VMedia Security + RE6100 Security Panel

[Jay-EDM]

There doesn't seem to be a subforum for VMedia Security (yet) so I figured I'd post here!

Looking through the offerings, we're looking at the security monitoring option. If it contacts dispatch (fire, or no code entered, or wrong code entered) would they attempt to call us prior to calling police (or the $4.95/mo private security option), or would it just go ahead?

Speaking of the private security option, the site doesn't seem to allow me to proceed with the order WITHOUT that 'option' selected.

If I proceed with this, could I activate and have security monitoring BEFORE VMedia internet and TV switchover?

Lastly, does the Helix security panel (RE6100) come with the WiFi option (RE926RX) installed already, or not?

Thank you for your help!

[Gil_VMediaSupport]

Hello,

Thanks for reaching out!

To answer your questions:

Looking through the offerings, we're looking at the security monitoring option. If it contacts dispatch (fire, or no code entered, or wrong code entered) would they attempt to call us prior to calling police (or the $4.95/mo private security option), or would it just go ahead?

• Regarding the basic plan, if any of these scenarios occur, the monitoring station will first attempt to call the emergency contacts and provide them with updates. If the emergency contacts cannot be reached, or if the monitoring station receives confirmation from them to dispatch the police, then they will proceed accordingly.
• The same process applies if you opt to get the private security option. The only difference is that the monitoring station will call the security personnel/guard service instead of the police.

Speaking of the private security option, the site doesn't seem to allow me to proceed with the order WITHOUT that 'option' selected.

• To subscribe to the Home Security service from your account, simply click on the "Add" button in the Home Security section of the Account Overview page. Once you click "Add", you'll be directed to the Home Security plans and equipment selection page. After choosing your desired plans and equipment, you can skip selecting any add-ons and proceed to checkout. To bypass the add-ons, click on the "Next" button located at the bottom of the screen.

If I proceed with this, could I activate and have security monitoring BEFORE the VMedia internet and TV switchover?

• You can use our Home Security service with any Internet Service Provider. As long as you have an active internet connection, the panel is provisioned, and the sensors are set up correctly, you should be able to use the service seamlessly. If you need assistance with setting up or activating the service, please reach out to our Support team at 1-844-872-8269.

Lastly, does the Helix security panel (RE6100) come with the WiFi option installed already, or not?

• The kit you'll receive is set up for connecting the panel exclusively through a wired connection, as it does not come with a Wi-Fi card. We also recommend our customers to opt for a wired connection, as it offers a more stable internet connectivity.

[Jay-EDM]

Thank you for the response!

A follow-up question on monitoring: I'd be looking to add some fire alarms into the security panel (RE614 Cryptix photoelectric smoke + heat detector, made by Alula, the same company that makes the panel).

With monitoring + private security, if the fire alarm activated and triggered the alarm, would monitoring be able to determine the zone was the fire alarm (if the zone were appropriately labelled) and would the fire department be called rather than private security?

[Jay-EDM]

It's taken a while, but everything was finally installed and integrated! Side note: upon calling VMedia for activation of the security system and to bring it 'live' (monitored), the answer to my question is that a real-live human sees the alarm that was tripped when sent (after three minutes) and hopefully, the fact that it's labelled HEAT / FIRE (and you can custom-label these all) means they react accordingly (hopefully).

Since there doesn't seem to be a whole lot regarding the security setup and extension, I thought I'd share my experiences. I'd probably be classified as DIYer with specialist knowledge (electronics) and some skills (datacom, handiness, technical reading, Google-fu).

Finished product: VMedia RE6100 Security Panel (top) and Alula RE657WF-R keypad (bottom). Note the 'temporary' WAGO power splices...

STEP 1: Planning

Coming from a 25-year old ADT hardwired system, I thought the Helix (wireless) could give a lot of flexibility (though subject to the whims of your network infrastructure and whether or not it can connect to the internet, unless you spring for the cellular add-on card and a SIM / plan). I rationalized that the current system isn't actually connecting through POTS (Plain Old Telephone System) and was a battery-backed VoIP anyway, so this isn't so much further of a jump. All the existing builder-installed wiring and hardware (motion detectors, integral door sensors, etc.) would be really, really helpful to keep. I guess that's a common thing, since Alula (the Resolute is a rebadged Alula product, but I don't know of their relationship) makes a 'hardwire translator' that can convert up to 8 zones (RE508X or RE508XC). The manual explicitly states that, "This product is NOT for use with life safety devices, such as Smoke, Heat, or CO detectors."

