Strategies Against X10 "Hacking"

[Blade]

I understand how the hook-up goes, but can you explain exactly how it works with X10, the opener and the reed switch.

Will the push button for the garage door opener still work on my wall?

I just need to better understand how the how setup works and how I set up the device (say G12) in HS and what status G12 will show in HS.

I appreciate your help

Cheers,
Bob

------------------------------
Pentium 4 - 2 GHz
1 GB DDR RAM @433Mhz
Homeseer and Homeseer Phone
DooMotion Plug-in
HomeSeer PCI Voice Modem
MR26A with plug-in
Media Player Plug-in
AT&T Natural Voices
More to come....

[napoleon3rd]

I got the message on the nokia cable (apprx 40$ for the cable I guess?)
I will investigate if in Spain we still have this SMS service (why would the mobile provider want to give this service?) I know we had it but think they got rid of it.
Question: "glue packages", what do you mean?

Did I understand rightly that when you send an SMS to your special-purpose-HS-mobile-phone that this mobile will pass it on through the Nokia cable to Homeseer?

This functionality is extremely interesting for me as this would enable me to get an SMS when "my friends the regular burglars are paying me a visit again..."... allowing me to not only tape them with the Ocelot+VCR but also to get them caught in the act... in stead of alerting through powerhorn I could go to silent alarm mode when I am close by....

380 MHz, Ocelot, VCR, 2x751, 2x501, 4 ActiveEye, 2 XCAM2, 1 IR Cam, 4 PH, 5 keychain, 3 stick-a-switch, 5 AM, 5 LM, 3 WS, PCS05, univ mod, P-Flash, 11 Door-sensors, DS7000, GlassBreak, MS10a

[Blade]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>
If you want it to work like mine, and allow the closer to be triggered no matter how far "open" the door is, use a normally-closed switch and place it so that the magnet is next to it when the door is fully closed (which will OPEN the switch and thereby not allow the universal module to trigger the door opener). Place the switch somewhere on the side as JeffCharger and others state, with the magnet on the door. be sure anything mounted clears the track guides and mounting brackets. Watching the door move a few times should give you clues about where to put it.

If you want to only allow the X10 to close the door from wide-open position, use the normally-open switch, and place so that the magnet is next to it when the door is fully open, near the closer mechanism. The effect with this is that if the door is not fully open, you won't be able to trigger the closer at all from X10.
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>


I am a little confused with the way you have described the normally closed switch. I want to be able to close my door no matter how far open it is. I think I am going to want to use a normally open switch instead of a normally closed one.

Gord, can you please explain the above quote again. I just cannot see how the normally closed switch will work with closing the door.

Also, how can I get the status of the garage door in HS. Does the universal module display some kind of status?

Cheers,
Bob

------------------------------
Pentium 4 - 2 GHz
1 GB DDR RAM @433Mhz
Homeseer and Homeseer Phone
DooMotion Plug-in
HomeSeer PCI Voice Modem
MR26A with plug-in
Media Player Plug-in
AT&T Natural Voices
More to come....

[huggy591]

If you put the magnet next to the switch when the door is completely closed, the magnet changes the state of the switch. A normally-closed switch is closed (lets electricity pass through it) when there is NO magnet next to it. When the magnet is next to it, it OPENs the switch, which shuts off the universal module's contacts.

And that's what you want. You want to allow the universal module to temporarily close (short) the contacts across your existing garage door button only whenthe door is not closed. And yes, the existing button should still work. When the door is closed, the switch opens, which prevents the universal module from shorting the contacts, so it can't "push the button" to open the garage door.

If you aren't sure which to order, order one of each - they're cheap enough. See the pages at smarthome.com below.

http://www.smarthome.com/7113.HTML

or for garage door units:

http://www.smarthome.com/7455.HTML

- Gordon

"There are several theories detailing how to win arguments with women. After years of extensive research, I've concluded NONE of them work."

[This message was edited by Gordon Cunningham on Sat, 08 November 2003 at 10:43 PM.]

[This message was edited by Gordon Cunningham on Sat, 08 November 2003 at 10:51 PM.]

[huggy591]

I have no idea about cell services in Spain, so you’ll have to do some research. You’ll have to find out if your provider has a simple messaging service (short text messages via your cell phone – what we call SMS) and if your phone will take a data cable. You’ll also need to check to see if the software will work with your system.

I believe the plug-in uses the Nokia software DLL’s or something in that package in order to talk to the cell phone via the serial data cable. If that is the case, you’ll have to meet the requirements of the package, or it won’t work for you. I think I had to download another OCX or DLL from somewhere to make the system work, but the info is in the docs.

Read the info on this board, and get a copy of the plug-in and read about the issues. Don't spend any money until you undertsand what the issues are.

- Gordon

"There are several theories detailing how to win arguments with women. After years of extensive research, I've concluded NONE of them work."

[anogee]

I'm actually just setting this up now, so I was thinking about this also. Alot depends on the hardware you have. I myself am not using X-10, which means I don't need the "guard" switch, and instead need a position switch.

The hardware is simple, and you hook that up as Gordon decribes. Since I'm not using X-10, I need to give HomeSeer the ability to know the position of the door. If you are just using X-10 with a Universal module, you don't need this because you have installed the magnet switch to be the "smarts." Just send your X-10 code when you want to close the door. Doing when the door is closed doesn't hurt because the magnet switch is off.

My setup is a bit more involved. I have two garage doors, each generating a signal if the door is closed. I have an IR beam going across both doors, and that signal going back to HomeSeer, and I have a motion detector in my garage. Each door can also be controlled by HomeSeer.

