How Do I Add a Garage Door Controller to the IQ5 NS Panel?

To add a garage door controller to the IQ5 NS, open the IQ Installer app on your mobile device and navigate to Installation, then Devices, then Automation Devices. Select Add Device, choose Autolearn Z-Wave, and press the Learn button on your garage door controller when prompted.

Before You Begin

The IQ5 NS (available in AT&T LTE and Verizon LTE) supports up to six Z-Wave garage door controllers. Adding a garage door controller to your panel lets you operate overhead garage doors remotely through the Alarm.com mobile app when paired with a compatible monitoring plan.

If you have not yet connected the IQ Installer app to your panel, see our guide on setting up the IQ5 NS with the IQ Installer app before proceeding. The garage door controller must be physically installed on your garage door opener and powered on before enrollment. It also needs to be within Z-Wave range of the panel, which is typically up to 100 feet (30 meters) indoors depending on building materials. If the controller was previously paired with another security system or Z-Wave hub, you need to clear it from the old network first.

Adding the Garage Door Controller

1. Open the IQ Installer app on your mobile device. Make sure the app is connected to your IQ5 NS panel over your local WIFI network. The app displays the main menu with options for Installation, Configuration, and other management categories.

The IQ Installer app showing the Installation menu.

2. Navigate to Installation, then Devices, then Automation Devices. The Devices menu displays categories for Security Sensors, WIFI Devices, Z-Wave Devices, Automation Devices, and Bluetooth Devices. Select Automation Devices to open the page where all enrolled Z-Wave and PowerG automation devices are listed.

Navigation path to the Automation Devices page in the IQ Installer app.

3. Select Add Device, then choose Auto-learn Z-Wave. The app enters auto-learn mode and displays a message indicating it is waiting for the device signal. At this point, go to your garage door controller and press the Pair or Learn button. Refer to the controller's documentation for the exact button location, as this varies by manufacturer. The app detects the controller's signal and displays the device information.

The auto-learn screen waiting for the garage door controller signal.

4. Edit the device name and confirm the settings. After the controller is detected, you can change the device name to something descriptive like Garage Door or Main Garage. Confirm the device type is set correctly and press Add to complete the enrollment. The garage door controller now appears in the Automation Devices list on the IQ Installer app.

Editing the device name and settings for the new garage door controller.

After Enrollment

Once the garage door controller is enrolled on the IQ5 NS, you can operate it remotely through the Alarm.com mobile app. Because the IQ5 NS does not have a built-in display, all garage door commands are sent through Alarm.com rather than from the panel itself. Open the Alarm.com app, navigate to the Automation or Devices section, and select your garage door controller to open or close it.

The Alarm.com app also supports scheduling and automation rules for your garage doors. You can configure the door to close automatically at a set time each night, or receive push notifications whenever the door status changes. These home automation features are especially useful with the IQ5 NS since there is no local display to check garage door status.

The GoControl GD00Z-8-GC is a popular Z-Wave garage door controller that is compatible with the IQ Panel 5 and includes a tilt sensor. Or if you already have a compatible Z-wave garage door controller you can pair a tilt sensor like the IQ Tilt-S alongside the controller to get accurate open and closed status reporting in Alarm.com, even when the door is operated manually with a wall button or remote.

Tips

If the garage door controller does not appear during autolearn, make sure the device is within Z-Wave range of the panel and that it has not already been paired to another network. Use the Clear Devices function on the Automation Devices page to exclude the controller from its previous network before trying again. You can find this option by selecting the three-dot menu at the top of the Automation Devices page in the IQ Installer app. After successful pairing, the controller communicates through the Z-Wave mesh network, so other Z-Wave devices between the panel and the garage help extend the signal.

Learn how to open and close the garage door from the IQ5 NS.

Adding a Z-Wave garage door controller gives you convenient remote control of your garage through Alarm.com on the IQ5 NS. For help with garage door controllers or other configurations on your IQ5 NS, contact the Alarm Grid support team. We are here Monday through Friday from 9:00 AM to 8:00 PM Eastern Time. Email us at support@alarmgrid.com, call us at 888-818-7728, or visit our website and chat with a live support agent.