Old School ADT Hardwired Panel, with alarm system cables labelled, disconnected, and ready for transplantation (couple of paragraphs ahead)

Okay, so we'll just put it inside the existing alarm can and the wiring mess will be hidden, and... "Do NOT mount the translator in a metal can or on a metal surface." Oh right, wireless. Guess I'm springing for a plastic media enclosure (Leviton 49605-14P, with the hinged lid)

All right, so I need a second Cryptix- (a.k.a. Connect+) communicating smoke / heat detector (RE614) to replace the hard-wired one in the mechanical room (the one outside the bedrooms was long-past the "replace-by" date). And what's this, the Sentry SEN-245A heat detector (manufactured after 1994) might have a counterfeit ULC declaration...? Side note: for an overview of heat vs smoke detectors, ionization vs photoelectric, etc. see:

https://www.covesmart.com/blog/the-difference-between-a-heat-detector-and-a-smoke-detector/

What else? We have some big bay windows which should be covered by the motion detector, but glassbreak sensors would still be nice (RE609 or updated and more compact and pricier RE629). Oh, and maybe one for the unfinished basement?

Oh, and a 'nice' keypad, maybe one with a tablet so it can replace the existing ADT keypad and its hole in the wall (RE657WF-R, RE657W, or RE667W). The 667 takes 12V directly (instead of needing a 12V to USB shove-in-the-wall power supply) but I don't like how it or the 657W jut off the wall (even though it's probably for cooling). Okay, RE657WF-R it'll be. Looks like I'll have to fish some thermostat wire (18-ga, 2 conductor) to power the keypad. Speaking of mounting, instead of putting the security panel itself right beside the WiFi access point on the wall... "Do not mount Helix directly adjacent to other RF devices." Guess that was out already. Anyhoo, how about putting it in the same joist bay above the keypad and do less drilling and fishing? Hey, the 657WF-R comes with a 12Vdc 2.5A power supply... Can I get lucky and power both keypad and security panel off the same supply? Or do I need to buy a 3+ A 12V LED supply from like Lee Valley? (SPOILER ALERT: no, I didn't)

I looked from my (unfinished) basement and figured that running the cabling into the joist bay wouldn't be too bad and I wouldn't have to drill through a beam or do any of the other things that would give the various building and trade inspectors the heebie-jeebies. Add an electrical box and outlet a few feet away from a conveniently-located and wired lamp for the power supply(ies)... Network cabling could also run back to the patch panel through the main networking 'chase' I'd drilled through the beams years ago (SERIOUS NOTE: don't willy-nilly just start drilling into joists if you don't know what you're doing: you don't want your house to collapse on you for the sake of DIY!)

How convenient! An outlet tapped off the light and ready for the power supply (for both panel and tablet-based keypad) to be plugged in. NOTE: in Canada do NOT secure power supply with outlet centre screw (in the US DO secure power supply)

And doorbell camera integration? That's a whole other can of worms, but heck, why not? No subscription, but no cloud, WiFi, takes micro-SD card, probably only records on motion (RE703, or newer CAM-DB-HS2-AI or CAM-DB-JS1) Little pricey, but for what we're already spending on this whole VMedia switchover...

• RE6100+ Security Package ($230, VMedia)
• Leviton 49605-14P ($60, Amazon)
• Alula RE508X Universal Translator ($100, Amazon)
• Alula RE614 Smoke / Heat Detectors (2x $105, Anixter)
• Alula RE609 Glassbreaks (2x $30, eBay)
• Alula RE657WF-R Tablet-based Keypad + WiFi Card + 12V terminal-block adapter ($140, eBay)
• Alula RE703 Doorbell Camera (~$100, eBay)
• Samsung 128GB Pro Endurance micro-SD card ($30, Memory Express)
• 30' 18/2 thermostat wire, 50' plenum-grade Cat5e (~$40, RONA+, sadly cut cable is going extinct)

Boy howdy. Good thing experienced technical labour (comes with tools and instruments!) is free and available hanging out at your local Radio Shack, right? Other components considered (but rejected):

• Alula RE606 Garage Door Tilt Sensor (eBay, $40)
• Alula RE616 Wireless Siren Add-on (eBay, $50)

[Jay-EDM]

STEP 2: Physical Installation

I figured that, to minimize downtime, I'd install the security panel first and THEN takeover the existing equipment and LASTLY install the keypad. "No plan survives first contact with the enemy."

