How Do I Set the Ambient Noise Threshold on the IQ5 Hub?

To set the Ambient Noise Threshold on the IQ5 Hub, swipe down and touch Settings, then Advanced Settings, and then enter your Installer Code. Next, touch Installation, then Installer Settings, and set the Ambient Noise Threshold between 75 and 95 dB with the Noise Detector enabled first.

About the Ambient Noise Threshold

The Ambient Noise Threshold on the IQ5 Hub (available in AT&T LTE and Verizon LTE) sets the loudness level at which the Panel Ambient Noise Detector decides a room is too loud and generates an alert. It is measured in decibels, and you can choose any value between 75 and 95 dB, with 85 dB as the default. A lower number makes the panel more sensitive, alerting at a quieter level, while a higher number means it only speaks up for louder events, which lets you tune noise alerts to fit the space on your security system.

This threshold is the companion setting to the Panel Ambient Noise Detector, which uses the panel's built-in microphones to watch for loud noise in multi-dwelling units, apartments, and short-term rentals. The threshold will appear greyed out and cannot be changed until that detector is enabled, so if you cannot select it, the detector is still turned off. For reference, normal conversation sits around 60 dB, a vacuum cleaner is near 75 dB, and a loud party or shouting can easily pass 85 dB, which is why the default lands there.

Before You Begin

The Ambient Noise Threshold is in the Installer Settings, which require the Installer Code (1111 by default) or Dealer Code (2222 by default). The steps below use the Installer Code. The Panel Ambient Noise Detector must be enabled for this threshold to be selectable, so turn that on first if it is not already. See our guide on how to enable the Panel Ambient Noise Detector on the IQ5 Hub for that step.

Set the Ambient Noise Threshold

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 Dealer Code (2222) works here too. The panel advances automatically after a valid code.
   
   Touch Advanced Settings.Enter your Installer Code (1111 by default).
3. Touch Installation, then Installer Settings. Touch INSTALLATION, then open INSTALLER SETTINGS and find the Ambient Noise Threshold, just below the Panel Ambient Noise Detector.
   
   Open Installer Settings and find Ambient Noise Threshold.
4. Choose the dB level. Touch the Ambient Noise Threshold drop-down and select a value between 75 and 95 dB. If the option is greyed out, enable the Panel Ambient Noise Detector first, then set the threshold.
   
   Choose a value between 75 and 95 dB.

Tips

Start with the 85 dB default and adjust from real-world results: if you are getting alerts from everyday noise, raise the threshold a few decibels, and if genuinely loud events are not triggering, lower it. Because decibels are not linear, even a 5 dB change is noticeable, so move in small steps. The threshold works alongside the Noise Detector Duration, which sets how long that loud level has to last before the panel alerts you.

Setting the Ambient Noise Threshold on the IQ5 Hub fine-tunes how loud a room has to get before the panel alerts you. For help with the Ambient Noise Threshold or noise monitoring on your IQ5 Hub, 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.