Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Product FAQ

What is an addressable intrusion alarm control panel?

An addressable intrusion alarm control panel communicates with address modules through a shared RS485 bus, allowing each connected device to be individually identified. Compared with conventional systems, addressable architecture simplifies installation, improves maintenance efficiency, and supports significantly larger system capacity.

How many zones can the AS-9000 Series support?

The standard main control panel supports 16 onboard wired zones and 30 wireless zones.

Using addressable RS485 expansion modules, the total system capacity can be expanded to up to 1,656 addressable zones, depending on the overall system configuration.

Does the AS-9000 support both wired and wireless zones?

Yes.

The AS-9000 Series supports both onboard wired zones and wireless zones. Additional wired capacity can be expanded using addressable RS485 expansion modules, providing flexible system scalability for commercial applications.

What applications is the AS-9000 suitable for?

The AS-9000 Series is designed for commercial and industrial security applications, including:

Office buildings
Factories
Warehouses
Schools
Hospitals
Shopping malls
Banks
Hotels
Government facilities
Large residential communities

Which communication methods are available?

Different AS-9000 models support different communication combinations.

Available communication technologies include:

PSTN
TCP/IP Ethernet
4G LTE Cellular

Customers can select the appropriate model according to their project infrastructure and communication requirements.

Which devices are compatible with the AS-9000 Series?

The system supports a wide range of commercial security devices, including:

PIR motion detectors
Magnetic door contacts
Glass break detectors
Emergency buttons
Smoke detectors
Gas detectors
Active infrared beam detectors
LCD keypads
Addressable expansion modules
Sirens
Strobe lights

Compatibility may vary depending on the overall system design.

Can the AS-9000 integrate with Central Monitoring Software?

Yes.

The AS-9000 Series is designed to work with the AS-ALARM Network Alarm Center Management Software, enabling centralized alarm management, event recording, E-map display, user management, and CCTV video verification.

The system also supports standard alarm reporting protocols such as Contact ID and SIA, facilitating integration with compatible central monitoring platforms.

Is RS485 suitable for large commercial projects?

Yes.

RS485 communication is widely used in commercial security systems because it supports long communication distances, offers excellent resistance to electrical interference, and allows multiple address modules to share the same communication bus.

These characteristics make it particularly suitable for commercial buildings, warehouses, industrial facilities, campuses, hospitals, and other large-scale security installations.

Which model should I choose?

The recommended model depends primarily on the available communication infrastructure.

AS-9000FX — PSTN communication projects
AS-9000IP — Commercial Ethernet networks
AS-9000GPRS-4G — Remote sites using 4G cellular communication
AS-9000FF — Projects requiring PSTN + TCP/IP + 4G communication

Our engineering team can recommend the most suitable model after reviewing your project requirements.

Can the AS-9000 be customized for OEM projects?

Yes.

Athenalarm provides comprehensive OEM and ODM services, including:

Private branding
Customized firmware
LCD language localization
Packaging customization
Wireless frequency configuration
Product documentation customization

Additional hardware and software customization can also be discussed according to your project requirements.

Where can I download technical documentation?

Technical documentation, including datasheets, installation manuals, wiring diagrams, programming guides, and software manuals, is available from the Support section. If additional engineering documents are required, please contact our sales or technical support team.

How can I request pricing or become a distributor?

You can contact Athenalarm for:

Wholesale quotations
OEM & ODM cooperation
Distributor opportunities
Technical consultation
Project support
Product samples

Our sales and engineering teams will recommend the most suitable AS-9000 model and provide the corresponding technical documentation based on your project requirements.

Technical FAQ

Why does the alarm control panel display “PSTN Line Cut”, “No Battery”, or other abnormal alarms after power-on?

This indicates that the control panel is not connected correctly to the telephone line or backup battery.

If the telephone line or battery is not required for your installation, you can disable the corresponding abnormal alarm in:

Device → Panel Setting → Abnormal Set

Why does the alarm control panel announce “XX Zone Failure”?

Possible causes include:

The resistor type configured in the control panel does not match the resistor installed on the zone. For example, if 3.3 kΩ resistors are used, select the corresponding resistor value in:

Device → Panel Setting → More Setting → WTRES

The detector wiring does not match the selected Normally Open (NO) or Normally Closed (NC) configuration. Verify the wiring according to the diagram inside the control panel enclosure.
The affected zone has been force armed while remaining in a fault condition. If the fault occurs frequently, disable forced arming for the zone in:

Setting → Configure → More Configure → Zone Force

When forced arming is disabled, the control panel will automatically bypass the faulty zone during arming.

Why does the alarm control panel announce “XX Equipment Failure”?

This indicates that a device connected to the RS485 bus (such as an LCD keypad or addressable zone module) cannot be detected.

After installing or replacing bus devices, run:

Device → Bus Scanner

to scan and register all connected devices.

How do I restore the alarm control panel to factory settings?

There are two methods.

Software Reset

Navigate to:

Support → Maintenance → Factory Reset

Hardware Reset

Turn off the control panel power.
Press and hold the S1 button on the control panel.
Restore power while continuing to hold S1.
Release the button after approximately 25 seconds, when all five status LEDs remain continuously illuminated.

Why can’t I log in using the Super User password?

For security reasons, the Super User password cannot be used while the system is armed.

Disarm the system first, then log in using the Super User password.

Why can’t I disarm the system?

Possible causes include:

The keypad is in sleep mode

If the keypad has been idle for some time, it enters power-saving mode. Press any key to wake it, then press the Disarm key, enter your password, and press Enter.

An active alarm is still present

When an alarm is active, the control panel gives priority to displaying alarm information.

To clear the alarm:

View the alarm information.
Press Cancel.
Enter the user password.
Press Enter to acknowledge the alarm.
After the alarm has been cleared, perform the disarming operation again.

How should I answer alarm notification calls from the control panel?

When answering an alarm notification call, press 1 as instructed by the voice prompt.

Otherwise, the control panel assumes that the alarm notification was not acknowledged and automatically dials the next notification attempt.

Why is the keypad warning indicator always on?

Common causes include:

The control panel contains active alarm records.
A 24-hour protection zone remains active, such as an emergency panic button that has not been reset.

What should I do if I forget the password?

If the password has been forgotten, perform the Hardware Factory Reset procedure described above to restore the control panel to its factory default settings.

Why does Zone 399 appear?

Zone 399 usually indicates an addressing problem on the RS485 bus.

Possible causes include:

Two or more address modules have been assigned the same address.
One address module has not been assigned a valid address.

Use the displayed zone serial number to identify the affected address module and correct its address setting.

Why does the keypad continuously display “Connect Panel…”?

Possible causes include:

A short circuit on the keypad communication interface.
A short circuit on the RS485 bus wiring.

Disconnect the RS485 bus wiring from the control panel and inspect the communication cable before reconnecting the system.

If you have any other questions, please feel free to contact us.