Electronic Alarms and Home Security Devices - noob question re hardwire alarms

I have an existing ADT safewatch plus/entrepreneur, which is not compatable with broadbank monitoring. I want to switch to a broadband compatable service, but don't want to rewire my apartment. Can I simply purchase another head unit or keypad that is compatable with broadband monitoring (like safewatch pro). Will the window sensors and motion detectors be compatable? How complicated would this job be? I'm a total noob when it comes to alarms and electronics. Thanks.

It is not really necessary to know much about signals or sensors to determine what you need if you address the options more clearly. I will assume that broadband monitoring would be remote access of a network via a LAN or your Internet Service Provider (ISP) vice an existing telephone signal monitoring or analog signal which you describe as ADT safewatch entrepreneur. An equivalent problem might be trying to fax via broadband vice using a dial-up modem -there are programs now that do allow faxing over the Internet but that was not the case until relatively recent times. If I described the problem correctly then chances are that someone else has already blazed that trail if a valid need for that service exists but the fix may be software rather than hardware. Identifying the problem specifically is 90% of the way to an answer. I know that ADT is an alarm company that uses Plain Old Telephone Systems (POTS) but I also once worked for another ADT where we used satellites for military WANs which were broadband. I would first ask ADT if they have been down that road or post your query on a security alarm bulletin board where you would definitel find wizardry of the circuit cellar variety. ~Steve

wouldn't be diffucult, most door switches, window contacts and motion detectors would use the same wiring. The problem would be programming the new control unit to match the settings of the old unit.

Putting this another way, you would have to tell the new box what each zone was and set it up to behave the same as your current system. Depending on who made the alarm, this can be really easy to a complete nightmare.

Wireless devices might be trickier, you may need to get the model numbers of those devices and make sure they'll work with the new system.

I hope this helped!