IQ Panel 2 Security Systems Posts

One of Alarm Grid's best partners Qolsys has announced that their upcoming IQ Panels with PowerG support have officially received UL certification. It appears as though the company is currently on track to have these new systems ready for a public release later this summer season.

PowerG is a wireless sensor lineup from DSC. These are state-of-the-art security sensors that boast some highly impressive capabilities and features. They operate at a considerably higher frequency (915 MHz) than most other wireless sensors, meaning that they will not interfere with other devices. The range of these sensors is absolutely insane, as they can operate from nearly half a mile away from the panel when used indoors. The sensor also use 128-bit AES encryption to prevent them from being hacked or spoofed. Needless to say, we are very excited that Qolsys Systems will soon be able to support these sensors.

Qolsys previously announced at ISC West 2018 that a PowerG daughtercard would be made available for their IQ Panel 2. By installing this daughtercard, the system will be able to support PowerG sensors. Qolsys will also likely produce IQ Panel 2 Systems with the daughtercard already integrated, and also possibly other PowerG-compatible systems as well. So far the PowerG lineup includes outdoor PIR motion detectors with integrated cameras, outdoor siren/strobe devices and a door contact with a wired input for long-range expansion.

ISC West 2018 was also when Qolsys announced that they would soon be offering legacy daughtercards for the IQ Panel 2. These daughtercards are available in 319.5 MHz (Qolsys and Interlogix/GE Sensors), 345 MHz (legacy Honeywell and 2GIG Sensors) and 433 MHz (legacy DSC Sensors). Please note that the system will only support one PowerG daughtercard and one legacy daughtercard at any given time.

Alarm Grid will make sure to keep you up to date with any of the latest news regarding Qolsys and PowerG support. Keep an eye on our blog for more information.

Qolsys has announced that software update 2.1.1 for the IQ Panel 2 will be made available tomorrow, May 1st, 2018. This update includes various fixes and improvements that should improve the functionality of the system. The update can be installed wireless if the IQ Panel 2 is connected to a WIFI network and currently running software version 2.0.1 or higher.

Some of the benefits of this update include:

• Automatic communication tests will now report as E602, while manual communication tests will now report as E601.
• System will no longer report cellular signal strength when disconnected from the network.
• IQ Remote will now report correct supervision status on Alarm.com.
• IQ remote will no longer display a red emergency screen at incorrect times.
• Improvements in connectivity and function with DSC Power-G Sensors.
• Nighttime mode will no longer turn Z-Wave voice prompts on if the feature is disable.

You can update your IQ Panel 2 to software version 2.1.1 by completing the following steps:

1. Press the small grey bar at the top of the home screen, and choose "Settings".
2. Choose "Advanced Settings".
3. Enter the system's Installer Code (default is 1111).
4. Choose "Upgrade Software".
5. Choose "Patch Tag", and then enter in "iqpanel2.1.1". Then press "OK".
6. Choose "Upgrade Using Network". If the panel is connected to WIFI, the update will download and install.
7. Once the upgrade is complete, press "OK". The panel will begin the rebooting process, which should take about five minutes to fully complete. After the panel reboot, the home screen will appear, and the LED light will turn green.

Remember, the update will be available starting Tuesday, May 1st. If you are interested in the update, the Alarm Grid support team can remotely download the firmware via Alarm.com. Simply email us at support@alarmgrid.com to place your request.