Wireless Burglar Alarm Sensors Guide

By Ari Erenthal, Published Jul 21, 2017, 08:06am EDT (Info+)

Wireless sensors for burglar alarm sensors are an increasingly common option for the historical labor intensive wired alarm systems.

However, there are numerous elements and tradeoffs involved in using wireless sensors.

In this guide, we explain these in detail including:

  • How wireless sensors can help cut labor costs
  • Benefits of using wireless sensors in residential
  • Factors in picking wired vs wireless sensors
  • Advantages of wireless sensors
  • Disadvantages of wireless sensors
  • Dealing with proprietary wireless devices
  • Common wireless frequencies
  • Common wireless battery types
  • Understanding the role and use of wireless receivers
  • Hacking wireless sensors
  • Considering encoded / 2-way supervised wireless sensors

Wireless ******* *** **** *** ***** *****

********** ******** *** ******** ******* ** * cost ******* *******. ***** ** ******* the ******* ******* *** ** ************ company, *** ******* ***** **** ******* to *** ***** ***** ** ********* the **** **** ********* ****** ** ** installation. 

**** ** ********** **** ** *********** installations, ***** ***** **** ** ****** and ********* *** **** ** ** moved. ***** *********** ************* *** ********* take * **** ** **** ** wire, *** **** * ***** *********** installation ***** **** * **** *** to ****. ***** ******** ******* ********** the **** ** ***** ***** **** ***** and ******* **** ******* ****** *** crawlspaces. 

******** ** ******* ***** ** * *********** installation ***** **** *** **********, *** technicians ******* ** *********** ********* ****** ****** *** **** ***** level ***********, ******* ** **** ****** ***** costs. Using ******** ******* ****** ***** ********** to ******** ************* ****** *** *******. 

Using ******** ******* ** *********** ************

**** ***** ********* ********** ** ****-**-**** ***** sales. ** **** *****, ***** ** salespeople ***** ** *** **** ** ***** single **** ** * ************, ****** to **** **** ***** ********. ** successful, * *********** ***** *** ** ************ crew ** ******* ** ***** ** soon ** ********. ***** ******* *** commonly sold ********* *******, ********* ** ** below ****, **** ***** ********* ********* to **** ***** ***** **** ** charging *** ********** ********.

*** **** ***** ** ****, ************* must ** ********* ** ******* *** as ************ ** ********. * **** of *********** ******* ** ********** * ****** wired ****** ** *** *** *** complete ***** ** **** ******* ******* in * ****** *** **** ***** wireless *******, ******** *** ***** ******* to ***** ******** *** ******** *** monitoring ******* ******. 

******** ******* *** ***** **** ** large, ****** ***** ** ****. ********** ***** can ** * ********* *********, ********** if *** ****** **** ** * long ******** **** *** *****, *** panel ** ******** ***** ** ******** floors **** **** *** ******, ** if *** **** ***** ******* ****** and ******. ** **** *****, ***** ******** sensors ** *** ******* **** ****** a ********** ** *** * ****. 

Factors ** ******* ***** ** ******** ******* 

******** ******* *** ************* **** ********* than ***** *******. *** ******* ********** are ********* *-* ***** **** ********* than ***** ***** ***********. ** ********, many ****** ******, ********** ****** *** ********** grade ******, ** *** ******* ******** sensors. **** ***** ***** ******, ********** need ** *** * ******** ********, an ***** *******. 

*********, ******** ******* *** **** *** more economical ****** ***** *** ********* **** is **** **** *** ***** **** of running * ****.

******** ******* *** **** ******** *** limited *********, ********* ***-*** **** (**-** meters). ** ********, ***** *** ******* sensors ** ****** ******** ** **** away. ********** *** *** ********* ** extend *** ***** ** ******** *******, but ***** *** **** **** ** *** cost ** ** ************. 

********** ***** *** ***** *******, *** ********, in ********** *** ********** *************. *** labor **** *** ***** ******* ** **** lower **** *** ***** ** *** need ** ** *********, ****** ***** sensors *** **** ****-********* ****** *** these applications. 

Advantages ** ******** *******

  • ***** ***** *****: ******** ******* ******* less ********** ** *******, *** ******** fewer ***** *** ***** ** *******. This ***** **** **** ************, ***** paid *********** *** ******* ******** *******, while ***** ******* ******* *********** ********** with ********* ***** *****. 
  • ****** ******* ****: ******** ******* *** be ********* ********** *******, *********** ******** an ************ **** ** ******** *** ** more **** ** * ****** ***. In ********, ** ***** ******* * *** ** more ** *** ***** *** *******. This ***** ****** ***** *** ********** ********. 
  • ********** *******: ******** ******* *** ********** **********, ** *** ******** ****** ************ sends * ****** ***** **** ** the ********. ** ******** ********** **** signal, *** ***** ***** **** **** a ******* ****** ** *** ******. The ***** *** ** ********** ** send ******** ******* ******* ** ******* station ** ****. **** ******** ** ****** or ****** *** ****** **** ** detected **** ***. **** ******* **** built-in *** ********* *** ****** ******** as ****.

