Wired or Wireless alarm for new construction--advice needed

I am building a new home with many double-hung windows and a few doors. The alarm companies all say to do wired for reliability, but said he may do wireless for windows considering the number. I also hope to integrate with other lighting and cameras in the future. It seems to me all the innovation is occurring in wireless so it would make more sense to do wireless even though at this phase of construction, if I was ever to do wired alarm sensors it would be now. Please provide any advice for my consideration. Thank You!

There are ways to bring wired sensors into SmartThings, plus they’re (generally) cheaper and don’t require batteries.

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Wireless is certainly convenient for installation, but… Even if you’re lucky enough to have a strong mesh with no transmission issues… think of the batteries… the batteries!

Heck, I hate changing my smoke detector batteries and that’s only 4 units.

Unless the cost for installation was exorbitant, I’d take wired sensors over battery powered any day, if I had that option.

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Wires all the way. I have 23 zones, can’t imagine the battery and RF issues :wink:
You can then use the new Konnected (?) solution released here.
I used the DSC/Alarmserver software to integrate my old system.

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Wired wired wired wired wired wired wired wired.

I can’t stress this enough. Batteries and RF issues are a nightmare.

Run separate low-voltage cables to the tops of your windows too, in case you want to add motorized shades. You can hide them behind (or on top of) the window casings for now. Then, they’ll be there when you need them. Snaking new cables through exterior (insulated) walls is difficult.

The hardest part about wired sensors is keeping the cables safe during construction. I would recommend running two sets of cable to each sensor location. Tell your drywallers & finish carpenters to bury one cable in the wall, and leave the other poking out with lots of slack. And be sure to label both ends of every cable!

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Thank you! I will go with the wired option

NorCalLights Paul Community Journeyman
December 6 |

Wired wired wired wired wired wired wired wired.

I can’t stress this enough. Batteries and RF issues are a nightmare.

Run separate low-voltage cables to the tops of your windows too, in case you want to add motorized shades. You can hide them behind (or on top of) the window casings for now. Then, they’ll be there when you need them. Snaking new cables through exterior (insulated) walls is difficult.

The hardest part about wired sensors is keeping the cables safe during construction. I would recommend running two sets of cable to each sensor location. Tell your drywallers & finish carpenters to bury one cable in the wall, and leave the other poking out with lots of slack. And be sure to label both ends of every cable!

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Previous Replies

daven
December 6 |

Wires all the way. I have 23 zones, can’t imagine the battery and RF issues
You can then use the new Konnected (?) solution released here.
I used the DSC/Alarmserver software to integrate my old system.

marktheknife Mark
December 5 |

Unless the cost for installation was exorbitant, I’d take wired sensors over battery powered any day, if I had that option.

tgauchat ActionTiles.com co-founder Terry @ActionTiles; GitHub: @cosmicpuppy; NOT a SmartThings Employee. Helpful
December 5 |

paul63:
The alarm companies all say to do wired for reliability…

Wireless is certainly convenient for installation, but… Even if you’re lucky enough to have a strong mesh with no transmission issues… think of the batteries… the batteries!

Heck, I hate changing my smoke detector batteries and that’s only 4 units.

blebson Ben Lebson
December 5 |

There are ways to bring wired sensors into SmartThings, plus they’re (generally) cheaper and don’t require batteries.
konnected.io
Konnected Alarm Panel: Revive Your Wired Alarm System

Connect your existing wired alarm system to a smart home security system using SmartThings or Home Assistant. No more monthly fees!

paul63 Paul
December 5 |

I am building a new home with many double-hung windows and a few doors. The alarm companies all say to do wired for reliability, but said he may do wireless for windows considering the number. I also hope to integrate with other lighting and cameras in the future. It seems to me all the innovation is occurring in wireless so it would make more sense to do wireless even though at this phase of construction, if I was ever to do wired alarm sensors it would be now. Please provide any advice for my consideration. Thank You!

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Thank you Dave

daven
December 6 |

Wires all the way. I have 23 zones, can’t imagine the battery and RF issues
You can then use the new Konnected (?) solution released here.
I used the DSC/Alarmserver software to integrate my old system.

Visit Topic or reply to this email to respond.

Previous Replies

marktheknife Mark
December 5 |

Unless the cost for installation was exorbitant, I’d take wired sensors over battery powered any day, if I had that option.

tgauchat ActionTiles.com co-founder Terry @ActionTiles; GitHub: @cosmicpuppy; NOT a SmartThings Employee. Helpful
December 5 |

paul63:
The alarm companies all say to do wired for reliability…

Wireless is certainly convenient for installation, but… Even if you’re lucky enough to have a strong mesh with no transmission issues… think of the batteries… the batteries!

Heck, I hate changing my smoke detector batteries and that’s only 4 units.

blebson Ben Lebson
December 5 |

There are ways to bring wired sensors into SmartThings, plus they’re (generally) cheaper and don’t require batteries.
konnected.io
Konnected Alarm Panel: Revive Your Wired Alarm System

Connect your existing wired alarm system to a smart home security system using SmartThings or Home Assistant. No more monthly fees!

paul63 Paul
December 5 |

I am building a new home with many double-hung windows and a few doors. The alarm companies all say to do wired for reliability, but said he may do wireless for windows considering the number. I also hope to integrate with other lighting and cameras in the future. It seems to me all the innovation is occurring in wireless so it would make more sense to do wireless even though at this phase of construction, if I was ever to do wired alarm sensors it would be now. Please provide any advice for my consideration. Thank You!

Visit Topic or reply to this email to respond.

To unsubscribe from these emails, click here.

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Wow!

I’m not sure what you were trying to do in your last two posts, but I can tell you as someone who is dependent on a screen reader, that was really hard to follow.

Could you please use the normal forum mechanisms for replies and quoting others? Thank you! :sunglasses:

I think he replied by email, and instead of keeping every response from everyone who replied to him totally in quotes, for some reason only a small part of each person’s response was quoted. The rest was just plain text.

It was pretty hard to follow when reading the post myself too :smile:

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