To program radio (cellular or IP) communication on a Vista 21iP system, you must enable the communicator in the panel’s programming menu and have an active monitoring account with a provider like AlarmNet.
Hardware Installation
Before programming, ensure the physical installation is complete:
- Power Down the system (unplug transformer and disconnect the backup battery).
- Install the Communicator (if external) and connect its four wires to terminals 4 (Black), 5 (Red), 6 (Green), and 7 (Yellow) on the main control panel. The VISTA 21iP has a built-in Ethernet port and supports proprietary snap-in cellular communicators.
- Enable the Hardware Jumper if using a specific type of external communicator (check your module’s instructions).
- Record MAC and CRC codes from the communicator’s label, as these are needed for central station activation.
- Power Up the system by reconnecting the AC power and then the battery.
Keypad Programming Steps
You need an alphanumeric keypad (like the Honeywell 6160) for programming, as fixed-English keypads do not display the necessary prompts.
- Enter Programming Mode: Enter your Installer Code (default is 4112) followed by 8and then 00. The keypad will display “Installer Code 20” or “20”.
- Access Communicator Menu: Press *29.
- Enable IP/GSM: The keypad should prompt “Enable IP/GSM? 0=No 1=Yes”.
- Press 1 to enable the long-range radio/communicator.
- Press the * key to accept the entry and continue.
- Follow Prompts: The system will guide you through entering information required by your monitoring provider, such as account numbers and IP/GSM options. Most of these settings are specific to your alarm monitoring account and provided by your technician.
- Exit Programming: When finished with all programming, press *99 to exit programming mode and return the system to the “Ready” state.
After these steps, your monitoring station will need to remotely activate and register the communicator on their network. The communicator’s LEDs can be checked to verify the signal strength.