Disadvantages ** ******** *******

  • ********** ******: ******** ******** ******** *** ********* ** *******. **** ******* **** for * *******, ***********, *** *******, and therefore **** ** ************* ****** **** wired ********. ****** *** *********** ******* sometimes *** ***** ******** ******** *** **** reason, ********** *** ****** ** ********** doors. **** ** **** ** ***** with ******** ********; ***** ***** *******, such ** ****** *********, ******** ***** ***** *******, *** ***** ********* ** *** ****** **** **** *******. 
  • ******** ******* *******: ********* *** ******** sensors have * **** ********** ** ~* years, ********* ** *****. **** ********* a *** ******* ******, *** ******** must ****** *** *** * ******* call ** ******* *** ********* **********, a ******* *********** ** *** ***-******** batteries **** ******** ******* ***. 
  • ******** ***********: ******** ************ **** * limited *****, ********* ***-*** **** (**-** meters) ********* ** **** *** ************ environment. ** ********, ***** ******* *** be ******* ******** ** **** **** *** panel. 
  • **** *********: ******** ******* *** ***** two ** ***** ***** **** ********* than ***** ***** **********, ******** **** of *** **** ******* ********** **** reduced ***** **** *** ****** ************ time. 
  • ********** *********: **** ***** ******, ********** commercial ******, ****** ******* ******** ******* without ********** *********. ****** ** *** a ******** ******** **** ******* **** of *** **** ******* ********** **** using ******** *******.
  • ****** ******* *****: ********* *********/ ***************

Wireless ******* *** ***** ***********

******** ******* *** ***** *** ********** with * ******** **** ******* *****. For *******, ********* ******** ******* *** not ********** **** ***'* *********. ******** a ******** ****** *** ****** *** type ** ******* ********* ** * system. ***** **** ****** **** * wide selection ** ********** *******, **** ****** may **** **** * ***. **** limitation ****** ** ***** **** ******* when ********** ******** *******. ** * sensor **** * ******** ******* ** required *** ** ***********, *** ********* may **** ** ****** *** ***** of ***** ***** ****** *** ******** in *** ******. 

**** *************** ** ***** * ******** limitation, *** * ********* ***************. ******** sensors **** ** *** * *** frequency ******, *** ********* *** ******** ******** to ****** ******* **** ******* **** by ***** *************. 

Common ******** *********** 

******** ******* ***** *** ** ******* to ***********. ***** ******* *** ********* in *** ***-*** *** *****, ******** several ************* *** *** *** *** range. ** *** ****** ******, *** FCC ********* ** *****. ************* ************ ***** ******* **** *** *** and ****** ************** ******* ******* ************ ******** *******. Because *** ******* *** ***** ******* frequencies *** ****** *** ********* ** the ***, ** ** ******** ********* * ********* *** ******* *** ****** being ***********.

*-**** *** ********* ********, *** *** *********** ****** and *** ******* ** ******** ***** sensors.  **** *** ******** *** **** automation ********, *** ********* *** *** proprietary ** * ****** *****.

Common ******* *****/*****

******** ******* *** ** ******** *********, which **** ** ******** ************. ******* life ** ***** ** *** ****** of *********** *** ****** *********** *** the *********** *** ****** ** ******* in, *** ********* *** ****** ****** from ******** ** ********. ******** ********** rarely ****** ***** *** ******* *** go as **** ** ***** ***** ******* needing * *********** *******, ***** * motion ******** ** * ******* ********** hallway ***** **** * *** ******* every ****. ******* ************ *** ******* battery **** ** ****, ******** ********* **** or *** ************ *** ********* **** common ** *********** ************.

********* ****** ********* *** ** * time *********, *** ********* ******, *******. Alarm ***** **** ***** ******* *** ******* replace ********* ** ***** ***, *** those **** ***** ******* *** **** to ***** ******* **** ***** *** for * ******* ****. *** **** of ***** ******* ***** *** ********* upset ** ******** ***** *****, *********** ****** them **** *********** ** ****** ** switch ***** ********** ******* ** *** end ** ***** *********. 

***** ********* ********* ***** ******* ********* to ***** ******* ***********. ******* *** cost ** *** ******* ******** **** the ********** *** ***** **** *** pain ** ********* *** **** ** the ******* *********** **** *** ****** of ****** ** *****. 