I took a good look at the guts of the Helix security panel, put the battery pack aside, and thought about how I could best manage the wiring and hole in the wall. Well, what if we just use an oscillating tool to cut a small hole in the back casing, and use some side cutters to cut out the notch in the bottom to run the wiring back out and to the side of the panel? And heck, there's this big open void under the main PCB, kind of a waste of space, but how convenient!

So I figured where on the wall I was going to mount the panel (high up by the ceiling, using pop toggles to secure, since it was mid joist bay), and used a hole saw to drill a 1.75" diameter hole. Unless you're really experienced, it's really hard to fish tape through a drywall hole and have it come out through the hole in the bottom stud you drilled (without cutting more holes in the drywall), but much easier to assemble enough fish rod segments to get to about where the hole in the wall will be and start moving it around so that your helper can grab it and pull it--and your wire bundle--through. Hopefully without a horizontal fire stop to foul your plans (I've already mentioned fish tape and fish rods, but a 4-ft flex bit is probably an EVEN MORE specialized tool).

Fish the network and thermostat cables, punch down the network cable into the patch panel, flip the breaker off and plug the power supply into the (previously-installed) conveniently-located outlet, wire in the cable for the panel power supply, and... Wouldn't it make more sense to fish through the keypad power supply at the same time? It would mean breaking The Plan, and decommission the touchpad (and whole alarm system) early. As some my Cree friends would do, think, take a deep breath, and "Sdoodis".

Panel mounted, wired up (temporarily with Wagos--the 12V terminal block barrel adapter is coming in the next Amazon order), cabling tones correctly and isn't shorted, and the modifications I made aren't beautiful, but aren't as bad as they could be. Okay, let's put the battery back into this bad boy and... Oh, that's what that giant compartment in the panel was for. As Q*Bert says, "@!#?@!" With even more hacking at the panel's structure and some 3M command not-velcro, and drilling some holes for zip-tie anchors, I managed to route the cabling, have the battery stay put, and have the thing close up properly.

Literal Hack Job! Note side-accessible WPS/Enrol button, as well as the S4 (factory reset) button immediately below it.

Literal Hack Job (with battery)! Cable pinch or bend radius--what's that?

Total hack job, but the worst is hidden. The cabling is exposed since it has to run outside the panel and to its left side anyway. In hindsight, I probably should've run the cabling to a low-voltage bracket right below (or beside) the alarm panel, terminated the network with a keystone jack, and terminated the thermostat wiring into an in-wall speaker keystone set (I think I've even seen a keystone insert with a 12V barrel jack receptacle with 5.5 mm OD / 2.1 mm ID). Might still (once I recover from this job).

At least the keypad looks pretty nice (the tablet-based one was probably the right choice, given all the holes covered up by the previous keypad)--more click toggles for mounting.

Taking over the existing hardwired install wasn't too bad. I figured out what the existing zones were, and documented cable colouring and function (with copious pictures), labelled the incoming cables with masking tape + sharpie (including the ones that wouldn't be reused), and when I figured I had it figured out, I took a nice long break, and then a deep breath and dived into taking everything apart. And then installing the new enclosure and wiring in the RE508X translator panel. Easy peasy lemon squeezy...?

Easy-peasy, lemon-squeezy... (Yes, there's a vented hinged lid that comes with this, and yeah, I put red tuck tape on all the holes at the top to try to minimize dust and creepy crawlies)

[Jay-EDM]

STEP 3: Configuration

As far as I can tell, more advanced system configuration (beyond what comes in the box and its pre-configuration) requires your Helix security panel to be connected to your network, and for you to have a smartphone with the Alula Connect+ Installer app (or maybe the VMediaProtect app, but it might not offer some of the finer adjustments). Supposedly, the fancy tablet-based keypads will also be able to do some configuration (but again, probably not the finer adjustments or security panel configuration).

