atcomsystems.ca/forum Forums Wiring - Telecom Carriers - Trunks & Services Security, Alarms and Paging DSC T-Link Internet/Network Communicators

Are any of you actually using any of these or have you seen them in action.

When I go to the link below all I see appears to be over an INTRANET instead of the INTERNET.
What I can find in the installer's section indicate that it will communicate over the Internet.

I did see something about a VPN so that may be the way it uses the Internet.
https://www.dsc.com/Default.aspx?id=45

Haven't tried it either.

I went to a DSC seminar back in the summer for the new panels (PC1616, 1832, 1864), and they were going over the details on the T-link. Up until now, none of the monitoring stations were equipped to support it. One of the major stations here in Ontario has just recently started using it.

I have mixed feelings about it.It just goes against my instinct to try to monitor a system over the internet.

But then again I got involved in the security system business when BA loops were the standard means of monitoring systems. I think you did too TP.

Personally, I was glad to see them give way to the dial-up method of today. Mainly because of the troubles we had with the loops from the TELCO.
But the contact id format gives so much more information about the status of the system.
One of my pet peeves is when the monitoring center tells me they have "all of the codes" in their computes for the particular panel I installed and then they get an "undefined code".

I suppose it's only a matter of time 'til all of the monitoring will be done like that. It may be after the TELCOs are able to sell DSL to the residences that are currently too far out to get it.

Yep, I get the same B.S. here. They page me at 3am to tell me they received an undefined from one of my customers and I can pretty much guarantee it's a "general system supervisory" (lost a module or keypad) which they never seem to "get"!

I started with loops too and then we did 4/2 format for years, which I loved, slow, but loved. I have one of those DSC DTS-1 tester units which is a God sent for non Contact ID/SIA formats. If you've never used one before, it will read out the number dialed, account code, and reporting code on a digital display. It also simulates dial tone so it can either be stand alone or piggy backed on a POTS line so you can watch transmission in progress. I used it on all brands of security systems but unfortunately it won't do the newer formats.

They do have Contact ID and SIA testers but they are pricey.

Yeah, 4+2 was great. We still have a handful of communicators using it because they don't have contact id. If memory serves me correctly one of them is a FireLite 411 DACT we put in to replace a 911 a couple of years ago. The customer didn't want to spend the few extra $$ to get a Silent Knight communicator.

I use a digit grabber to see what number the system is dialing if I have problems but it won't display the report codes or account numbers. :confused:

When I have problems with account numbers or report codes I usually get someone to look at the receiver to see exactly what my panel sent and I can figure out what I've done wrong from that. A tester would be nice in those circumstances but that problem doesn't occur often enough to warrant spending a lot of money on them.