Where Can I Find the Alarm Control Panel in My House?

You can find the alarm control panel in your house by checking areas that are hidden and less accessible. This is usually the case for hardwired panels, which are commonly housed inside of metal enclosures and kept out of immediate sight. Wireless panels are usually easier to access.

With a wired alarm panel, the user is unable to control their system directly from the panel itself. Instead, it is controlled from a hardwired external keypad. Many users mistakenly believe that the keypad is the actual alarm control panel. But that is not the case. The actual panel is usually kept out of sight and tucked away in a hidden area.

This principle does not usually apply to a wireless panel. With a wireless panel, the primary keypad and system controller is actually built-into the panel itself. As a result, the actual panel is normally kept in an easily accessible area, such as nearby a main entrance or on a table using a desk stand. For that reason, most users with wireless panels do not have any trouble locating their alarm systems.

For a hardwired system, most operation takes place through the external keypad. This is the device that will be primarily used to arm and disarm the system and to make programming changes. However, a user will still typically need to access the main panel to make hardware changes and to perform power cycles. Since these are sometimes tasks left to professional installers, it's possible that an end user might have no idea where their actual panel is kept.

If you know you have a hardwired system and you don't know where your alarm control panel is kept, there are a few places you can check. You need to consider that a hardwired security control panel is usually hidden and placed in an area where it will normally be seen. Some of the most popular locations in a home include storage cabinets, basements, attics and closets. Remember, nearly all system sensors and devices will need to be connected with panel. That is why the device is often hidden somewhere in a home's central area.