How Do I Set the Dialer Delay on the IQ5 NS Alarm System?

To set the Dialer Delay on the IQ5 NS, open the IQ Installer app on your mobile device and navigate to Installation, then Sirens and Alarms. Set Dialer Delay to the number of seconds the panel waits before it reports an alarm event to the central station. It is 30 seconds by default here.

About the Dialer Delay

The Dialer Delay on the IQ5 NS (available in AT&T LTE and Verizon LTE) is the amount of time the panel waits after an alarm is triggered before it calls the central station. This built-in pause gives you a chance to disarm and cancel a genuine false alarm, so an accidental trip does not immediately send a signal for monitoring and dispatch. It is set to 30 seconds by default, which suits most installations.

A delay is already active out of the box, so setting the Dialer Delay really means choosing how long that window is. The available range depends on whether SIA Limits are enabled: with SIA Limits on, you can set 15 to 45 seconds, and with SIA Limits off, the range is 0 to 254 seconds. Setting it to 0 with SIA Limits off effectively removes the delay, so the panel reports immediately, though that is not recommended for most setups on a security system.

Before You Begin

The IQ5 NS has no screen, so all of its programming is done through the IQ Installer app. 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. You will use an Installer or Dealer level login, and Dialer Delay is not used on EN Grade 2 installations.

Set the Dialer Delay

1. Open the IQ Installer app. Open the IQ Installer app on your mobile device and make sure it is connected to your IQ5 NS.
   
   Open the IQ Installer app connected to your IQ5 NS.
2. Navigate to Installation, then Sirens and Alarms. In the app, go to the Installation menu, then open Sirens and Alarms.
   
   Navigate to Installation, then Sirens and Alarms.
3. Find the Dialer Delay setting. In Sirens and Alarms, locate the Dialer Delay setting.
   
   Locate Dialer Delay in Sirens and Alarms.
4. Set the Dialer Delay. Enter the number of seconds you want. Within the allowed range, a longer delay gives more time to cancel a false alarm, while a shorter one reports faster. The default is 30 seconds.
   
   Enter the Dialer Delay in seconds.

Tips

The Dialer Delay is one of the most useful tools for cutting down on false alarm dispatches, since it gives you those seconds to disarm before a signal ever leaves the panel. A setting that is too short may report before someone can disarm, while one that is too long delays a real emergency response, so the 30-second default is a sensible balance. If your system must follow SIA false alarm guidelines, keep the value within the 15 to 45 second range that SIA Limits enforces.

Setting the Dialer Delay on the IQ5 NS lets you control how much time there is to stop a false alarm before it reaches the central station. For help with the Dialer Delay or other alarm settings 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.