 5 seconds. Plug in transformer. Do you hear clicking from panel? (Must be close, not very loud and siren will squak). If you do, installer lockout is enabled. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dc15 Posted May 1, 2019 Share Posted May 1, 2019 56 minutes ago, zaphod said: Why would I have to change the panel? Can you not do a full factory reset that wipes the codes back to the defaults? I have 19 zones, some wired and some wireless. Why not go internet only? That's what I have had for the last 13 years - the monitoring was over a "phone line" but my phone line was Vonage which was VOIP so it really was dependent on the internet being alive. My internet has been very reliable in recent years so I am not too worried about it being down for extended periods. All of my crucial networking gear (modem, router, switch) is on UPS' so short outages won't kill my internet. Adding cell phone backup is an additional $10/month. IMHO the joint probability of internet being down and a fire starting or being robbed is pretty slim. Or is the worry that fire takes out internet/power first? You can do a full factory reset, but if your current alarm company has the Installer Lockout feature enabled it prevents the panel from resetting the installer code to the factory default. That is why people are saying you may need to change the panel. If you have full LCD keypads re-programming really isn't that big of a deal. I have been running a DSC 1832 panel for the last three years with Internet only using an Envisalink module . Their monitoring is something like $12 a month (Canadian). Works great. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ejn1 Posted May 1, 2019 Share Posted May 1, 2019 17 hours ago, zaphod said: Why would I have to change the panel? Can you not do a full factory reset that wipes the codes back to the defaults? I have 19 zones, some wired and some wireless. Why not go internet only? That's what I have had for the last 13 years - the monitoring was over a "phone line" but my phone line was Vonage which was VOIP so it really was dependent on the internet being alive. My internet has been very reliable in recent years so I am not too worried about it being down for extended periods. All of my crucial networking gear (modem, router, switch) is on UPS' so short outages won't kill my internet. Adding cell phone backup is an additional $10/month. IMHO the joint probability of internet being down and a fire starting or being robbed is pretty slim. Or is the worry that fire takes out internet/power first? Any internet or VOIP phone line like vonage still exposes you to losing your entire alarm capability if someone cuts your outdoor internet line which for many homes is very accessible to a burgular. For the same reason as the panel has a battery backup for power outages, cellular gives a burgular no easy option to stop a signal to get to the monitoring station. All depends on in ones risk tolerance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zaphod Posted May 2, 2019 Author Share Posted May 2, 2019 Good point, but a burglar could have just as easily cut a traditional phone line. Cellular definitely gives you a higher level of redundancy if you are very concerned about having alarm monitoring working 100% of the time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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