5 minute read

WARNING : This solution is not the best way to protect your property.

First of all, I am not a programmer so many of you will notice my elementary skills on coding. If you have anny issues or suggestions please contact me at info[at]wizzycom[dot]net

Some information about Ademco Contact ID.

Ademco Contact ID is a protocol that establishes communication between a a security system and a monitoring station . The security system sends a 16-digit code to the monitoring center and the monitoring station converts this to readable information.

Let’s see the sections of this 16-digit code :

1111 22 3 444 55 666 7

The monitoring station receives the code above ( not a real example, but it is easier to understand the sections ) :

Section 1. Account number. This is the account ID of the security system. This info is set by the installer.

Section 2. Message type. The value of this is 18 (preffered) or 98 (optional).

Section 3. Event qualifier. Three values => 1 ( Νew event ) 3 ( Restored event ) 6 ( Previous reported - still present ).

Section 4. Event Code. This describes the issue ( Value 401 is arm/disarm from user ).

Section 5. Partition Number. Many security systems have the ability of virtual security systems. This means that you can have two or more individual security systems in one physical system.

Section 6. Zone Number. This is the zone number.

Section 7. Checksum. This is just a value which confirms that the 16-digit code is correct.

Asterisk PBX has the ability to receive those 16-digits events and by the use of a script you are able to convert is to readable information through alarmreceiver module . How it works :

  • The security system sends an event through PSTN
  • Asterisk receives this event and executes a script
  • The script converts the event and sends an email.

Now for this guide, I have a security system connected to a Linksys SPA. I had some DTMF issues but the solved after setting the following on the SPA :

DTMF Tx Method = AVT

DTMF Tx Mode = Normal

First we have to configure the asterisk module. So we edit the file /etc/asterisk/alarmreceiver.conf and set the following :

[general]

timestampformat = %Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S
eventcmd = /etc/asterisk/alarm/scripts/alarm-getevent
eventspooldir = /etc/asterisk/alarm/pending
logindividualevents = yes
fdtimeout = 4000
sdtimeout = 4000
loudness = 600

Then we have to create the folder structure

mkdir /etc/asterisk/alarm
mkdir /etc/asterisk/alarm/pending
mkdir /etc/asterisk/alarm/reported
mkdir /etc/asterisk/alarm/cache
mkdir /etc/asterisk/alarm/scripts

Create our MySQL database :

mysql -u root -p
create database security_system DEFAULT CHARACTER SET utf8 COLLATE utf8_general_ci;

Import this file on the newly created database.

Now we have two scripts. One that is executed every time a event is received ( alarm-getevent

) and another one that is executed through cron every minute ( alarm-process ).

/etc/asterisk/alarm/scripts/alarm-getevent

#!/bin/sh
#
dbase='mysql -uUSER -pPASSWORD -hHOST security_system'

for i in `find /etc/asterisk/alarm/pending -type f`
do

chmod 777 ${i}
alarmevent=`cat ${i} | sed "1,/events/d" | grep -v "^$"`
alarmtime=`grep TIMESTAMP ${i} | cut -f2 -d=`

now=`date +'%Y/%m/%d %H:%M:%S'`

account=`echo $alarmevent | cut -b1-4`
messagetype=`echo $alarmevent | cut -b5-6`
qualifier=`echo $alarmevent | cut -b7`
eventcode=`echo $alarmevent | cut -b8-10`
grp=`echo $alarmevent | cut -b11-12`
zone=`echo $alarmevent | cut -b13-15`
chksum=`echo $alarmevent | cut -b16`

dtreported=`date --date "$alarmtime" +%s`
dtregistered=`date --date "$now" +%s`

$dbase -vv -e "insert into alarm_events (alarmevent,account,messagetype,qualifier,eventcode,grp,zone,chksum,dtreported,dtregistered) values ('$alarmevent','$account','$messagetype','$qualifier','$eventcode','$grp','$zone','$chksum','$dtreported','$dtregistered')"

mv ${i} /etc/asterisk/alarm/reported

done

Please change USER, PASSWORD, HOST with the credentials needed to access your database.

