Texecom ComWifi - is it really this terrible?
- Thread starter jdp80
- Start date
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I'm not sure if this is a feature or a programming issue, but if there's a confirmed alarm in progress, I can't connect to the panel remotely or via Wintex.
Is this intended? Would be good to be able to log in and see what's caused alarm etc.
Is this intended? Would be good to be able to log in and see what's caused alarm etc.
you cant connect to the panel when the ip module is sending out a signal full stop.
unless you have two ip modules one for connection and one for sending out signals
unless you have two ip modules one for connection and one for sending out signals
Yes, this is a real weak point in the current Texecom design and again, it has its roots in the old serial protocol sending data out via MODEM. I'm not sure why this wasn't resolved much earlier when the IP designs were introduced. It should have been a pre-requisite to releasing the phone app.
I expect that the changes for Texecom Connect will fix this, as it would be a pretty big fail to have a 'connected' product that you cannot connect to because it's busy sending out alerts to the device you are trying to connect with.
I expect that the changes for Texecom Connect will fix this, as it would be a pretty big fail to have a 'connected' product that you cannot connect to because it's busy sending out alerts to the device you are trying to connect with.
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I am not convinced its going to change, I have raised this several times, just how difficult is it.
some time after it was raised and I am sure it wasn't me influencing them, they made it so several com-ip modules could be added to the system.
so rather than make the panel more flexible they made it so it would cost more in components and installation time and one session per ip module
Do you know what the changes are for Texecom Connect, I got the impression it will simplify the connection process and add more features but not change the coms, which wont help anyone longer term I suspect.
some time after it was raised and I am sure it wasn't me influencing them, they made it so several com-ip modules could be added to the system.
so rather than make the panel more flexible they made it so it would cost more in components and installation time and one session per ip module
Do you know what the changes are for Texecom Connect, I got the impression it will simplify the connection process and add more features but not change the coms, which wont help anyone longer term I suspect.
I don't have any insider knowledge on the 'Connect' product.
When older products used to use MODEM's as the only comm's method and the device was being used for UDL, then the panel would hang up the MODEM and then use it to dial out to send the comm's event as a priority. That's basically what's going on with the Texecom panel today. The product needs to be changed in order to multiplex the reporting and control data to a single channel. The IP module then needs to take care of separating the data and dealing with two independent IP transmissions concurrently. This is pretty much the way that the Honeywell Ethernet modules work. Forcing customers to have two sets of comm's devices for this doesn't make any sense (apart from selling more kit). It just adds further points of failure and additional current consumption.
When older products used to use MODEM's as the only comm's method and the device was being used for UDL, then the panel would hang up the MODEM and then use it to dial out to send the comm's event as a priority. That's basically what's going on with the Texecom panel today. The product needs to be changed in order to multiplex the reporting and control data to a single channel. The IP module then needs to take care of separating the data and dealing with two independent IP transmissions concurrently. This is pretty much the way that the Honeywell Ethernet modules work. Forcing customers to have two sets of comm's devices for this doesn't make any sense (apart from selling more kit). It just adds further points of failure and additional current consumption.
That's a pity. I do have a ComUSB connected to another PC so I can script the panel keypresses from that, but it does seem a bit of a bodge!
I think I might investigate using the PC to drive the notifications and just use the ComWIFI for local configuration.
I wonder whether it would still drop the connection if I disabled the alerting.
I think I might investigate using the PC to drive the notifications and just use the ComWIFI for local configuration.
I wonder whether it would still drop the connection if I disabled the alerting.
