UPDATE: The information presented below is outdated. The L5200 can now be updated using the LYNXTOUCH-MSD Firmware Updater Tool. Please read this blog for more information.

Alarm Grid has recently learned that the Honeywell 3GL, the longtime cellular communicator for the LYNX Touch Panels, has officially been discontinued. This leaves the Honeywell L5200 with no available cellular communicator. However, the newer LYNX Touch Systems still have cellular options.

The Honeywell 3GL was a cellular communicator that connected with the AT&T 3G Network. It was previously sold as the Honeywell 4GL. But Honeywell smartly changed the name, as it misled many people into believing it was a 4G communicator. The 3GL was compatible with the L5200, L5210 and L7000 Alarm Systems.

As for the L5210 and L7000, there are still cellular communicators available, specifically the LTE-L57A and LTE-L57V. Please note that the L5210 and L7000 must be running Firmware Version 9.00.209 or higher to support LTE-L57A, and Firmware Version 9.00.201 to support the LTE-L57V. More information on this is available here.

With the discontinuation of this module, the Honeywell L5200 now has no available cellular communicator option. Users of the L5200 who want to receive cellular monitoring should strongly consider upgrading to a newer system, such as a Honeywell Lyric Controller. This is Honeywell's newest wireless security system, and it has multiple cellular options available.

Please note that this news does not affect L5200 Systems that are already using an active 3GL Communicator. Any communicator that has already been activated will continue to function as normal. Additionally, if a user is able to find an existing 3GL or GSMVLP5-4G from somewhere else, then we can still activate it for cellular monitoring service with their L5200 System.

One alternative option for L5200 users without a cellular communicator is to go the WIFI-route instead. The system will support the L5100-WIFI module, which will allow the system to connect with a local WIFI network. Although WIFI is not as reliable as cellular service, it can be a good option if a user simply does not want to upgrade their panel. This is also a great option for Honeywell L5100 users, as that system also has no cellular radio in current production.

Finally, the ILP5 is still available for purchase, and it provides hardwired ethernet capabilities for any LYNX Touch Panel. But please note that a LYNX Touch cannot support both the ILP5 and a cellular communicator since they use the same port. Once a Honeywell LYNX Touch System is using IP or cellular communication, it will be capable of being used with the Total Connect 2.0 service.

The following table outlines all of the communicators available for the Honeywell LYNX Touch Systems and their compatibilities with each of these panels:

If you have any question about this news, please do not hesitate to reach out to us for further assistance. You may email us at support@alarmgrid.com, or you may call us at 888-818-7728 from 9am to 8pm EST M-F. We look forward to hearing from you.

As the sunset for 3G cellular networks is quickly approaching, Alarm Grid has some important news regarding support for Verizon's 3G CDMA network. This news affects both the Alarm.com service and Honeywell's AlarmNet server.

As of today, June 1st, 2018, Verizon will no longer activate Alarm.com CDMA cellular communicator SIM cards as they prepare for their CDMA network sunset. If the Verizon SIM card is already activated, which is done during manufacturing, Alarm.com will still allow the account activation to go through.

However, if a communicator is manufactured and never activated with Alarm.com, or if it's activated with Alarm.com but then cancelled, the Verizon SIM will eventually become deactivated. Therefore, it's possible that a CDMA module you already have won't be able to be used if it's not currently active with Alarm.com.

If you have an existing Alarm.com CDMA communicator with a different monitoring company, it can still be "recycled" and brought over to a new alarm company, as long as the communicator is re-activated with the new monitoring company soon after it's cancelled by the existing monitoring company.

Any existing Alarm.com CDMA communicator that is already active with Alarm.com will continue to work for the time being, but will be sunsetting soon.

If you need to purchase a new cellular communicator for an Alarm.com panel, we recommend one of the following Verizon LTE options:

For 2GIG GC3:

• 2GIG LTEV-A-GC3 (requires GC3 Firmware 3.0.2 or higher) (discontinued)
• 2GIG LTEV1-A-GC3 (requires GC3 Firmware 3.1.3 or higher)

For more information on GC3 Firmware Updates, please click here. Also see this guide to upgrade the GC3 communicator.

For 2GIG GC2:

• 2GIG LTEV-A-GC2 (requires GC2 Firmware 1.17 or higher) (discontinued)
• 2GIG LTEV1-A-GC2 (requires GC2 Firmware 1.19 or higher)

For more information on GC2 Firmware Updates, please click here. Also see this guide to upgrade the GC2 communicator. You can also review the FAQs 2GIG GC2 Firmware Update Instructions Using UPCBL2 and How to Upgrade GC2 Firmware Using a Cable for more information.

