hmmmm upon some further experimentation.... i was just able to take my security remote (not even programmed to my ds7000 frequency) and "jam" the signal of my motion sensors and door sensors by simply holding down any button on the remote!!!!!!!
Therefore, anyone wanting to break in needs only an x10 remote and tape a button down while in your yard.... and whammo..... your system will not detect any of the sensors being triggered.
yeesh.... had i known about this i sure would have looked much harder at a wired security system. This is very troubling.
...Sounds like yours is even more sophisticated and polls them also.Well I could be wrong as to how often it checks or if it actually polls. It seemed to indicate trouble fairly quickly when one sensor got knocked loose one time, however.
The DS10A Door/Window sensor sends a signal about every 70 minutes to let the system know it's alive. The signal includes a low-battery indicator.
It's possible your system console does not process the low-battery indicator bit, but it _is_ included in the signal. You can see it in the output of RF receivers like the WGL W800RF32A. (It's also possible that the RF signal strength is sufficiently lowered at the level the low-battery indicator kicks in that it's no longer high enough to trigger a response in a distant console.)
tjc, so you say when you held down a button on your SH624 and attempted to open doors and walk past sensors while armed that the system triggered the alarm? I have tried several times and every time i was able to hold down the button and open my door sensor and walk around in front of the motion sensor while armed. Perhaps i will try to reset the door sensor and see if it works any better. I did a lot of google searching and only came across 1 reference to this, so hopefully it is just a potential problem but not a sure thing every time. If it is a big problem, we better delete this post and keep this quiet. >:(
Can anyone else try this and post your findings? (i think we all need to do this to see if we truly are as secure as we think).
I have had my system running for a couple of weeks now in my garage and surrounding buildings. The motion sensor i have setup seems quite accurate in 1 step mode. In 2 step mode the mileage seemed to vary...... i was able to walk right up to it without triggering once, and was caught once. 1 Step mode seems to catch movement right away. To properly test this you need to let the motion sensor settle down for a minute or so before walking into its beam.
Yeah, how would anyone know what kind of security system you've got.LMAO.... using these "$20" priced decals is really nothing more than advertisement for x10 and provides would-be thieves with knowledge of your system.
(http://graphics.x10.com/images_security/mm024_s.jpg)
Yeah, how would anyone know what kind of security system you've got.
(http://graphics.x10.com/images_security/mm024_s.jpg)
Unfortunately, ANYONE with a security remote can bypass all of your window/door and motion sensors by simply continually holding down a button to jam the signal. It isn't exactly sophisticated since x10 security remotes are very easily obtainable and will work to defeat an x10 system. It's ok to pretend that nobody should know this, but the fact remains that it is very possible and ridiculously easy..... and I have lost all confidence in this system now that i know it can be easily bypassed.
If anyone does not believe me.... try it for yourself.
I am looking for a way now to act as a fail-safe in case anyone tries to jam the RF signal of the sensors. Are there any x10 camera devices that can be used for x10 security? A motion sensing camera or motion sensing floodlight that can trigger the ds7000 or even trigger another device hooked to a siren? Any other ideas to provide a fail-safe?
I was also able to verify this flaw. Anyone reading these posts should be concerned about it and read the the last few
posts under "Disarming DS7000 remotely". This is a major design flaw, and should be addressed immediately.
We're fortunate to have a secondary alarm system, and high tech camera recording system. Others might be depending
exclusively on the X10 system without knowing how easy it is to bypass. If you are reading this post and want to test
if your system is vulnerable, you should read carefully through the posts to make sure you are testing properly. Once
you've confirmed the vulnerability, send email to daverye@x10.com, and call X10 support and demand an immediate fix.
If enough people complain maybe they'll do something about it, if not the problem might not ever get fixed :-X
Well it would be nice if X10 looked at making some improvements, if not for just keeping up with the competition. However when it comes to alarm systems keep in mind that everyone purchasing one has a choice of what they buy. If they feel uncomfortable with X10 they can go with Elk or Simion. The more money you have to spend the better the system could be. I added a professional sign out front saying I have an alarm. I have an alarm but not buy the company the sign says I do. It is just another deterrent for a crook to go to the house down the street. If I have something that they want they will find a way to get it no matter what system I have. I would like to see improvements, but I am a satisfied X10 customer. (My RS 49-1000 is made by X10).
In fact the DS7000 system has 64,000 codes, not 256. So it would be extremely unlikely that anyone could "find your code."
A remote has to be installed into the console and the console has to be in the install mode to do this, so no one could install another remote into your system so as to use it to disarm your system.
Of course with ANY RF system you could "jam" the system with something that transmits at the same frequency. But how likely is that to happen? Extremely unlikely. Most burglars are opportunist and wouldn't go to that trouble. Any burglar willing to go to that length could probably defeat ANY system.
X10 have been selling wireless security systems for 17 years and have never had complaints about these issues. Note: If they had a Forum when the telephone was invented someone would have likely posted that it will never fly because anyone could try all the numbers until they guessed yours and then plague you with prank calls. :)
Especially if you don't advertise what type of system you have.