FAQ

Nowadays wireless alarms are excellent and manufacturers offer great deals on kits. The installation time is much quicker than a wired system making the overall cost much lower. Typically, only one cable is required and that's to provide power to the control panel - making the installation much neater with no decoration concerns. Wireless replacement parts are more expensive than the corresponding wired version and the running costs are higher as batteries need replaced (usually every 2 years) - but the initial saving outweighs this.

A wired alarm would always be our first choice but in reality, unless you have cables already in place or have premises with access for cabling, you would always choose wireless due to cost and disruption.

We only offer one style of maintenance contract for private alarm customers and it includes unlimited free callouts, day and night. All detector, bell box and control panel batteries are included as well as an annual service visit (two service visits if the system has police response). Batteries for remote controls are not included. If you need to replace fobs or remotes or want additional ones, we only charge for the part itself. For customers with a WSS alarm system that have had a continuing contract (one without breaks), we provide an extended warranty which covers all non-portable parts (detectors, control panel and bell box but not fobs or remotes).

We are biased but we definitely think so. Have a look at the other FAQ's regarding what the contracts include. A service alone including battery changes can cost over £100. If you need an emergency callout through the day the cost is £100.80 + parts, through the night is higher again. If you get a service and a single callout you already will be saving.

Daytime emergency callout charge is £84 + vat = £100.80 plus any parts.

If you have a maintenance contract you only pay for the part - typically £12 for a fob and £45 for a remote (depending on the system). We have to send an Engineer to program fobs and remotes so if you don't have a contract we charge £42 + vat labour on top of the cost of the part.

The simple answer is yes. The system belongs to you. However, the Engineering code gives you access to many features that can cause false alarms and unexpected problems so, if you want to control the system, we can't offer a maintenance contract.

It's a simple process to setup a WiFi connection to your Enforcer alarm system. Just follow the link below to watch a video on how its done.

Enforcer WiFi setup video

Please note that the system only operates on the 2.4GHz band and not on the 5GHz and several routers now ship with the same SSID for both. If after following the instructions you still cant get the system to work, either split the 2.4 and 5GHz SSID's or give us a call for support.

The alarm system is capable of generating both popup notifications and voice messages on a smartphone for a number of different conditions. You can see a complete list HERE. Many of the options are selected by default but to make changes, simply select or deselect any option and press submit. Please allow a day or so for the office to update your system. (Don’t have communications? Contact us to quote for an upgrade).

Yes, as an NSI approved company, we offer a full range of connections that provide a Police Response. There are several methods we can use with costs from £56 per year. Please note there is a one-off cost levied by the Police to issue you a Unique Reference Number. This is currently £52.19.

HDCVI is the latest incarnation of traditional analogue CCTV. It provides HD quality images at a great price using coaxial + power cable. It has one major disadvantage in that further improvements in quality are unlikely. So, if you think you may want to upgrade your system in five or ten years then it may not be the best choice.

IP systems use standard CAT5 cabling (as used in computer networks). Cameras are already available with incredible capabilities but are still very expensive. Our current recommendation for optimum price/performance is the 4MP version. The beauty of IP is that upgrading cameras in the future is very easy as the same cabling can be used. So in five years time when 12MP cameras and advanced pattern recognition features are common (and cheap), it's a simple and cost-effective upgrade.

The basic questions to cover include the following.

The first decision to be made is the type of cabling as it will dictate your options (see HDCVI vs IP FAQ). HDCVI gives HD quality images but minimal upgrade opportunities in the future. It's a perfect choice for a low cost and decent quality system. It also makes life easier as there are fewer options to consider.

Whether HDCVI or IP (discussed next), the recording system has some important features to consider: firstly, the number of connections available: recorders typically have 4, 8, 16, or 32 channels (i.e. camera connections) available (although you can have a single camera on any of them) - if you think more cameras may be needed in the future then choose one with extra channels. Secondly, the amount of video stored depends on the size of the hard drive and the recording settings. The installer has to choose several options which dictate the quality of the images and how many days of video are stored. Ask what resolution and frame rates will be used and how long footage will be available. Getting remote access to your cameras should be a given but make sure the recorder uses P2P and not port forwarding - if the latter is used then router settings need to be changed when you change broadband provider.

If future upgrades are a possibility then choose an IP system. Our current favourite camera is a 4MP unit with Smart-IR; this allows the intensity of the IR lighting (used when dark) to be adjusted by the camera to ensure objects close to the camera don't get overexposed. Other options include cameras that operate in darkness without IR (low-light versions) - useful when there are objects close to the camera that would cause night-time images to suffer.

If you have a CCTV maintenance contract with us then simply contact us. If not then here are some things to check.

(1) If your broadband router has been changed you may need to set port forwarding again.
(2) Try resetting any PowerLine adaptors used to connect the recorder to your router / network.
(3) Try resetting the recorder (look for a shutdown option to avoid damaging the system).
(4) Reset the router.
(5) At this point you may need to request help unless you are familiar with networks, port forwarding and P2P.

If you have a maintenance contract then great, you just pay for the fob and there is no labour charge. If not, then there is a fixed labour charge of £42 + vat as we have to attend site to program the fob (then add the price of the fob). Since the labour charge is fixed, it's always best to buy more than one. We will usually need access to the electrical cupboard as that's normally where the controller is. If the cupboard is kept locked please let us know who keeps the key. Once programmed, we usually just post the fob in your letter/mail box unless advised otherwise.