Wireless electronic security systems are most common in the Home Security Market (commodity). These systems are popular due to the ease in installation and low cost. The frequency ranges in which they may operate are restricted by the FCC and other International Agencies. Those frequency ranges are approximately 433MHz / 800MHz / 900MHz / 2.4GHz / 5GHz. Many home system motion detectors operate in the 433Mhz range. Professional systems usually operate at higher frequencies. Some companies advertise secret frequencies. However, they must still be within the mentioned transmission ranges controlled by agencies such as the FCC. And in any event, they are trivial to discover with simple electronic instruments.
Some wireless electronic security companies advertise encrypted transmission codes. This is marketing hyperbolie. There is no reason to encrypt transmissions since defeating a wireless electronic security system has nothing to do with wireless signal transmissions content. The clue on how to defeat a wireless electronic security system is provided by the apparatus that interferes with it. Radio Frequency Interference is an old term replaced by the acronym EMI (Electro Magnetic Interference). The newer term includes natural causes such as lightning.
Here is a partial list of EMI sources that will prohibit operation, interfer with or otherwise generate false alarms:
Cordless Phones |
Microwave ovens |
Baby monitors |
Garage door openers |
Lightning |
Bluetooth systems |
Bluetooth devices include PC periferals such as mice, keyboards, webcams, joysticks and wireless networks. |