Alarm - Arm/disarm hours?

[mic2010]

Is it possible to use Composer to set specific hours for one alarm code to arm and disarm the alarm system?

I want to be able to give the dog walker a code to turn off the alarm and reactivate it when he leaves only during certain hours.

I have a DSC alarm panel. Thanks for any thoughts.

[msgreenf]

I don't think you can do this w c4. I think you would want to do this with the alarm panel.

[drmark12pa]

I use Control4 to automatically arm my Ge Concord alarm to Arm To Stay at 1130pm at night for the evening. You can arm/disarm your security system based on a schedule using Control4 as long as it has been integrated and it works quite well I have found. I actually use my Arm To Away feature to automatically set the thermostat and such as well so if I will be gone the temperature is set on vacation mode.

[ericscales]

I may have interpreted incorrectly, but think mic2010 was looking to see if it was possible to not allow arming/disarming (for a particular code) at certain times (e.g., you give the housekeeper a code that works on Thursdays between 8am and 5pm only).

In my experience, I haven't seen this capability.

[calbear]

I am about to try to connect my Yale locks to my alarm, such that a successful keypad entry on the door lock would disarm the alarm. Since the door locks have day of week and time of day masking, could this type of setup give you the filter you're looking for - at least on the disarming side?

[msgreenf]

I am not a fan of anything that includes you putting your alarm code into programming. I think that is a big security gap

[calbear]

Other than the risk of someone hacking into C4 to get the code in there, can you elaborate? (I figure someone good enough and focused enough to do that is a very serious and capable professional who probably wouldn't be wasting time on my house anyway.)

[msgreenf]

Other than the risk of someone hacking into C4 to get the code in there, can you elaborate? (I figure someone good enough and focused enough to do that is a very serious and capable professional who probably wouldn't be wasting time on my house anyway.)

Let's say you do port forwarding, and your system is exposed to the Internet. Also if you put your alarm code into the system, then your dealer and control4 have access to the code. Your project isn't encrypted in any way.

[Cyknight]

Port-forwarding and having security would be a big no-no indeed.

If you do want to disarm the security via programming - and I do agree with msgreenf in that I'm very hesitant to suggest it - make sure you a) don't do the above, use ssl encoding on the project c) consider using alternate means of programming (using macros or a path of triggers that isn't too easy to follow) vs just saying c) consider having the option for remote support turned off (you can always enable when you need it)

when doorlock code xxx is entered

send code disarm

send x

send x

etc

Simple steps to take to limit exposure if you really want to go this route.

Granted, risk is limited and it's easier to just short a panel out etc, but as a dealer particularly it's unwise to mess with a client's security system this was.