Starting June 30th, 2018, Honeywell AlarmNet CDMA cellular communicators that were manufactured before March 1st, 2018 can no longer be activated. If you have an AlarmNet CDMA communicator that was manufactured before this date, you must activate it by June 30th.

At that time, it will also be impossible to bring a Honeywell CDMA radio from one monitoring company to another. AlarmNet CDMA communicators that were manufactured after March 1st, 2018 can be activated until December 22nd, 2018. Any AlarmNet CDMA communicator that has already been activated will continue to work until the CDMA network is shutdown.

If you need to purchase a new cellular communicator for a Honeywell Alarm System, we suggest buying an LTE module. Alarm Grid recommends the following options based on system type:

Honeywell Lyric Controller: LYRICLTE-V supports Verizon LTE

Honeywell L5210 and L7000 (Firmware 9+): LTE-L57V supports Verizon LTE

Honeywell VISTA Systems: LTE-XV supports Verizon LTE or LTE-IV supports Verizon LTE & IP

Additionally, if you have a CDMA communicator that has not been activated, you will no longer be able to return it to Alarm Grid for a refund. We will not be taking any CDMA returns as of today. Our company stopped selling CDMA communicators roughly three months ago, and we have been preparing for the 3G sunset for quite some time.

Cellular service providers have already discontinued support for their 2G networks, and they are currently preparing to do the same for their 3G networks. This includes the Verizon 3G CDMA network. Instead, cellular service providers are shifting their focus to their newer and more advanced 4G and LTE networks. If you need to upgrade an alarm system to cellular, you should purchase an LTE module if possible.

Remember, existing CDMA communicators that have already been activated can still be used for the time being. These modules will continue to work until the CDMA network is discontinued. At that point, any CDMA cellular module will need to be replaced and upgraded to a newer communicator.

If you have any questions about this news, please send an email to support@alarmgrid.com. You may also call us at 888-818-7728 from 9am to 8pm EST M-F.

Edit (6/8/18): This blog post previously stated that as of June 1st, no Alarm.com CDMA module that wasn't currently active with Alarm.com service could be activated on a new Alarm.com account, which has changed since it was written. It has been edited to reflect the correct information.

Honeywell has discontinued the 5811 sensor and magnet. This popular sensor is the unit that has always been sent out with our most popular kits. It has been replaced by the Honeywell 5800MINI, a smaller, slightly sleeker device with a number of added benefits and improved range.

While not as common in the field as the 5816, the 5811s have, to date, been the contact that anyone looking for a small profile unit have purchased. And while not as thin as the 5820Ls, which are perfect for applications where a window has a very small lip, the discreet 5811 sensors are a well-loved mainstay of the Honeywell line. We are sad to see them go, but are excited about the new 5800MINIs that have replaced them.

For those ordering kits, our images show the old sensor. You will, however, from now on, be receiving the 5800MINIs. We'll be replacing the product shots in short order, but for now, please be aware of the change.

Unfortunately, for those looking to replace old 5811 sensors with new 5811 sensors, we are completely out of stock as is Honeywell. The new 5800MINIs should suffice.

The 6150 series keypads have always been the non-programming version of the 6160s. Mimicking many of the features, the 6160s allow users many of the same functions the 6160s have minus the simple programming. They are usually used as a companion keypad, for that reason. The 6160 used to program, the 6150 used as the peripheral keypads.

The 6150V, the voice annunciating version of the 6150 has been discontinued. For those who are after a voice annunciation option, the 6160V is the replacement that will work on a VISTA wired security system.

The IPCAM-WOEXT is being kicked to the curb. This useful unit was an extension cord for Honeywell's popular Alarmnet outdoor camera. But as Honeywell is slowly upgrading their line of cameras, everything is changing. And while this piece has been one of the simplest ways to get an extra bit of range from your electrical outlet to the camera, it is not going to be with us in short order.

At this time, Honeywell has not indicated whether the part is going to be replaced by anything new. But we suspect that once it is gone, it will be gone for good. It is a piece that is included in the IPCAM-WO box, though that may come to an end as well. We shall know very soon. Though we suspect it is going to continue to be included in the camera box, and not available on its own.

For those who need it, now is a good time to pick one up. We have a few left, and as supply gets exhausted, the cords will be doled out on a first come first serve basis.

Honeywell has discontinued its pan tilt camera, and Alarm Grid is saying goodbye to the unit as soon as we run out of inventory. This camera was among our favorite of the Honeywell Alarmnet cameras, and we're sad to see it go. That said, its replacement, the IPCAM-PT2 is a vast improvement over the old version of the camera, and it is going to be a little bit cheaper!

Unlike its predecessor, the IPCAM-PT2 is takes images in high-resolution 1280x720 video and it supports flash upgrades, meaning that it can be brought up to date with technology as it changes. All of the other things that you have come to know and love about the IPCAM-PT will continue on in the new model.

