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jonny_gogo's profile

Monday, May 31st, 2021 12:48 PM

Placement of Main Keypad and Key Fobs, Main Entrance has Windows

I could use some tips on where to place the main control pad and what we might need to to differently with our keys now that each of our two sets will have a fob on it.

The issue is that the main entrance to the house, or at least the entrance we use most often,has a door that is half glass.  The upper half of the door is a window. And if we put the main control pad near this main entrance, which opens into a mudroom, it would be perfect because we could keep the entry delay low and have plenty of time to hit the disarm code.  However, anyone could see from outside the house the status of the alarm.  I haven't actually connected anything yet so I might be wrong about this, but I assume the control pad has some visual indication of the alarm's state, i.e. whether it is armed home, armed away, or disarmed?

Another alternative would be to centrally locate the main control pad, near the heater's control panel and doorbell.  The disadvantage of this lies in a habit we have: we never wear shoes in the house.  So we'd have to enter the house, remove shoes, move to the control panel and enter the code.  Then go BACK to the mudroom to grab any bags (we have younger kids, we always have SOMETHING we're dragging in and out of the house) or such we need to bring in.  That is not as fluid as keeping the control pad in that mudroom area.

Any ideas on control pad placement?

Sort of separately, we hang the two sets of keys right there on the wall in the mudroom - again, in view of the door's window.  So if we have a key fob on a set of keys, and someone were to enter the house while the alarm was set to away, they'd have 30 to 60 seconds to walk over to the keys and press "off".  If you have a key fob, then you really need to think about where you keep your keys, because that fob (by design) completely obviates the need for a code to disarm the alarm.  Mostly we'll be using the alarm when we're away, so we'll just have to ensure we never leave a set of keys in plain view whenever we set the alarm, regardless of whether we set the alarm to away or home.

Any ideas on storing keys when they have an alarm fob on them?

343 Messages

4 years ago

The only way to see if the alarm is armed without having the lights on at the base (an option that I keep turned off) is to wake the keypad up.  The keypad is battery operated and they optimize battery life by not having any light or other indicators on it.

I can't speak to the keys thing.  I don't use a fob and don't see any use for them.  But my keys tend to be in the pockets of whatever I wore last.  I'm not as organized as you. :)

56 Messages

4 years ago

@ usmaak, We'll use the fobs for convenience. We always keep the keys in one place because with the younger kids and car seat situation, there's not so much a "my car' "your car' situation as there is a "carry kids car' "grownups only' car. So at any time either one of us might need the latter, and the keys need to be right where they can be found easily because the other grownup might be away. I guess, if we are using the fobs, there is little reason to have the control panel near the entrance. Hmm.

On the other hand, if the control panel doesn't show the alarm state, it should be fine even if the panel can be seen from outside the house.

Having a fob in plain view sounds really foolish, we'll have to think about that a little.

343 Messages

Yup.  Everyone's use case is different.  We have one car, no kids, and I tend to be the one that drives.  We also don't really get out all that often.  I do like having the app available, though it's sometimes spotty when it will work.

I have a fob but keep it in the bedroom.  It came with what I purchased.  When I had ADT, I did the same thing with their key fob.  It's probably still in a drawer somewhere next to my bed.  Of course I also have a panic button and keypad in the bedroom, so they key fob is overkill.

Community Admin

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5.7K Messages

4 years ago

Hi Jonny Gogo,

Yep, when you use the Keypad, the default screen will show the state of the system. So for example, when you've just exited the menu, or when you arm or disarm. But the screen will eventually turn off, and there will be no other visual indicators. So you'd be pretty safe having that Keypad in your mudroom.

- Johnny M.
SimpliSafe Home Security
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