I installed the new card and apparently, it is not communicating with Alarm.com The previous card from the other company would show the signal strength This new car after powering it up the spot where the other one showed the signal is left blank. Is it possible that the panel is locked by the other company?
The following is the message when I try to log into Surety site.
Your control panel has not communicated with Alarm.com. Please make sure your control panel is powered on then try again. If you are still having trouble, please contact us.
The location is in a rural setting My cell phone and wireless hotspot works fine. I would appreciate some help with this
The following is the message when I try to log into Surety site.
Your control panel has not communicated with Alarm.com. Please make sure your control panel is powered on then try again. If you are still having trouble, please contact us.
This is the message that appears before a successful cell phone test is run on the panel. Have you attempted to run the initial cell phone test yet? If not, instructions are included in the welcome email.
I did try that and it did not work. I realize that I may have made a mistake and skipped the step of checking the module. I put in the ADC # and received the message that I put in the attached document. What Can I Do at this point if the unit is locked?
If the module was used to create the account for which you got the message indicating there has not yet been a successful cell phone test, then yes, it would show as already assigned to an account. A module can only be attached to one account at a time. If you had no service associated with it, it would say it was available for use with new service.
Can you verify the firmware version you are running? For a 2GIG Go!Control Panel, firmware version 1.17 or higher is required for 4G Verizon LTE modules, and firmware version 1.9.6 or higher is required for AT&T HSPA modules. What message are you seeing on the panel when you attempt to run the cell phone test?
Amanda
I have not had a chance to go and verify what version firmware is running. I have held off until I get the updating cable. The panel was originally put into service September of 2016. will that help to know if we need the newer vision of firmware?
No, other than it wouldn’t have 1.17 from the factory. You would need to check the firmware of your panel to determine the current version. You can find the firmware version by following the steps in the video below.
For the LTE module which is assigned to your service account, the panel would need to be at 1.17 or higher in order to be able to see that the module is attached. Once your panel is at 1.17 you would be able to run a cell phone test.
The Update Cable page has instructions regarding updating the 2GIG Panel firmware, and links to firmware files.
I received the cable and did the firmware update and I restarted the panel and followed the directions to do the cell test and the option to do the test is still not there. Do you have any suggestions?
Can you post a photo of the panel screen under Security - Menu - Toolbox - Scroll right twice?
Note that it looks like some ADC pings were successful and initial communication has begun, so you should be able to login at this time to ADC.
I do see some signaling trouble though since the panel first started communicating, including trouble at the moment.
Note that with the 4G LTE module there are two antennae and both must be connected securely to function properly. Power down your panel and verify that the antennae are not loose. Make sure neither antenna is resting near house 120VAC lines in the wall.
It is also possible that if your panel does not see a module connected intermittently that the module itself is not seated properly on the board. While powered down ensure the module is screwed down tightly with both fastener screws. Removing and re-attaching the module may be a good next step as well to make sure all pin connections are solid.
I still have not been able to get a good signal that is dependable. Last week I went and followed all of this suggestion and still the reception seems to be intermittent. Prior to ordering the card, I did use the coverage checker and it said that full coverage was available. Would it be possible to exchange the card for one of the other cell phone companies? When I had the other card in there from the other company it was working, However, they were unwilling to allow me to relocate the panel from a business location that I closed down. The device is now installed in a remote area without any utilities available. I am using a solar system to power the panel. I installed the system to protect the contents of a sea train container. I installed two motion detectors on the exterior and one contractor on the door. I was not able to get out there this week until today. My $300.00 PTZ camera was stolen. I should have not installed it until I had everything working. I know that there is a signal out there. I did buy a hotspot wireless device, I configured a wireless router to receive the wireless signal from the hotspot to feed the router and it worked> I had planned to connect my PTZ camera too. It was not an Alarm.com device that was why I planned to use a separate wireless connection to view the camera from my phone
The bottom line is I really do need to get the alarm working before I lose the contents of my container. They already tried grinding off the latches
I am planning to buy a camera that is an Alarm.com one but first I need to get a card that can receive a reliable signal. The panel still does not show the cell test as you directed me to go to. The previous card I was receiving a 16 out of 31 signal. Could it be possible that the new card has a problem with it?