Honeywell's flagship L5200 panel has been discontinued. Since June of 2014, the L5200 has been the lesser, more affordable counterpart to the L7000. At Alarm Grid, the L5200 has been our best selling panel, and we are sad to see it go. Though it is being replaced by a panel that is nearly identical.

When released, Honeywell said that the L5200 would be the last panel they ever released with a POTs connection, although its replacement appears to have included the connection. The main difference between the L5200 and the new L5210, as you can see in the image below, is the smaller screen and the shape/type of the buttons. Honeywell has developed the L5210 to look more like its large-screen counterpart, the L7000. The panel is a sleek looking product, and while the smaller screen may make the unit a bit less attractive than the L5200, it's worth noting that the price of the new panels is between 5 and 10% cheaper.

As of today, Alarm Grid is discontinuing the sale of the l5200 and selling only the L7000 and L5210s. We have also switched out the old L5200 kits, and are now selling the L5210 in kits that are the same as the L5200 kits (Our most popular L5210 kits are the L5210PK-WIFI, L5210PK10-WIFI, and the L5210PK10-WIFI-3G).

For those who have the old, L5200 model, worry not. The systems are effectively the same and all the products that work on the L5200 work on the L5210 and vice versa. If you need help with your L5200 or L5210 system, need communicators, or just have general use questions, please let us know or email us at support@alarmgrid.com.

Honeywell has informed us that they are discontinuing production of the largely disused two-button key fob, the 5834-2. The remote fob was made to simply offer an arm and disarm option, but did not allow for an arm stay or a panic function. While, theoretically, removing those buttons would give users the ability to avoid false alarms through mis-presses, the 5834-2's proven to be a fairly unpopular key fob compared to its contemporary the 5834-4.

Used largely with the LYNX series panels such as the L5200 or L7000, the 5834-4 key fobs (as well as the 5834-2) allow for the arming and disarming without the need to enter a code into the panels themselves. This functionality is well loved by end users, and is the reason the 5834-4 has become one of the more popular options, even coming with the available kits for the LYNX panels. But while users will often find themselves purchasing multiple 5834-4s for the system, since the 5834-4 offers the versatility of an end-user programming it to function exactly like the 5834-2, this key fob has been rendered redundant. Alarm Grid has discontinued the item on the site.

For those who want to know how to program a key fob to one of these simple, wireless systems, we have made a series of programming videos for the 5834-4. For those that are looking for functionality that mimics the 5834-2, simply delete the arm stay function which is indicated by the small home picture on the key fob. That would make only the arm stay and arm away buttons work with the system, exactly as the 5834-2 works.

The?L5100 is the security system that changed the industry forever. Honeywell gave things a try with its predecessor, the?L5000, but it just wasn't right. While the L5000 may not have hit on all cylinders, the L5100 was a smashing success. A?Z-Wave controller, a security system, and a beautiful, simple to use user interface ushered in a new era of home security. Responsive, colorful, and simple to use, the L5100 made home security accessible to the common man. The result of the simple 3-touch auto-enrolling process for zone programming, or simple typing in of a serial number, made it so there were no longer complicated button presses to get in and out of programming.

Moreover, this?wireless panel was the first full-scale wireless panel that truly won over the old-timers who resisted the transition from wired to wireless. The modular approach to adding?communicators gave consumers choices about what exactly they want their system to do.

As of today, stock across the country has been exhausted of this groundbreaking panel, and we have discontinued its sale in our store. It has been replaced by Honeywell's newer, bigger, better panels the?L5200 and the?L7000. These two new panels are wonderful replacements for this workhorse, and we're sure they are going to become the industry standard for years to come.?While different in some ways, the L5200 and L7000 are wonderful additions to the Honeywell family and welcome replacements for what was once a revolutionary panel.

Honeywell has told Alarm Grid that the non-WIFI version of the Tuxedo Touch is no longer available. The system was the hardwired version of the keypad, requiring a ethernet run to a router. And while some users liked the keypad because it was slightly cheaper than the TUXWIFI, it had some unfortunate drawbacks such as it wasn't always eligible for the flash upgrades that Honeywell released.

Honeywell is soon releasing a non-screen version of the Z-Wave controller that can be installed at the panel. So, for users who are concerned with the pricey system, the controller will allow much of the same Tuxedo Touch Z-Wave functionality, though it comes at the expense of the great looking screen. That said, Honeywell's alphanumeric keypads have come a long way as well as far as design goes, seeing a giant re-design in the release of the 6162 keypads.

So while we'll miss the non-WIFI version of the TUX, we're thankful that Honeywell has some great, much more affordable options coming down the pike!