How Do I Connect the IQ Panel 5 to a Hidden WIFI Network?

To connect the IQ Panel 5 to a hidden WIFI network, swipe down and touch Settings, then Advanced Settings, and enter your Installer Code. Next, touch WIFI, then choose the option to add a network manually. Type the network name and password, then touch Connect to join the hidden network.

About Hidden Networks

The IQ Panel 5 (available in AT&T LTE and Verizon LTE) connects to most networks by picking them from a scanned list, but a hidden network does not broadcast its name, so it never appears in that list. To join one, you add it manually by typing in the network name yourself. Getting the panel onto WIFI gives your security system a second communication path alongside its cellular connection.

Adding a hidden network works the same as a normal WIFI connection once you have typed the name in; you still enter the password and connect. The key difference is that you need the exact network name, since the panel cannot look it up for you. For a network that does broadcast its name, our guide on how to connect the IQ Panel 5 to WIFI covers the standard list-based method.

Before You Begin

The WIFI menu is in Advanced Settings and requires the Installer Code (1111 by default). If you enter the Master Code by mistake, the WIFI and Installation options will not appear, so use the Installer Code. Have your exact network name (SSID) and password ready before you start, and note that both are case-sensitive, so they must be typed exactly as they are set on your router.

Connect to a Hidden Network

1. Swipe down and touch Settings. Swipe down from the top of the screen to open the Settings Tray, then touch SETTINGS.
   
   Swipe down from the top of the screen to open the Settings Tray.Touch Settings in the Settings Tray.
2. Touch Advanced Settings and enter your Installer Code. Touch ADVANCED SETTINGS, then enter your Installer Code (1111 by default). The panel advances automatically after a valid code. If you do not see WIFI on the next menu, you likely entered the Master Code, so go back and enter the Installer Code.
   
   Touch Advanced Settings.Enter your Installer Code (1111 by default).
3. Touch WIFI. On the Advanced Settings menu, touch WIFI. The panel scans and lists the networks within range, but your hidden network will not appear here since it does not broadcast its name.
   
   Touch WIFI and let the panel scan.
4. Add the network manually. Below the list of scanned networks, choose the option to add a network manually. This is the method for a hidden network, since it lets you type the name in directly rather than picking it from the list.
   
   Choose the option to add a network manually.
5. Type the name and password, then connect. Type the exact network name (SSID), select the security type if prompted, then enter the password. Touch CONNECT, and the panel joins the hidden network and confirms when it is connected.
   
   Type the SSID and password, then touch Connect.

Tips

The most common reason a hidden network will not connect is a small typo in the name or password, so double-check both against your router, keeping in mind they are case-sensitive. If you would rather not add it by hand, you can temporarily unhide the network on your router, connect the panel from the scanned list the normal way, and then re-hide it; the panel stays connected. Once joined, the panel communicates over both WIFI and cellular for dual-path reliability and downloads software updates automatically over WIFI.

Connecting the IQ Panel 5 to a hidden WIFI network gets your panel online even when your network stays out of sight. For help joining a hidden network or with any WIFI settings on your IQ Panel 5, 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.