Sounds awesome! Will definitely follow up if our alarm panel doesnt have wifi/ethernet capabilities
Just installed my first Konnected kit. Works great and really pleased with it. Just ordered a second kit to bring more of my wired security inputs into Smartthings.
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Hi @Raj_Wasson yes! It looks like you have 6 zones here.
@heythisisnate - First of all, I wanted to thank you immensely for starting this project and keeping it up-to-date. I am not a programmer, but following your guides for NodeMcu Esp8266, I have been able to successfully convert part of my existing Home Security System to SmartThings. Now the problem - I recently bought 3 more NodeMcu Esp8266 boards from Alibaba (never again - way slow shipping than Ebay). But the main issue is that I just can’t get them to connect to my computer over USB for flashing. I have been successful in flashing and programming at least 6 boards in the past that are also based on exactly the same CH340G chipset. Those boards are still connecting fine. One uniqueness that I found with the new boards - they are beaming a “FaryLink_XXXXXX” unsecured SSID upon power-up, which my WiFi can connect to as an AP. But, I don’t know what to do with this direct computer-to-esp8266 board WiFi AP connection. I would truly appreciate anybody that can help with this question. Many thanks in advance.
@copyninja @TylerDurden @ogiewon - I know that you guys are also pros at this. So, if any of you also have any ideas about this issue, it will be very appreciated. Thanks.
A lot of the devices that I buy from China also have that “FaryLink” SSID when they come from the factory. I haven’t had any trouble re-flashing them though. Have you tried my flashing script (runs on Mac or Linux?): https://github.com/konnected-io/konnected-security/blob/master/scripts/flash
Hi @heythisisnate - Thanks for reading my lengthy post and your response. So, with every NodeMcu board, as soon as you connect to the computer and issue the “ls /dev/tty*” command, the “/dev/cu.wchusbserial1420” port shows up in the list. The problem with these boards is that the “/dev/cu.wchusbserial1420” port doesn’t even show up - in other words, these boards are not getting recognized by the computer. So I just can’t flash them, whether using your script or by issuing the command to flash in the Terminal window, since the flash command looks for the presence of the device at the “/dev/cu.wchusbserial1420” port. When I issue the flash command, I hence get the expected “serial.serialutil.SerialException: [Errno 2] could not open port /dev/tty.wchusbserial1420: [Errno 2] No such file or directory: '/dev/tty.wchusbserial1420”. While it should be needed, I still wanted to share the exact picture of the board that I am using. Many thanks again for looking at this.
Sounds like you might have gotten defective boards. It happens to me sometimes but usually only 1% to 2% are dead on arrival. I buy them in bulk so it’s not big deal.
@heythisisnate - Thanks for your response again. I am baffled that all the 3 boards that I received are behaving the same way, while all my older boards are connecting just fine. The picture of the board that I am using is attached, in case its helpful. Also, a note on the port that I just noticed - when all my older boards connect to the computer, the port shows up as “wchusbserial1410”, whereas you reference the port as “wchusbserial1420”. Is it possible that I have the older 1410 version of the driver and these newer boards need the 1420 version. Let me look up and uninstall the older 1410 version to install the newer 1420 version of the driver.
The port number is specific to your computer. On my macbook pro, the left USB port is 1410 and the right one is 1420.
The pic looks like the boards I normally buy. Try checking your USB cable. Sometimes a low-quality cable does not carry data correctly.
@heythisisnate - Thanks for patiently responding to my questions and educating me. I used 2 other USB cables as well, all of which are connecting my old boards to the computer just fine. I guess, all my 3 of the 3 boards must have been part of a defective lot. Ugh. I will go and buy a few more. Many thanks again for responding to all of my questions - very grateful for this forum.
@heythisisnate - Finally, got the FaryLink_XXXXXX boards to work! Apparently, at some point, I had installed the Version 1.4 of the Mac CH340 driver. Once, I meticulously uninstalled all the versions of the driver and re-installed the Version 1.3 of the Mac CH340 driver, all these new FaryLink_XXXXXX boards started working. My old “AI” and “e” boards are also working fine with the Version 1.3 driver as they were anyway with the Version 1.4 driver.
This is great. I can’t get over the fact that traditional wired alarm technology looks like it comes right out of the 80’s.
Could I still use the keypad to reset smoke alarms if they go off?
No, the keypads become useless. You can reuse the wiring though to power a tablet running ActionTiles! This makes your keypads into a whole-home touchscreen control panel. I’m working on a how-to video for this. Soon!
@kenfeyl The pic you posted of your ADT Safewatch Pro 3000EN looks just like mine! Where you able to fully integrate your system with ST? If so, how? I apologize if you posted the solution already.
In one of your post you mentioned you are working on using the existing wires. Will the how-to video include this information?
Don’t pull the wires just yet though, I’m experimenting with some touch screen devices that may be able to be used in place of the keypad one day!
Thanks
hey @heythisisnate, ive finally got around to setting up the nodeMCU into my alarm system and your recent update to the setup on GitHub is remarkable!
ive managed to still retain my operational, hardwired, Grade 2 monitored alarm system and have connected to nodeMCU to programmable outputs from my alarm system! works an absolute treat!
hats off to you sir:man_student:
Hi Nate, you system is god send! I have been struggling past few days as to how I can use my current wired security system but still make it ingrate with smart home future that I want.
However, I do have question in regards the 3rd party monitoring service. In post you have mentioned Scout as one of the options. But, they have their own sensors and stuff. So are you saying since they ingrate with smartthings they are ok using already existing sensors that are non-scout sensors? Also, say if I did not want to use Scout as instead wanted to go traditional monitoring. Will that still work with this? Thank you.
Konnected doesn’t have its own monitoring, thats all done through SmartThings. And SmartThings currently had one monitored provider which is Scout. You don’t need any different sensors, what you have or whats on Konnected is all you need:
@vseven Thanks for your reply. Actually that is not totally true. Smartthings does have it’s own monitoring service with ADT that they just started. It’s quite good package. However, you have to buy their sensors etc i.e. But since I already the old monitoring system, I am looking re-purpose that. That is the reason I am trying to confirm if after using Konnected, will Scout monitor these old sensors.