@GalaxyGuy, selling more kit is good for the business?, but a very questionable route in my opinion.
most Ethernet modules and panels have multisession through the one device these days, I suspect the ip module is capable and the panel is also capable, but not through the same comport currently, probably for historical reasons, cant see why it couldn't be rearranged, although it doesn't appear to be a priority and its hasn't gone down well when its been suggested.
sometimes I wonder how much a manufacturer listens and how much they ignore things, the bigger you are as an installation company the more people seem to listen. however I have always found the bigger companies lose information as it filters upward to those at the purchasing end.
most Ethernet modules and panels have multisession through the one device these days, I suspect the ip module is capable and the panel is also capable, but not through the same comport currently, probably for historical reasons, cant see why it couldn't be rearranged, although it doesn't appear to be a priority and its hasn't gone down well when its been suggested.
sometimes I wonder how much a manufacturer listens and how much they ignore things, the bigger you are as an installation company the more people seem to listen. however I have always found the bigger companies lose information as it filters upward to those at the purchasing end.
So is it really that bad? I've got a texecom premier 24 with a couple of rkps and 8xps which I bought a while back and never got round to fitting, and was thinking of upgrading the panel before I fit it to a premier elite with the comwifi for the remote features, but I wonder if it'll just be a waste of money. Would love an honest opinion on if it is worth it?
Should I just fit what I've got and be done with it? Current alarm is pretty crappy tbh, and I could do with the remote arming etc if possible.
Should I just fit what I've got and be done with it? Current alarm is pretty crappy tbh, and I could do with the remote arming etc if possible.
Don't bother
The app is 100% reliable on an a apple device for receiving notifications, but not android or for emails at present as long as you have an internet connection using a com wifi that is setup properly.
I say this as I had Texecom do a site visit recently because it was ridiculous my customers have android hones mind, things are being looked at as to what happens and when is another matter. In my mind we proved beyond any doubt that all the comwifi signals got to the sever and back to the ipad, but the emails and android devices weren't so clever.
Further tests I have conducted using a free app to check that I can connect to the GCM to access the notifications sent to google showed I could connect but not always get the notifications even with wifi, when looking at mobile data connection the free app showed that the GCM connection was regularly poor.
The use of the remote keypad and smartkey do work on both well. However the android app has been known to crash regularly.
The way the system works is the panel sends a message or poll, that has the ip origin sent with it, when you use the app, it checks Texecom server for the last through and then connects to that ip address and port forwards to the internal port.
I say this as I had Texecom do a site visit recently because it was ridiculous my customers have android hones mind, things are being looked at as to what happens and when is another matter. In my mind we proved beyond any doubt that all the comwifi signals got to the sever and back to the ipad, but the emails and android devices weren't so clever.
Further tests I have conducted using a free app to check that I can connect to the GCM to access the notifications sent to google showed I could connect but not always get the notifications even with wifi, when looking at mobile data connection the free app showed that the GCM connection was regularly poor.
The use of the remote keypad and smartkey do work on both well. However the android app has been known to crash regularly.
The way the system works is the panel sends a message or poll, that has the ip origin sent with it, when you use the app, it checks Texecom server for the last through and then connects to that ip address and port forwards to the internal port.
during the tests done on site.
Ipad received everything, and I mean everything. so the server is getting everything.
email stopped working so far through the test and Texecom are looking at it as they got a failure message at their end.
Android was appalling, what I don't know is why, or how they plan on investigating it to fix it.
Since then I did a check using an app to see if I could get GCM and I could on my phone so no idea what they are using, however tech support were dealing with it at the office and there on site guy, not the app developer, this has been feed back to the developer so I am told.
Ipad received everything, and I mean everything. so the server is getting everything.
email stopped working so far through the test and Texecom are looking at it as they got a failure message at their end.
Android was appalling, what I don't know is why, or how they plan on investigating it to fix it.
Since then I did a check using an app to see if I could get GCM and I could on my phone so no idea what they are using, however tech support were dealing with it at the office and there on site guy, not the app developer, this has been feed back to the developer so I am told.
At least they are trying and working with you to resolve. When contacting Honeywell for support, it's a hit or a miss if they even bother to reply. Sometimes they do, but it takes days and generally with a one line answer to only one of the questions in the original email. First line support don't have the expertise beyond the answers on their support database and it's very difficult to get through to the next level.
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