/etc/asterisk/alarm/scripts/alarm-process

#!/bin/sh
#
dbase='mysql -uUSER -pPASSWORD -hHOST security_system'

recordcount=`$dbase -B --skip-column-names -e "select * from alarm_events where status = '1' order by dtreported limit 1;"`

if [ -n "$recordcount" ]; then

id=`echo $recordcount | cut -f1 -d' ' `
alarmevent=`echo $recordcount | cut -f2 -d' ' `
account=`echo $recordcount | cut -f3 -d' ' `
messagetype=`echo $recordcount | cut -f4 -d' ' `
qualifier=`echo $recordcount | cut -f5 -d' ' `
eventcode=`echo $recordcount | cut -f6 -d' ' `
grp=`echo $recordcount | cut -f7 -d' ' `
zone=`echo $recordcount | cut -f8 -d' ' `

if [ $eventcode = 401 ]
then
zonedescription=`$dbase -B --skip-column-names -e "select system_users.user_description from system_users where user_id = $zone"`
else
zonedescription=`$dbase -B --skip-column-names -e "select system_areas.area_description from system_areas where area_id = $zone"`
fi

zone=`echo $recordcount | cut -f8 -d' ' `
chksum=`echo $recordcount | cut -f9 -d' ' `
dtregistered=`echo $recordcount | cut -f10 -d' ' `
dtreported=`echo $recordcount | cut -f11 -d' ' `

eventdescription=`$dbase -B --skip-column-names -e "select event_types.call,event_types.sms,event_types.description from event_types where eventcode = $eventcode"`

callaction=`echo $eventdescription | cut -f1 -d' ' `
smsaction=`echo $eventdescription | cut -f2 -d' ' `
description=`echo $eventdescription | cut -f3-30 -d' ' `

if [ $qualifier = 1 ]
then
eventqualifier=New
fi

if [ $qualifier = 3 ]
then
eventqualifier=Restored
fi

if [ $qualifier = 6 ]
then
eventqualifier=Still active
fi

realdatereported=`date -d @$dtreported "+%d/%m/%Y %T"`
realdateregistered=`date -d @$dtregistered "+%d/%m/%Y %T"`

#MAIL

extension=$RANDOM

mailfile=/etc/asterisk/alarm/cache/event_$id.$extension

echo "Hello owner" >> $mailfile
echo "" >> $mailfile
echo "" >> $mailfile
echo "An event has occured on the security system. Please read the event description below." >> $mailfile
echo "" >> $mailfile
echo "" >> $mailfile
echo "===================================================" >> $mailfile
echo " Alarm Notification " >> $mailfile
echo "===================================================" >> $mailfile
echo "" >> $mailfile
echo Reported at $realdatereported >> $mailfile
echo Registration at $realdateregistered >> $mailfile
echo "" >> $mailfile
echo ID $id >> $mailfile
echo Event qualifyer $eventqualifier >> $mailfile
echo Partition/Group $grp >> $mailfile
echo Zone $zonedescription >> $mailfile
echo Event description $description >> $mailfile

/bin/mailx -s "Alarm event - $description - $realdatereported" -r alarm@example.com -S smtp="mail.example.com" user@example.com < $mailfile

updatestatus=`$dbase -e "update alarm_events set status = '0' where id = $id"`

fi

Please change USER, PASSWORD, HOST with the credentials needed to access your database. Also make the appropriate email changes.

Give permisions

chown asterisk:asterisk /etc/asterisk/alarm -R
chmod +x /etc/asterisk/alarm/scripts/alarm-getevent
chmod +x /etc/asterisk/alarm/scripts/alarm-process

Set the following line on cron via crontab -e

*/1 * * * * /etc/asterisk/alarm/scripts/alarm-process &> /dev/null 2>&1

Restart cron

systemctl restart crond

Trigger an event from the security system

Good luck