Voltsec Software Installation

The Voltsec Control Panel is used to keep your system up to date. Below we will walk through the various pieces of the Control Panel and how you will use it to install the Voltsec system.

Use one of these links to jump down to a specific section:

• Download Voltsec Control Panel
• Login / Create Account
• Install Raspberry Pi Operating System
• Create a Hub
• Install Voltsec
• Optional Wireless Settings
• Optional Other Settings
• Optional Expansion Boards

Download Voltsec Control Panel

The Voltsec Control Panel is available for download in our Downloads Section. The system requirements are as follows:

• Windows 10 PC or laptop
• microSD card reader
• .NET Framework 4.7.1 or higher installed

Download the latest version of the Control Panel and follow the installation instructions.

Note: If Windows prompts you that it blocked the installation of the software, or it is "unsafe" to install the software, click here for additional help.

Problem installing Control Panel

Microsoft Edge blocks download

If you receive a message saying that Microsoft Edge has blocked the download, click on the three dots and select "Keep" or "Report this file as safe"

Windows "Protected" your PC

If you get a message that states that windows has protected your PC, you should see a link that says "More Info". Once you click that, you should then see a button that says "Run Anyway". Click on that button and the Control Panel will be installed.

Why am I seeing this message?

Microsoft goes out of their way to keep your PC safe. However, Microsoft doesn't consider a company on their "safe list" until that company has built up enough of a reputation (enough people have clicked the "Report the file as safe" button).

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Login / Create Account

You will first need to create a user account before you can sign in to the Voltsec Control Panel. If you do not have an account, you can click on the "Create Account" button which will direct to our website where you can create your account.

Once you have your account created, enter your email address and passwork and click "Sign In".

Install Raspberry Pi Operating System

Your Raspberry Pi does not come with an operating system installed. And certain protocols need to be enabled in order for the Voltsec Security System to communicate with it.

The Raspberry Pi operating system needs to be installed on a microSD card. We recommend a SanDisk microSDHC UHS-1 Class 10 memory card.

In the Voltsec Control Panel, click on the "Flash SD" tab. Insert your microSD card into your Windows PC or laptop and you should see a screen that looks like this:

If you leave "Download latest build" selected, it will automatically download the latest version of the operating system. However, if you are going to be installing the operating system at a location with slow download speeds, you can download the latest .img file from the Downloads Section of our website.

Click the "Flash SD Card" button when you are ready and wait for the download and installation of the Raspberry Pi Operating System to complete. You will be prompted when it is safe to eject your memory card and insert it into the Raspberry Pi.

Create a Hub

Before you can install the Voltsec system on your Raspberry Pi, you must first create a "hub".

If you have not done so yet, you can login to to our website and create one. Creating a hub is simple and should only take a few minutes.

Install Voltsec

Once you have installed the Raspberry Pi Operating System on your Raspberry time, it is time to install and register your Voltsec system.

Insert your microSD card into the Raspberry Pi, connect your Raspberry Pi to your router via an ethernet cable, and power up your Raspberry Pi using the power supply adapter described in the "initial setup" tutorial.

Once your Raspberry Pi has booted, use the Voltsec Control Panel and go to the "Dashboard" tab. You should see your Raspberry Pi listed which would look something like this:

If you do not see your system, wait for a few minutes and click the "Refresh List" button. The first time your system loads it may take a while for the Control Panel to recognize your Pi.

Once you can see your Raspberry Pi in the list, click the actions button and select "Install Voltsec". If you are prompted about changing your default password, select "Yes". You should then see a screen that looks like this:

Click the "Install" button and wait for the Voltsec system to be installed on your Raspberry Pi.

Wireless Settings

You can also update your wi-fi settings from from the dashboard tab of the Voltsec Control Panel. It is only recommended to enable wireless if you are unable to connect your security system to your router with an ethernet cable.

Other Settings

You can use the "Dashboard" tab of the Voltsec Control Panel to perform other tasks, including:

• Change the server listening port
• Change the hostname of your system
• Update the timezone of your system
• Check for updates to your Voltsec system

Expansion Boards

If you have expanded your system using Arduino expansion boards, you will need to program those boards using the Voltsec Control Panel. This is done by connecting your Arduino board to a PC or laptop via a USB cable:

Next, use the "Update Firmware" tab of the Voltsec Control Panel:

Below are a list of the options:

• Type of board - You need to select the model of Arduino that you will be programming. See our tutorial on expansion boards for more information.
• Communication port - Once you have connected your Arduino to a PC, you should see a communication port in this list (ex: "COM4").
• Protocol - Voltsec can communicate with your expansion boards using I2C, USB Serial-232 or USB Serial-485. See our tutorial on expansion boards for more information on selecting the correct protocol.
• Address - You can select whatever address you want (1-4 for serial or 1-5 for I2C). It doesn't matter what you select, but you will need to remember what you selected. This only programs your Arduino board, but it does not add it to your system. To do that, you need to create a new board on our website. When you create a board, it will also ask you for the address and that needs to match what you selected here.
• Serial Interface - If you are using the USB/Serial protocol, you will be ased to select which serial interface you will be using. USB will be the most common (simply connecting your Raspberry Pi and Arduino together with a USB cable). See our tutorial on expansion boards for more information on selecting the correct serial interface.

Click on the "Install Firmware" button. This will program your Arduino board. You can then disconnect the Arduino from your PC and add it to your system. See our tutorial on expansion boards for more information on how to connect the Arduino to your system.

Remember, communication is a two-way street. Programming your Arduino board is only half of the process. Your Arduino now knows how it is supposed to communicate, but you will need to create the board in your system configuration settings as well. Whatever you entered in the Voltsec Control Panel needs to match what you enter in your system settings.