VOIP etc > Voice Over IP - VOIP > VOIP Tech Chat > [General] Comcast VoiP and home alrm issues...

[General] Comcast VoiP and home alrm issues...

This is often an issue with pure VoIP companies (such as Vonage, Ooma, VOIPo, and so forth) and with the digital phone services provided by cable companies (such as Comcast, Cox, TW, Optimum).

See:
»www.bevansecurity.com/company/voip.html

»VoIP and Burglar Alarms: Bold thinking or old thinking?

»[General] VOIP (ooma) and Brinks Alarms

Also see (direct from Comcast):
»customer.comcast.com/Pages/FAQVi···ss=alarm

Now, the first thing you need to do is contact your alarm company. Surely if they provide service in your town, they have experience with Comcast Digital Voice installations.

I'm trying to not be a grouch, but I am puzzled as to why you would not already have done that.

BTW, if you self-installed, did you definitely remove the connection between your home's phone wiring and the old phone company line, at the Network Interface Device (NID)?

reply to rbarr110
The phone line source (your Comcast modem) must go to the alarm system first, which in turn feeds the other jacks. The alarm cuts off the other jacks when transmitting. That prevents an intruder from blocking the signal by picking up a phone, or a wiring short caused by the heat of a fire from interfering.

I strongly recommend that you have your alarm installer or other pro deal with this; an improper installation could degrade security, even if it works most of the time.

If you still want to do it your yourself or at least understand the issues, search this forum or the Net in general for RJ31X .

reply to PX Eliezer

reply to rbarr110
If the alarm was wired correctly in the beginning the alarm wires both in and out should go the the old NID. Most likely when the old phone lines were disconnected so were the alarm lines. So check at the NID.
One thing is if the VOIP is not at that point rehooking up the alarm will make it function if the VOIP backfeeds to the NID however it will not be wired correctly for line seizure.
If you have a main panel in the house that alarm may also be wired into that.
There are other possibilities less common and some may not be true line seizure such as just tapping into a random line in say the attic. Thing is with that type of nonstandard install and if all the other jacks in the house worked most likely the alarm would still work.
So check at the NID and see if the VOIP backfeeds to that point and also if there are in and out alarm wires there. The wires would most likely be in the same small inside wire such as yellow and black in and red and green out from the alarm.
You may be able to get the alarm working at that point.
For true line seizure you would need one pair of wires direct from the VOIP adapter to the alarm and one pari back to the wiring you want to feed.
However, as said check the NID or if you have a main inside panel at that point also and you may get it functioning but not fully kosher or up to your alarm companies and insurance company line seizure standard for line seizure.

reply to rbarr110

reply to rbarr110
Amplifying on some of the excellent advice in this thread:

------------------------------------------------

"How to Properly connect a Comcast Modem Dialtone to a House with an Alarm System -- Do NOT just plug your dialtone into the nearest jack!!"

"WARNING! You cannot just plug the Comcast modem into any jack when you have a home alarm system, personal medical alert or personal emergency response system, or other specialized security equipment connected to the telephone wiring. In some cases, such as with most home alarms, the security device will simply not function properly (the inside phone jacks will work, but the alarm system will be unable to dial out). However, with other types of devices, such as certain types of driveway intercom/gate controllers, you could actually damage both the Comcast modem and the security equipment by simply plugging the Comcast modem into any jack, because both the Comcast modem and the security equipment are capable of producing line and/or ringing voltage, and they may be hooked up in opposite polarities; definitely NOT a good situation! In such cases, you must connect the Comcast modem to the inside telephone wiring before it reaches the alarm or security equipment, in the same manner as the traditional phone line was previously connected."

MORE INFO:

»www.froulasolutions.com/comcast.html

reply to rbarr110
Ok, all is working well. I didnt have to run a new wire. With some careful exploring and tracing wires, I found the one that is directly wired to the alarm. I tied the VoIP line directly into that and let my exisiting RJ31X feed teh rest of the lines.

The alarm is properly communicating with the alarm company, phone is working, and the alarm does hijack the line whrn testing.

Thanks for the replies.

Glad that worked for you... I have the same type of problem with my alarm panel that I need to fix but i have a ton of things currently residing on the bc where the phone stuff enters. I have to clean this up first before being able to fix it. The verizon fios install tech went splicer crazy when switching the phone over from copper to fiber.