Dave Engebretson tells a tale about the wi-fi at his mother’s home. 

How you can provide fast, affordable outdoor camera options for your customers

Dave Engebretson explains the benefits of online security training when in-person instruction is not possible.

As computer and network technology continues to burrow into the devices we depend on for daily connectivity, there is a clear and present danger for all connected devices

Dave Engebretson shares a new innovation in the intrusion detection and alarm monitoring space. 

Dave Engebretson explains the importance of purchasing quality, trustworthy DIY doorbells and IP devices.

Smart home devices and QR codes can inadvertently unlock vulnerabilities

We have all seen the explosive growth of surveillance video installation and usage. The next step is to provide high-resolution cameras with proper mounting height to enable accurate facial recognition now or in the future.

New OberCloud ABI product simplifies IP camera hookup and provides integrators with a great RMR tool.

With more smart phones in use than PCs today, they are especially vulnerable to hackers, especially through QR codes.

Dave Engebretson tests a variety of Wi-Fi access points to see their performance

Dave Engebretson explains feature sets made possible with the integration of Keri Systems’ Borealis cloud solution and Geokey.  

As technology marches on, we are reaching some interesting inflection points. I have found that there are many devices and software programs that appear to be smarter than me, which is quite disconcerting. (Ever see “Terminator 2”?)

Dave Engebretson explains the threat posed to traditional residential security dealers by broadband service providers and DIY systems.

At a recent fiber optic technician training class, I heard some interesting stories about using existing pre-installed fiber optic links for various types of data communication.

Ah, yes. An exciting time in Chicago 2022. I had two terrible experiences this past summer which I would like my faithful readers to know about, and take heed.

Security dealers should know what an SFP is and how it impacts their jobs.

A new circuit classification, referred to as fault-managed power systems (FMPS), is drafted for inclusion in Article 726 of the 2023 edition of the NEC code.

Wi-Fi 6, aka 802.11ax, brings faster throughput speeds and less bandwidth congestion than previous iterations of the technology. 

When criminals gain access to your personally identifiable information, they can do serious damage to your career, reputation, credit history — and worse.

In this blast from the past, Dave Engebretson revisits a column from November 2014. 

In this blast from the past, Dave Engebretson revisits a column from December 2014 on 3D Audio

One of the realities of living in rural Michigan is that AC power outages happen — and you best be prepared for the potential consequences. 

Treat your existing customers  with the respect they deserve and give them the breaks, discounts, or other goodies you offer or you may well see them head on down the road.  

Here’s an incredibly powerful tester for coax, Category cables and with one additional device and some Norwegian engineering.

Learning the proper way to strip fiber optic cable  will help jobs go more smoothly.

As monitoring companies take advantage of new video technology and grow their businesses to include video monitoring services, it is important to understand that there is a significant difference between installing a video system and a monitoring-ready video system.

AVS-01 standardizes a classification metric for unauthorized human activity detected by alarm systems, helping law enforcement allocate resources and response prioritization. 

Also known as Video Monitoring-as-a-Service (VMaaS) or remote guarding, the idea is to deter criminals via voice-down. Maybe video can even replace a traditional alarm system.

The service reduces processing time from minutes to seconds, leading to faster responses to emergencies and positive outcomes. 

Private radio operations can be valuable for maintaining communications during cell network outages or in times when overburdened with too much traffic.

 Presence detection is the ability to identify or locate the existence of people in a specific area or physical space.

Wholesale monitoring executives discuss trends, technologies and services that dominant today’s monitoring ecosystem and where independent security dealers can find success. 

SIAC’s efforts in building relationships with law enforcement agencies nationwide has included conducting more than 1,000 seminars. 

Q&A with TMA Central Station Manager of the Year Runners-Up

The new TMA ANSI standard is approaching publication and implementation.

For security dealers, partnering with a wholesale central station means they do not have to operate their business in isolation. 

Installing security contractors share guidance and wisdom — hard earned and battle proven — to help pave the way for other industry brethren excel in the exciting realm of remote video monitoring.

Subject matter experts from the central station and automation software marketplace address some of the best approaches that security dealers and integrators can follow to up their remote video monitoring game.

Remote video monitoring is not a new concept. And while its application has remained for the most part limited and narrow in scope for years, its trajectory is on the cusp of spiking.

Too many central stations consider video to be a particularly complex operation, which in turn bogs them down with execution delays while others take market share. Follow these five approaches to seize the moment.

Artificial intelligence, analytics and other sensing technologies are expected to play a key role in responding to intrusion and other life safety alarm events.

Technology advances, staffing shortages and other influences, are reshaping the traditional guarding and monitoring industries concurrently.

Mark McCall, Chair of the TMA AVS-01 Committee, explains the collaborative effort between the alarm industry and public safety professionals and how the new standard aims to refine alarm notifications and the quality of alarm information.

David Holl speaks to executives from monitoring centers and emergency communication centers about their involvement in the initial pilot programs for the AVS-01 standard.

David Margulies examines how SIAC’s mission is to be the go-to resource for public safety leadership when it comes to the issue of electronic security.

Monitoring center executives and managers have a lot to express about the endless work that goes into keeping their call centers staffed with the best talent possible.

Top central station executives illuminate the art of recruiting, onboarding and retaining exceptional talent. Plus, they share their views on remote work policies.

Lou Fiore discusses how utilizing a mesh network for wireless alarm transmission provides alarm dealers complete control with virtually no reliance on third-party public infrastructure.

Peter Giacalone invokes “invisible” when illustrating future smart home features and benefits that will ride on hardware already deployed in residences.