Envisalink failure state reporting - possible?

I’m using the envisalink integration with an evl4 and a DSC 1864 panel. Recent HA install inside docker.

Everything works great, and was easy to configure and setup. Got my flow setup in Nodered and that works great too! So big thanks to everyone for making this stuff just so awesome. Really, thank you.

My particular application is using alarm panel window sensors to determine if a window is open, and if it is, don’t allow the powered roller shade to operate. If the shade comes down on an open window (they open inwards) then it would be a very expensive repair.

The nodered flow works great and the reporting via envisalink is instantaneous. Again, big thanks…

BUT…it seems that if envisalink comms fail, the binary_sensors just sit at the last known state. That could be window closed, or perhaps a human opened the window. Ouch. I created a failure state by unplugging envisalink cat5

How can I get an entity state the explicitly reports on comms status with envisalink? and propagate that to nodered? If the comms have failed I will prevent any shades operating since I can’t determine the window status. Perhaps the panel status could be ‘unknown’ instead of the last known status?

I’m happy to hack the code given a couple of hints…

I can’t remember if the EVL3/4 responds to a ping… If so

If not you could try checking arp requests or possibly your router (like unifi) supports a device tracker integration (downside of this one is probably a delay in reports)

Thanks, this is helpful and very easy.

My question might be better directed to the developer(s) of the envisalink integration. It seems poorly designed if it keeps returning last known state on the sensors even if disconnected for days. Should I go to GitHub and ask there perhaps?

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The envisalink integration as a whole needs a lot of love. There other issues there that also need to be addressed. (the sensors not supporting unique_id and thus not supporting customizations for instance)

It never hurts to ask, you may have to ask a few times.