I hope that you can help me. I plan to go out there tomorrow morning and I will take a picture to send to you of the screen that the cell test is supposed to be on and show you that it is not there.
When I had the other card in there from the other company it was working, However, they were unwilling to allow me to relocate the panel from a business location that I closed down. The device is now installed in a remote area without any utilities available. I am using a solar system to power the panel. I installed the system to protect the contents of a sea train container.
The previous card I was receiving a 16 out of 31 signal. Could it be possible that the new card has a problem with it?
To clarify, are you saying that the alarm panel is installed inside a shipping container?
If that is the case then very flatly this is unlikely to work at all.
The cellular card and carrier would be irrelevant, as cell signal would be weakened greatly trying to pass through the metal walls of a shipping container. Even if ran outside of the container, the antenna would need to be well clear of such a large metal structure.
If there is no environmental conditioning and the panel is open to wide temperature swings in an uncontrolled environment it is likely to get damaged. The system is intended for interior use in a conditioned space.
Can you verify the environment where the panel is installed and the intended usage?
I get what you are saying but the fact is that the panel was working fine mounted inside the container, but the previous alarm company was unwilling to work with me to change the service address. That was why I search for an alternative and found your company. The container is not made of steel it is aluminum. Like I mentioned previously the card from the other company worked fine installed inside the container. I tried to work with them to switch the location and they wanted to charge me 200.00 to reinstall it, I thought that it was ridiculous to charge so much and it is soo simple to install and program. As it turns out I already spent more than that buying the card and the wire to update the firmware. When we would get an alarm they were sending the police to the previous location and it was complicated to explain every time that the panel was installed at the new location. If I had not had it working with the other card I would probably agree with you but the fact is that the other one did work in the container. I know that this is an odd unorthodox thing to do but I really need help with this to get it to work. I am on my way over there right now. I will send you a picture of the panel screen.
We are always happy to help, and I can say that different network generations will have different material penetration and different network coverage.
However it is unlikely to make a lot of difference inside a shipping container. Aluminum has a very pronounced attenuation of radio frequencies and is probably second only to copper as far as metals used in RF shielding. A closed shipping container is essentially a Faraday cage.
You may see different operation with the door open vs closed, etc., but this is not an environment which is intended for the system, so unfortunately I cannot guarantee any expectation here.
If you would like to try it and the old module is unregistered, you could submit that module number via secure message here and request a module swap.
I really want to stress this last fact: Possibly the most important thing to consider is that if this container is an unconditioned space where the temperature can swing and get very hot or very cold, you will almost certainly see irreparable damage to the panel in a short time. The panel is not intended for what amounts to outdoor use.
I wanted to send you a picture of the panel. If it is possible for me to send the module and program my old one to your service I think that that is the option that I would like to do.
As you can see from the picture of the panel that the button to test the cell is not there, whereas with the other module it was there and showed me a signal of 16 out of 31.
I did check the operating temperatures of the panel and think that we are well within the acceptable operating temperatures. If at any time we experience lower temperatures we can install a small heater. I think that calling the container a Faraday cage is a bit extreme, especially knowing that the panel did work previously with the first module, I used the serial number checker and for some reason
I will send you the module numbers tomorrow, as soon as it is programmed and the old one is working then I will send the one that I purchased from your company back for a refund.
Thank you for your help sorry that this has been a weird situation that has been a pain,
Joe
Thank you for sharing the image. If the panel does not show a radio status button, that means that the panel does not see that a module is physically attached.
The module may be loose. The panel may not be of adequate firmware. The module may be damaged. Or the module was installed/swapped when the panel was still powered by transformer or battery. Those are the likely culprits.
If your older module is unregistered now and you want to try it, the process for swapping it would cover every possible issue above as far as troubleshooting goes.