With the security panel open, you can factory reset (if you need) using the S4 button on the PCB (located beside the Enrol/WPS button that's accessible on the outside of the panel). If you press the Enroll/WPS, you can use the default passcode from the Connect+ app (password2). But, this'll only work within 30 minutes of panel power-on, you'll have to pull power and disconnect the battery pack, or you'll receive a NAK_AUTH_FAILURE on the app, with no further details until you really Google for it. Change the password, and you can connect to it again after the 30 minutes without having to power everything off (you'll still have to push the Enrol/WPS button, though). For reference, the default system PIN is 0000 (again, unless you can--and should--change it). Why yes, you can use the factory reset to restore these to the defaults...

If you end up installing the RE508X hardwire translator (and I presume, its sibling wireless translator RE524X for other brands of wireless sensors), it's probably best to have everything connected connected and the sensors in their 'resting state', whether NO (normally open) or NC (normally closed) prior to power on. There's a 90 second lock-out after power on (before you can enrol everything), and you should turn the translator dial to Cryptix (a.k.a. Connect+, the communications scheme used by the Alula security panel). Enrol the panel itself by opening up its door (which doesn't appear as its own zone, but instead causes every wired alarm to trip). You can use the Connect+ to enrol that first sub-zone (and it'll have a zone ID 1 to 8, corresponding to the sensor hardwired into the RE508X), and then add additional zone IDs using the 'add another zone' button in the app. In general, make the names clear to understand, because they'll be sent to alarm monitoring and might very well gauge what sort of response is triggered!

If you screw up by, say, hitting the configure button to learn the sensors as you're continuously tripping the basement motion sensor, you can remove all the alarms and factory reset the RE508X by removing power and the battery pack, and then, powering everything back on, and pressing and holding the configure button until rapid beeping stops (when doing this, you might also have to factory reset the security panel, as described two paragraphs above).

A NOTE: a lot of the configuration options in the Connect+ app are a little jargony (if you didn't have a stint working in alarms)--you'll just have to Google for what they mean. For instance, the sensors connected to the RE508X will default to 'No Delay' (trip even during the exit delay!) when you really want them to be 'Standard Delay' (no tripping during the exit delay, or even extending the exit delay). You can also configure zones to trip (or not trip) in various modes--for instance, Stay mode where you don't want your (translated) motion sensor to wake everybody up while you're going for a midnight snack or patio door to let you out for a smoke (you're probably actually better off silent disarming the system and then rearming it after, or just bypassing it when arming), or in Night mode when you WANT your (translated) basement motion sensor to trip.

Finishing touches... The lid closes properly, and battery doesn't immediately spill out when you open the case, which is nice. I'll have to add some wireloom or maybe split conduit to make it less ugly, once the terminal block 12V barrel connectors come in.

CONCLUSION

Do you have to do all this work to use the VMedia security panel? Definitely not--it ships and is configured with a motion sensor and two door / window devices (with the possibility of adding more of the above, along with keypads, if you don't want to rely on the VMediaProtect App). You can also just use a patch cable to connect it to your router, or install a WiFi add-on card if you really wanted to. Was this the easiest way to install this system? Also no. Is it a pro install? I'd like to think it looks okay and has been customized and configured to work the way I'd like it to. I think they used to say that about Linux back in the day, too!

I haven't tried (or even received) the doorbell camera yet, but I'll update when so (if anybody finds this post informative, and/or VMedia doesn't find it security compromising or liability-inducing). Speaking of, these were just my observations and experiences, and as always, if you DIY, be ready and willing to DICry (whether in pain, joy, or maybe bits of both), and DIOpenTheWallet if or when things break.

Now getting internet up and running... That's a completely different post, and I've already gone on far long enough!

[Jay-EDM]

To follow-up on adding an Alula doorbell camera to the system (to take advantage of either the app or a tablet-based keypad... DON'T!

The Alula cameras activate completely differently from the other Alula / Resolute Connect+ components. Per the instructions, you can use the Alula app and even use your VMedia Protect login / password (not surprising since it's just a skinned version of it), but unless your security provider (VMedia) enables the video camera console / settings (which incur one-time and possibly recurring costs depending on whether you push to the Cloud), you can't even log in to the doorbell via WiFi to change the mechanical / digital chime setting to interface with your existing chime!

And unfortunately, VMedia security will not enable it for us, nor will they 'release' the panel (even if you bought the hardware) for monitoring by another provider who COULD provide access (though they could probably get you set up with whatever one-time / plan subscription they'd give you for camera access).

Icarus didn't do enough research and flew too close to the sun... Time for an Eufy or a Lorex (neither of which have subscriptions, unless you want Cloud access).