Re: is wireless mature yet

["Jim" <alarminex@xxxxxxx>]

cdn_bcn wrote:
> Having reviewed as much as I could take in from 4 years of posts thanks to
> Google -- and -- R.Campbell, excellent web site ... is there any chance that
> you experts would consider the GE Simon3 to be a 'real' security system?  In
> particular, is there some way they can justify having the panel/keypad in
> one unit which I would imagine could be easily 'incompacitated'?
>
> Unfortunately, wireless would be most easily facilitated in our place --
> finished basement.  I'm willing to rip into the ceiling and under trim if
> absolutely necessary but would rather not.  Is wireless technology mature
> enough to use yet -- reliably?  Have you put in a Paradox or DSC wireless
> (it appears they do sell such a thing) -- results?  Is there a
> top-of-the-line 'wireless' solution?  Replacing batteries is a non-issue
> (i.e. a minor annoyance as long as it isn't monthly or something);
> reliability is.
>
> Thanks in advance and regards ...


Wireless has been around in the alarm industry long enough to be pretty
much perfected and reliable. So you don't have to worry about the
technology at this point. I don't use any of the "self-contained" alarm
systems because it's just not my market. I'm usually in the mid to high
end installs. I've used Napco alarm systems for over 25 years and when
they introduced wireless, I just stuck with them, and have never been
disappointed. They've got a good stong signal and penetration seems to
equal anything that I've put it up against.

You may get some responses regarding ITI being "the best" however, in
my opinion it's simply the most promoted, advertised and marketed. Not
that it's inferior in any way, it's just that most of the other top of
the line wireless manufacturers started of in the hard wired alarm
systems market. So when ITI started it's introduction into the alarm
industry, since it was wireless product, in a hardwired world, it had
to do some super-duper marketing and advertising. Which it did  ....
quite successfully. And it could be .... that at one time it was the
best wireless, simply because the others weren't competing in that
market. Now days, as I say, most of the major players wireless is
pretty much equal and ITI is no better or worse.

The primary problem with wireless is that it is thought by many to be a
"quick" installation. When, in reality, it may take as long, or longer
to install a good, long term, wireless system. Many of the "quicky"
"free" system you see/hear about are wireless systems that are
installed without any signal checking of proper trial and error
placement of transmitters and receivers. In such systems, problems are
inevitable, and thus the "bad reputation" of wirless is perpetuated.
I've got ....maybe 50 ..... 60 .... 70 totally wireless installations,
some with as many as 60 or more transmitters ..... some systems 20
years old and ..... I've never had a call about poor reception or
wireless related problems. And every system capable of it,  is
programed to send reports upon failure. Only the normal calls that
could be expected on any installation. So, it's proof enough for me,
that if the wireless is installed with the utmost care, there's no
difference between it and a hard wired system. By the way, nowdays,
battery life expectancy is minimum, 3 years. I've had some go seven
years. However, come to think of it, I have run into some "quirky"
lithium batteries, that have only lasted a few weeks or months. So you
may want to consider that as a "wireless related" problem. I don't.