*** **** ****** ******* ***** **** by ******** *******:

  • ****** ***** ********* *** ***** ~$*.** USD **** ********* ****** *** ~$*.** each **** ********* ** ****.
  • ****** ********* *** ***** ~$*.** *** when ********* ****** *** ~$*.** **** when ********* ** ****.
  • ** ********* *** ***** ~$*.** *** when ********* ****** *** ~$*.** **** when ********* ** ****. 

** ********* *** ****** ********* *** sale **** ***** ********. ****** *** CR123A ********* *** ** ********* ** **** from ***** ************ *** ******** *********. 

Most ****** ******* * ******** ********

**** ***** ****** ******* * ******** ******** to ** ********** **** ******** *******.

******** ********* ******** **** ** *** ****** bus. **** ****** *** ******** *** allows ** ** ******* ****. 

**** ********* **** ****** ** *** amount ** ******** ******* **** *** support, **** *, *, *, *** 16 ******* ***** *** **** ******. Some ********* *** ******* **** ** the ****** ** ***** ********* ** the *****. 

******** ********* *** ******** ******* ******* of **********, ** ***** *** ***** or ***** ******** *******. ****** ***** *****, which ************ ** *** ***** ****** * can, ******** ********* **** ** ****** in ** *********** **** ** ***** to ******* *******. **** ***** **** any ****** ** *** ******** *** potentially ***** *** ******** *****. 

** ******* ****, ******** ********* ******** have ****** ******** ** ****** ********** attempts ** ****** *** ********. ** addition, *********** ******** ******* *** ******** in * ****** ****, **** ** the ****** ** * ******. 

**** ***** ****** **** ***** ** wireless *********. **** ********** ***** ****** *** ******** to ** ******** ****, **** ******** receivers ***** ***** **** *** ******. 

******** ********* *** ***** ~$*** ***.

Hacking ******** ******* 

******** ******* *** ** *********** ** hacking. ** *** ****** ** *********** between *** *********** *** ********, ** can ** ****** ** *******. ** contrast, ******* ** ******** * ***** sensor ******** ******** ****** ** ****** the ****** ** *** ****, ***** is **** **** ********* ** **********, especially ** *** ******* ** **********.  

***** ********** ** *** **** **** in *** ** **** ** *** ***** System ****, * ************ ********* *** *** be **** ** **** ***** ******* or ***** *** ****** ******* ** the ********, ***** *** ****** ****** signal ****** ** *******.

**** ******** ******* *** **** ********** to ******* **** ******. *** *******, some ******** ******* ******** ***** ******* unencrypted, ** ***** ***********, ************* *********** **** ************ ***** ** ******. *** ******** ******* * **** where **** ******** *** ********* ***** *********** ******** transmitters. **** ***** ************* *** ***** ****************, ***** ********* ******** ************. 

**** *************, **** ************, ***** *** **** ***** ***** require************* ********* *** **** ****** ** skill ** **** ***. *******, *** **** ** ***** present 

Encoded ** *-*** ********** ********

***** **** ************* **** ********** *** ***** wireless *******, ********* ***,*******, *** **** (***** ** ******* ********-**** ******), ****** *** frequency ******* ** **** ****** ************ more ********* *** *** *** ************* to **** ******* ** ******** ******** easier ** ******.  *** *******, ***,***, ********* *** ********* ******* ** * way ********** **********.

Comments (3)

Avatar

Mark Hillenburg

07/23/17 02:47pm

Nice article. It might also bear to mention that not only is 900mhz frequency hopping more secure. Typically 900mhz has a longer range. For example our standard transmitters have a typical range of 1200 ft open air and our High Power Receiver tests out at 1.7 miles.  

Also the two-way nature of (at least the DMP) 900mhz wireless offers some advantages. Single message & single ack, reduces battery drain. The ability to adjust the detector over the air, sensitivity, pulse count, put it in walk test or even put it to sleep in the disarmed state all offer unique advantages. The ability to push a message to the wireless allows for wireless relays, sounder, lights, and even wireless smokes that sync their sounder. (commercial fire UL864 listed). 

There is more. But I'll give you all a break. :-) 

Agree: 1
Disagree
Informative: 3
Unhelpful
Funny
Avatar

Mark Hillenburg

07/24/17 02:35am

Here is our DMP White Paper Two-way Wireless System Offers a Competitive Edge

Agree
Disagree
Informative: 2
Unhelpful
Funny
Avatar

Brian Hampton

IPVMU Certified | 07/25/17 03:02pm

One more con I have run into with wireless is that if there is any possibility of moisture entering the sensor it can fail prematurely. 

Agree: 1
Disagree
Informative: 1
Unhelpful
Funny
Login to read this IPVM report.
Why do I need to log in?
IPVM conducts reporting, tutorials and software funded by subscriber's payments enabling us to offer the most independent, accurate and in-depth information.
Loading Related Reports