Tools Required:
-Computer
-High-speed internet service
-Internet router
For most people, the idea of installing a home security system without the help of a professional is more than a little scary. After all, traditional alarm systems such as those from ADT involve the running of wires to every door and window in your home, drilling holes in said windows and doors, and tying the system into your home telephone system.
Put simply, it’s a daunting project for even the bravest weekend warrior. Instead, what if you could secure your home in one or two hours and in the process open the door to all sorts of useful home event information? With InGrid’s Digital Home Protection system, you can do precisely that and more.
Step 1:
Design & purchase your system
Although InGrid is working to establish partnerships with internet service providers (ISPs) to offer ISP-branded systems, they also sell their system directly to consumers via their Web site (InGridHome.com) or by calling 1-877-INGRID7.
The first thing you’ll do on the Web site is build your system. The site will ask what size home you’re attempting to secure, how many doors and windows it contains and whether or not you require additional keychain remotes, handsets, etc. For the purposes of this article, I installed InGrid’s “home kit” ($299) which includes, among other things, eight door and window sensors.
Step 2: Connect base
At first glance, the base unit looks like a cordless phone charger. That’s because it is one. However, in addition to serving as a charging station for InGrid’s cordless handset, it’s also the bridge to your home network. On the back of the base you’ll find both Ethernet and standard telephone jacks. Connect the battery pack, plug in your phone line and connect the base to a nearby router using the supplied Ethernet cable. Since it requires a hard wire connection to your router, the base will probably end up in your home office. Also, if a phone line is unavailable at this location, you can skip the phone connection to the base and instead connect a phone line to the main console (step 4) or a grid extender (step 5).
Step 3: Connect handset
Perhaps the most unique aspect of the InGrid system is the portability and flexibility afforded by their cordless handset. In addition to serving as a traditional cordless phone, this handsome handset features special buttons above the microphone which provide complete control over your security system. You can arm and disarm your system, initiate “Panic” mode and even get a weather forecast – all from the handset. (Weather data up to three days out is pulled via the internet and available at the console or any of the handsets on the system.) To install, simply connect the battery pack, plug in the base and charge for at least 30 minutes.
Step 4: Connect console
Although the base in step 2 connects via hard wire to the internet, the other components in the InGrid system talk to one another wirelessly. In order to maximize your coverage, it’s best to place the main console in a different room than where your base is installed. I located the console on my kitchen counter but any common area such as a mudroom or hallway would also make sense. To install, it’s once again a simple matter of connecting the battery pack, connecting the power cord and, if you didn’t already do it in step 2, connecting a phone line.
Step 5: Connect grid extender
As mentioned in step 4, the InGrid system utilizes a wireless closed network to allow its components to communicate with one another. If you have a moderate or large-sized home, a grid extender may be necessary to allow proper communication with all of your door and window sensors. Like the base and main console, it’s best to install your grid extender in yet another room, thereby maximizing your total coverage area. In small homes, apartments or business locations, a grid extender may not be necessary. Installation is as easy as connecting the battery pack and plugging the unit into any available wall outlet.
Step 6: Mount and register sensors
Unlike traditional analog security systems which involve burying wires in door and window frames, the InGrid system uses a collection of surface-mounted magnetic door and window sensors. Sensors can be quickly mounted on a door casing or window sash using the provided adhesive tape. For a sensor to be considered “closed,” the magnet and sensor must be within ¾” of one another. Once they move further apart, e.g. when a door or window is opened, the sensor is considered “open” and you have the potential for an alarm event.
Assembling and activating a sensor is a piece of cake and takes less than a minute once you get the hang of it. It’s important to follow the sequence laid out in InGrid’s (excellent) user manual. That’s because it’s at this time that you’ll add each sensor to your system using a few keystrokes on the cordless handset. Once you have your sensors mounted and registered, you’re ready to activate your system. (Note: a keychain remote – useful for remote arming and disarming – is also included in the home kit, but it’s not a necessary component in the system.)
Step 7: Activate and monitor your system
When you purchase your system, InGrid will send you an
e-mail containing a temporary username and password. Once you’ve completed steps 1-6, log on to MyInGrid.com and plug in those temporary credentials. You’ll then be prompted to create a personalized username and password and the Web site will then synchronize with your newly-installed system. This process takes mere minutes and before you know it, you’ll be faced with an attractive dashboard showing you the current status of your system, who the users are and a host of other account-related information.
It is here at MyInGrid.com where you can easily configure your notification preferences. Maybe you want to receive an e-mail whenever the garage door is opened. Or perhaps you want to receive a text message on your cell phone every time the system is disarmed. That and more is just a few clicks away. The user interface is clean and intuitive and you’ll quickly become addicted, as I did, to the volume of home information InGrid can deliver.
For the first seven days, InGrid keeps you in an unmonitored “practice” mode. That means they won’t send in the S.W.A.T. team while you’re still figuring out how everything works. After that, InGrid charges $29.95/month for the 24/7/365 monitoring of your system.
Installing InGrid’s home kit took me less than two hours and required no special tools. How many alarm systems can you say that about? InGrid has created a truly unique product in their Digital Home Protection system and I’m eager to see where they take it from here.
I really like InGrid. They do bring a new approach to the table, and are clearly better than NextAlarm, Lasershield, and most other DIY systems. I agree, they will be an interesting company to watch.
Having said this, InGrid is still susceptible to cut phone and Internet lines.
Please check out FrontPoint Security Solutions for REAL security — check out these reviews:
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(I am not being compensated)