I am planning to use 4 virtual codes which represent 1) R door open, 2) L door open. 3) R door open request, and 4) L door open request. The first two indicate if the door is open or closed, the second two are if I want the door opened or closed. HomeSeer comes into play when the doors are not in the position I request. The IR beam is used to both trigger the alarm, and "beep" when someone crosses the beem to let me know if someone entered the garage. The light, which turns on or off based on inputs from the door position, time of day, and motion sensors. For example if its daytime, and a door is open, turn off the light. If the door is closed, but motion is detected, keep the light on.

In my opinion, an IR beam is the best way to trigger an alarm, not the door position sensors. Why? Because if something goes haywire with the doors, the alarm won't trigger unless someone actually enters the garage. Also, this allows the alarm to "arm" before the doors are actually closed, as long as the beam is clear. In fact, I may make it so that the alarm will only trip if the beam is broken & a door is open.

[anogee]

This does vary from one wireless carrier to the next, but most allow SMS messages to be sent to and from e-mail address, which HomeSeer currently already supports. Try entering an e-mail address in the "to" field instead of a phone number to test it. You can e-mail an SMS to a phone typically using &lt;phone number&gt;@some domain.com

[huggy591]

Those are good ideas for your setup, anogee. I also use a motion detector in the garage, as well as a door sensors on all three doors in the garage to my alarm system, which is also hooked into HS, so I have triple status with which to work. Takes some logical thinking and mapping, but it works well.

- Gordon

"There are several theories detailing how to win arguments with women. After years of extensive research, I've concluded NONE of them work."

[huggy591]

Actually, in some countries, the use of an email address to send messages to cell phones' text systems is in direct conflict with privacy laws. Also, some carriers charge for each SMS message, so they may not allow email addresses to hook to them which could be used for spam and therefore result in charging the user for spam messages. (Which is a perfect reason why we should have anti-spam laws like the fax laws in the US, IMHO.)

- Gordon

"There are several theories detailing how to win arguments with women. After years of extensive research, I've concluded NONE of them work."

[gdowkpc]

How does HS know if the door is closed? Does it get a status from the UM, or do I need a second sensor....like the door/window sensor?

[nsisman]

On the subject of magnetic switches I think the X10 DS10A door/window switch will do the same as the Radio Shack switch (if you have the wgl800 receiver.)

It works fine to monitor door open/closed status and should be a little cheaper.

[Jimboat]

The hardware is simple, and you hook that up as Gordon describes. If you are just using X-10 with a Universal module, you don't need this because you have installed the magnet switch to be the "smarts."

I have an IR beam going across both doors, and that signal going back to HomeSeer. The IR beam is used to both trigger the alarm, and "beep" when someone crosses the beem to let me know if someone entered the garage. I may make it so that the alarm will only trip if the beam is broken & a door is open.

i have the garage door monitor and power-flash close setup that JeffCharger and Gordon describe. Works great.

I want to preclude the door from automatically closing if there is something in the way of the door (like a car!).

*** anogee - i have a question for you....what IR beam device did you use? and how did you get it to send a signal back to HS?

This is just what i want - HS can close the door if it's open AND if the IR beam is NOT broken for any reason.

[Jimboat]

The hardware is simple, and you hook that up as Gordon describes. If you are just using X-10 with a Universal module, you don't need this because you have installed the magnet switch to be the "smarts."

I have an IR beam going across both doors, and that signal going back to HomeSeer. The IR beam is used to both trigger the alarm, and "beep" when someone crosses the beem to let me know if someone entered the garage. I may make it so that the alarm will only trip if the beam is broken & a door is open.

Does anyone know what/where to get an "IR beam device" like the one anogee used for his garage door, to send a signal back to HS?

[Pete]

You can purchase a Liftmaster Safety Reversing Sensor Replacement Kit from Liftmaster online for around $25.00 USD.

That said here left mine in place and added wiring to the alarm panel. Each door has two magnetic reed sensors, PIR in the Garage, IP Camera in garage and outside driveway totally separate. That said the door sensors trigger with any motion of the door and the PIR sensors trigger with motion in the garage. There are also RFID sensors in each vehicle.

In the 1990's with sensors / alarm panel connectivity wife pulled in to the garage while on a conference call leaving the automobile running and having the garage door shut on her ...it was low on the WAF.

Here is a schematic for the Genie Garage door IR sensors ...thinking that they are all the same.

[ATTACH]68669[/ATTACH]

[Jimboat]

You can purchase a Liftmaster Safety Reversing Sensor Replacement Kit from Liftmaster online for around $25.00 USD.

That said here left mine in place and added wiring to the alarm panel. Each door has two magnetic reed sensors, PIR in the Garage, IP Camera in garage and outside driveway totally separate. That said the door sensors trigger with any motion of the door and the PIR sensors trigger with motion in the garage. There are also RFID sensors in each vehicle.

In the 1990's with sensors / alarm panel connectivity wife pulled in to the garage while on a conference call leaving the automobile running and having the garage door shut on her ...it was low on the WAF.

Here is a schematic for the Genie Garage door IR sensors ...thinking that they are all the same.

[ATTACH]68669[/ATTACH]

Thanks, Pete - i am looking for a simple 'stand-alone' IR sensor that i can make to talk to HS. My garage doors are older ones that don't have the IR sensor setup, so i can't just add into the closer directly. I am wanting to PREVENT my HS script from closing the open garage door IF there is anything (like a car or my wife) that is tripping the IR beam.