FAQ
How do I get a refund if I don't like the app?
If the purchase is recent you may still be able to request are refund through your google account.
There's no hurry, take your time to play with it and if you find it doesn't do what you need email me the transaction id from your Google Payments and I put through a request to google to process the refund. Use copy/paste, it's difficult to type that number and it must match exactly. Note that google does not provide me any other information regarding your purchase; they handle the entire transaction and license management.
What if I want more automation?
Use the DscServer with AutomationManager for IoT. You'll find more information in the HowTo section.
Setting up the DscServer (Overview):
Install an Envisalink module in your DSC control box and attach it to an Ethernet cable which is connected with your home (LAN) network.
Purchase and install DscServer in the android device (e.g., tablet) you will use as your server. Within this DscServer, direct it to the LAN ip address of your Envisalink module. If you are planning to enable multiple users, purchase the DscServer using a Google account (ID) you can share on each phone.
Use (or add) the Google account used for the DscServer license on each client phone. Install the DscServer on each android smartphone in which you wish to monitor and control your DSC alarm system. Use your phone’s (DscServer’s) DscKeypad widget for monitor and control.
Set up your router (in Port Forwarding) to forward Port 4026 to the ip address of your android server. Do NOT forward Port 4025.
Do NOT use the freeware DscKeypad in your smartphone to monitor/control your alarm system.
For more information see: HowTo.
How do get the extra features added to the DscKeypad once I install the DscServer
Uninstall the free DscKeypad app, the DscServer comes with its own DscKeypad app with the extra function enabled.
What is the DscServer for?
First, the envisalink card does not protect its TCP port so all data is exchanged in the clear with no encryption. DscServer enables an encrypted connection that is save to access remotely - you can safely open a port through it in your firewall.
Second, the envisalink card only allows a single connection to be active at any one time, so if you want to have multiple simultaneous connections you need the DscServer to act as proxy for it. This will allow multiple phones/tablets to run the DscKeypad and widget, as well as access to it by other automation apps.
The DscKeypad that comes with the DscServer has additional function that is not available in the free version - logging, custom commands, etc.
Finally the DscServer is used for self monitoring of your alarm system (including email and SMS alerts, see the feature list) and provides an interface for android automation apps such as Tasker and Automagic.
If you happen to be using AutomationManager for IoT and run the DscServer and the WemoServer on the same android device, you'll find that your zones and partitions become available in the WemoServer rules engine. This allows you to use them in all of the automation rules, plus you can send DSC commands as automation actions from the WemoServer engine.
What do I need to run a DscServer?
The DscServer needs to run on a (low end) android device you leave on at all times and always connected to your Wifi (and the envisalink card). You attach your DscKeypad and other devices to the DscServer as if it were an envisalink.
If you want to send SMS events as system, zone, or alarm alerts directly you need to use an android phone as your server (attached the same way) and a low cost pay-as-you-go contract with any phone company. You will also need MppSMSer as google no longer allows SMS automation apps on play.
The DscServer can be run on a PC, MAC, Linux or RaspberryPi system rather than an android tablet or phone, see the "Downloads" section for details.
What password do I use?
The envisalink has a mini web server with a password page. Set the "user" password on that page using a web browser (the default it "user"). Note that the envisalink TPI only allows a password of 6 characters maximum. Also note this is a different password than the DSC security PIN and the password used with the eyezon service.
The envisalink will not allow the use of the default password if the DscServer is connecting from a different subnet.
Why do I get "Exception: java.net.UnknownHostException: envisalink" or "Exception: java.net.SocketException: Host is unresolved: envisalink" when I try to connect to my envisalink card or run the DscTest?
You need to change the "Device Address" in the "Envisalink" setting to match the actual envisalink device IP address that's been assigned to it by your router. The default "envisalink" is not supported by many routers. Usually you will want to assign a static IP address or a permanent DHCP address for the card.
The envisalink's assigned IP address can be found in your router LAN status page by looking for the envisalink's MAC address.
If you change the envisalink's IP address you need to reboot the envisalink card (from its network page) or your router.
Why do I get "Exception: java.net.SocketException: recvfrom failed: ECONNRESET (Connection reset by peer)" when I try to connect to my envisalink card or run the DscTest?
The device at that address has rejected the connection attempt from the DscKeypad to the TPI (the envisalink's local interface). This can happen if either:
The device at that address is not the envisalink
You have a firewall or some other application blocking port 4025
The envisalink is on a different subnet but is using the default password (password change is required by the envisalink)
There is already another device connected to the envisalink card, such as another DscKeypad, another DscServer, or another home automation application. Ensure only this DscServer is connecting to the envisalink card and route all other clients through it.
The DscServer was stopped abruptly or the android device with the DscServer disconnected from the wifi abruptly and the envisalink doesn't know yet. Usually you can wait a few minutes and the DscServer will reconnect after the envisalink recycles it's connection.
The envisalink card needs to be reset (see "How do I check the envisalink's network settings"). Often you can simply wait a few minutes, the envisalink will notice it's no longer connected to a client and recycles it's connection, and the DscServer will retry.
What do I do if I have more than 8 zones or more than one partition?
Open the DscServer app, use menu>System, touch "Zone Names". Set the number of zones by entering commas - use one less comma than you have zones. E.g. for 8 zones, enter ",,,,,,," (without the quotes) for the default names. You can customize the names as well, such as "Front Door, Back Door", which will create only two zones in this case.
The partition names work the same way as the zone names.
If you use the DscServer the zone and partition names will come from the server, though you need to set the number of zones that you want displayed, e.g. for 4 zones use ",,," (without the quotes).
Using a zone name of "*" will cause that zone to be skipped (not shown) in the DscKeypad, for example ",,,*,,,," will skip zone 4.
What ports does the DscServer use?
The DscServer attaches to the Envisalink card on port 4025 (don't expose this port outside of your firewall! The Envisalink does not protect that port properly).
The DscKeypads connect over 4025 internally, or port 4026 (default) for secure access; see the DscServer setup instructions for more details.