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The site depicts Security Kit 3. The info says the pack includes 1 door and window sensor but there is a picture of 2. Do I assume that they are identical so both can be used as door sensors? One more question. An outside alarm is not listed. Is there to be one?
The site depicts Security Kit 3. The info says the pack includes 1 door and window sensor but there is a picture of 2. Do I assume that they are identical so both can be used as door sensors? One more question. An outside alarm is not listed. Is there to be one?
Thanks.
Yep, sorry I missed that one! Kit 3 info now updated. The Door and Window Sensor can be used for either doors or windows. There is an outside alarm available, but not yet stocked by Honeywell - I will put up on website now.
Not wanting to be a wet blanket, but it should be pointed out that any wireless security system can be jammed if the intruder has knowledge of the system installed (which can probably be determined fairly easily by sniffing the wireless transmissions from as far away as the street) and the right equipment to jam it.
Even if the communication protocol itself is completely secure (a good design using both encryption and authentication between all devices, and no bugs in the implementation) if you can cause the individual devices not to be able to communicate with each other for a period of time due to RF interference you can partially or completely defeat the system.
I was reading a research paper not long ago on the security (or lack of) of already on the market wireless security systems based on the Z-Wave and Zigbee home automation protocols, and the summary was basically "don't do it". Not only do both those protocols have design flaws in their authentication that makes it possible for a malicious party to either join the network or impersonate a device already on the network, they were of course also subject to outright RF jamming. The biggest issue was that they were trying to utilise protocols that were never designed with security in mind, for a security application.
I have no idea what protocols the Honeywell system might be using and how well implemented they are - if they have been custom designed for a security product they may be more secure, but there is still the issue of RF jamming.
It's somewhat well known that the Evohome over the air wireless protocol has very little in the way of authentication (none ?) in the binding process and communication between devices and that it's easy to impersonate devices on the network. And of course RF jamming is also a possibility.
However the stakes are much lower for heating than security - if someone really really wanted to and had the time and equipment they could turn my heating right down or right up from just outside my house. Unless its the middle of winter in sub zero conditions and I'm away from home for a few days, big deal. I will soon notice that my rooms are too hot or too cold and investigate. However if they could tamper with my security system in the same way I would not be happy.
From what I can glean from Honeywell's web site the security system can be partially armed but only it seems by using the key fob and not the swipe card. Some household insurers require that at night time the alarm system is armed to cover downstairs (partial arming). Somebody has to have a key fob to be able to do this. It does not at first site seem very practical. It seems you take your keys or at least the key fob to bed but then everybody else in the house will need access to it. Better perhaps if there was another way of partially arming the system. Perhaps a separate swipe panel upstairs?
It is also all battery dependent and presumably a warning will appear in the app if the batteries in a device are going down?
[QUOTE=The EVOHOME Shop;27684Yep, sorry I missed that one! Kit 3 info now updated. The Door and Window Sensor can be used for either doors or windows. There is an outside alarm available, but not yet stocked by Honeywell - I will put up on website now.[/QUOTE]
Any idea what the battery life is of the external alarm? Not an appealing thought to have to get the ladders out to go up high to replace them. Perhaps what may be better is the battery pack is inside the house, the other side of the wall on which the external sounder is mounted.
When you 'ARM' or 'PARTIALLY ARM' you can enable a 'QUICK ACTION' on the evohome Controller.
Cool! If it ever gets upgraded to being suitable for use with a central station for Police response, I'd probably jump ship from my current alarm provider.
Cool! If it ever gets upgraded to being suitable for use with a central station for Police response, I'd probably jump ship from my current alarm provider.
P.
Certainly worth thinking about if I need to change my current system - a hard wired one. Not cheap though. I got the cost to £556 on the basis of needing the Kit 3, 3 extra PIRs and possibly an internal siren (may be able to do away with that if the panel is noisy enough) but then there is the cost of the external siren on top and extra tags or key fobs. Interesting though and worth thinking about if my present system fails. Had it 19 years and only had to change the backup battery once. To be fair though, even though an RF sniffer might detect the frequency Evohome Security works on and a pocket transmitter might be useable to override it, it stills seems better than what I have at present. Such is my present system that if a PIR fails I can't replace it. The wiring is so tight within the walls there is no slack to connect a new one, unless I start some plaster work!
Plus I assume the Evohome system is designed to detect unlawful access but then they won't tell us that!
Certainly food for thought and it looks like a very simple system to install. Apart from the outside sounder!!
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