What is the best way to utilize the key fob for locking and unlocking the yale z-wave deadbolt? Can the * key be programmed to unlock? I know that I can have a rule to unlock the door when disarming, but it’s not really a good solution For example, I keep the system armed in stay mode until I go to my bedroom, I then arm in away mode with the benefit of motion detection. I wouldn’t want the door to unlock when switching modes. Also, I disarm the system from my bedroom in the morning and again wouldn’t want the door to unlock.
THE SOLUTION IN THIS POST DOES NOT WORK. Tested and failed. I’m leaving it online form informational purposes only so people can see what not to do. See the GDR1 post below for a solution that does work…
It’s not possible to use the 2GIG key fob remote to unlock a z-wave door lock without arming or disarming the system as well. I’m fairly certain you can do that with a Resolution Products RE200RW key fob. Don’t quote me on that just yet. This afternoon I’ll borrow one from stock and test it to make sure it works.
You would enroll the RE200RW as shown in the video but leave the emergency key (the red button) disabled. That red button sends a Honeywell 345 MHz wireless signal on loop 1. Now you can add a wireless sensor to your panel using the serial number of the keyfob and loop 1. Set it as a “no response” type sensor and make sure you have Alarm.com activity monitoring enabled for that sensor. You can then add a rule on Alarm.com to unlock your deadbolt when that sensor is triggered, when the red button is pushed.
Again, don’t quote me on this until later today when I have a chance to test it.
Actually on second though this might not work because the keyfob only sends the open signal when you press the button but it doesn’t send a closed signal when you release the button. You might be out of luck here with the security panel keyfobs.
This is a real bummer and in my opinion a design flaw. This seems to me like basic functionality. Is is possible to change from armed stay to armed away without disarming? This way I could keep the unlock on disarm rule?
I agree it’s a design weakness. Keyfobs are kind of an afterthought for both 2GIG and Alarm.com. Alarm.com would argue that you can use your smart phone to unlock the door with the Alarm.com app.
There might be another way to go about this. The 4th button on the 2GIG keyfob can be programmed to activate the open collector output on the back of the control panel. If we can find a way to wire a z-wave controller such as the Aeon Labs minimote to the open collector output of the 2GIG panel then we could have the 2GIG panel “press the button” on the minimote when we press the 4th button on the keyfob. Are you interested in taking it that far? If so, I can look into whether it’s possible and how to do it.
The Resolution Products keyfob method I described above does not work. Tested and failed. I did find a solution that works though. It’s not perfect but it might suit you if this feature is important to you.
You can use a 2GIG keyfob and a 2GIG GDR1 garage door controller to unlock your z-wave lock when the * button is pressed.
The good news is it works. The bad news is it only works based on the 2GIG automation rules, not the Alarm.com automation rules. You can’t have both Alarm.com and 2GIG automation rules enabled on your panel. Q79 in programming is where you select which is enabled. This will only work if you set Q79 to 2 (enabled on panel, remote access disabled). That means all your automation (rules and scenes) will be created through the 2GIG panel, and the emPower Rules feature on Alarm.com will not work.
Wire the output terminals of the GDR1 to one of the wired inputs on the back of the 2GIG panel. To use hardwired loop 1, wire the GDR1 to terminals 3 and 7 on the 2GIG panel.
Learn your keyfob into the GDR1.
Program hardwired sensor loop 1 to be “no response” type and the normal state as “open”. This is because the GDR1 is a normally open relay.
Create a scene on the 2GIG panel that unlocks the z-wave lock.
Create a rule on the 2GIG panel so that when a “no response” type sensor is activated it will run the scene you just created and unlock the door.
Now press the * button on your keyfob and it works!
I couldn’t do it using Alarm.com’s emPower automation rules because Alarm.com will not let you automate a lock based on sensor activity, even though you can automate lights that way. I’ve already complained to Alarm.com about this but I encourage you to join the party. Let them know you want to automate door locks based on sensor activity.
OK so I’m raising an old post… So you are saying I cannot unlock my z-wave deadbolt from a 2gig remote keyfob? That really stinks… That was the whole reason I bought that lock… I just assumed that it worked that way. When you buy a car, you just assume that the car radio will play CD’s if it has a CD player… Shame on 2gig and alarm.com This stinks.
Currently, the only way to unlock a z-wave door lock with a 2GIG keyfob using Alarm.com emPower z-wave automation is to program a rule that unlocks the door every time the system is disarmed. I agree 100%, that sucks.
The same limitation exists if you’re using 2GIG’s built-in automation rules, you can run a scene when the system is disarmed and that scene can unlock a door but you can’t program it to just unlock a door when a keyfob button is pressed.
I did come up with a work around as described in my post above…
but it requires a special piece of hardware (the 2GIG GDR1 garage door relay) and it requires that you disable Alarm.com empower rules in favor of the built-in 2GIG automation rules. I encourage you to log into your Alarm.com account with a web browser, in the upper-right click “Support Center” and create a new ticket requesting that Alarm.com fix this limitation. We’ll get that ticket and forward it to Alarm.com as a request from a paying customer.
I have to say this though, you might want to reconsider unlocking the door with a keyfob. It is much more secure to do it with your smart phone app because your phone and/or the app can (and should) be protected by a pin code. If someone steals your phone they would have to know the pin code to unlock your door. If someone steals your keyfob they only have to press a button to get in your home.
I’m not sure about the Aeotec keyfob remote. If that can work, you would set it up making the Aeotec remote be the z-wave master controller and the 2GIG control panel the sub controller. That works fine with lights and thermostats but I’ve heard people have trouble using door locks in that kind of configuration. If it works for you, please post and let us know.
Thanks for the reply… I tried making the Aeotec remote the master last night and couldnt get it to work with the door lock at all… I could be (most likely) doing something wrong… I’ll try the emPower route for now until I know more what I am doing. Thanks!
So there is no option for z-wave locks under the create rule in emPower. Here is what I see:
Create a new Event-Triggered Rule
Name of rule: disarm and unlock
When this event occurs:
Arm/Disarm:? - panel is disarmed
At All Times
Perform this action:?
turn on/off selected devices for indef
Select Devices:?
Hall Light default – no lock option here even though it shows up under emPower/devices
For what its worth, I was able to get it to work with the 2gig panel using its rules…
I’m at least happy I can get it to lock and unlock my doors… I misunderstood and didnt think I was going to be able to do that…
Thanks again.
It sounds like you currently have Q79 set to “(2) enabled on panel, remote access disabled”. That’s why there is no option for z-wave locks under the create rule in emPower. If you change that to “(3) enabled on panel; rules disabled, remote access enabled” then you can do the lock automation via Alarm.com emPower. It’s up to you, use whichever you prefer, but all things being equal I would recommend using Alarm.com emPower automation over 2GIG automation. I only recommend using 2GIG automation if you need scenes, which Alarm.com doesn’t support yet.