Residential security system
Protect your home's entrances, receive alerts and stay in control of connected equipment.
Explore the service ↗
Your property, your protection
Protect your home's entrances, receive alerts and stay in control of connected equipment.
Explore the service ↗
Manage access, monitor your premises and adapt protection to your staff and business hours.
Explore the service ↗Your practical guide
Arm your IQ Panel, use Alarm.com, manage your cameras or access: find the steps you need every day. Choose a topic below to jump straight to its instructions.
01 / Your Qolsys panel
Learn the controls for arming, disarming, managing users and understanding alerts.
The IQ Panel is the touchscreen control centre for your security system. It displays sensors, the armed or disarmed status and system messages. Depending on your installation, it also provides access to locks, scenes and other compatible devices.
These instructions cover IQ Panel 4. Menu names and screens vary with software, language and configuration. Other Qolsys models may look different.
The security screen shows the system status in the centre and sensors on the side. The active sensor view helps identify an open door or window. Swipe down from the top to open settings; advanced settings require an authorized code.
Check zone names: “Back door” should identify the correct door. Ask your installer to correct unclear names during training.
If someone remains inside, check which areas they need to use before choosing this mode.
This generally protects the perimeter while allowing normal indoor movement. Confirm your programming: some zones may remain active at all times.
The no entry delay option changes the response when an entrance opens. Do not enable it if someone needs to enter using the normal delay.
Keep a code you can use without your phone. Your Alarm.com password, panel code and monitoring station verbal password are separate credentials.
With an authorized master code, open the top menu, then Settings → Advanced Settings → User Management. Add a user or edit a profile. Enter the name, code, role and, where available, expiry, then save.
Give each person their own code. Reserve master privileges for system managers. Check synchronization with Alarm.com and lock access; do not assume a change has reached every device without checking.
On IQ Panel 4, the bottom-right emergency icon opens the available Police, Fire and Emergency panic options, depending on configuration. Three separate buttons are not necessarily always visible.
In a real emergency, choose the request configured for your installation. Signals are handled according to your monitoring service and its procedures. These controls do not guarantee a direct call to emergency services or a response time.
Do not try them for practice. Arrange a demonstration with your provider. In a fire or CO emergency, evacuate and call 911 from a safe location. Do not rely solely on the panel for an immediate emergency.
A compatible portable or fixed panic button can supplement the system. Confirm its activation method, range, maintenance and signal handling.
The response depends on the signal and your account instructions. The station may verify the event, attempt communication and call your contacts. Some alarms require different handling; do not assume every contact is called before action is taken.
Prepare two or three reachable contacts, where this meets service requirements: names, numbers, priority order and roles. Identify who can attend and who knows the property. Update the list when a number, employee or responsible person changes.
For an accidental activation, disarm if safe and follow the monitoring station's procedure. Be ready to give your verbal password. Disarming does not guarantee cancellation of a response already underway.
Open the message centre, read the message and identify the affected sensor. A low battery, communication failure and open sensor require different actions. Clearing a message does not fix its cause.
A bypassed zone will not trigger an intrusion alarm while bypassed. Check the excluded protection and have persistent faults corrected instead of leaving a zone disabled.
02 / Assessment and installation
Start with actual entrances and risks. Have the final plan confirmed on site for your building and each device's instructions.
Draw a plan of every level and mark all exterior doors: front, back, patio, basement and service entrances. Include the door between the house and attached garage. Identify windows accessible from the ground, deck or adjoining roof.
For each entrance, note its use and proposed detector. A contact monitors the fitted opening; it does not automatically detect broken glass. A glass-break detector serves a different purpose and must suit the glazing and room.
Look for routes someone would use after entering: a hallway, corridor or connecting room. Main-floor and basement sensors may be appropriate, but the number depends on coverage, partitions and use.
The installer checks the specified angle, height and range. One sensor does not necessarily cover a whole floor. Furniture, heat sources and pets affect placement and selection. Have coverage tested after installation.
Smoke rises, but a top-floor alarm alone is not enough. Québec guidance covers every floor, including the basement, hallways near bedrooms and rooms used for sleeping. Follow manufacturer instructions and local requirements for placement.
Avoid obstacles and air currents that could delay detection. A monitored detector does not automatically replace municipally required alarms. Commercial fire protection needs a building-specific assessment.
Follow the manufacturer's testing procedure. Arrange monitored tests with your provider first. For smoke or a real fire alarm, leave and call 911 from a safe location.
CO can come from faulty combustion involving gas, oil, wood or other fuels. An attached garage also needs consideration. A CO detector does not detect combustible gas leaks unless designed for that function.
Québec guidance includes floors and basements, areas near bedrooms and relevant locations near an attached garage, without placing the alarm inside the garage. Follow the manual and municipal requirements for precise placement.
If a CO alarm sounds, get everyone outside and call 911. Do not wait for the monitoring station before evacuating or search for the source yourself.
Place probes where leaking water could collect: on the floor by the water heater, under a sink, near a washer or another suitable water source. The sensor does not go inside the tank; it detects water contacting its sensing area.
Test according to instructions. A water alert does not necessarily shut off the supply. Automatic shutoff requires a compatible valve installed and configured for that action.
Do not copy random installer settings: they can change zone behaviour and transmission. Permanent electrical connections and fire protection work require the appropriate qualified professionals.
Wired zones use cables; wireless zones use compatible radio communication. A hybrid system can combine them. “Wireless” does not mean every sensor uses home Wi-Fi.
Have existing wiring, model numbers and compatibility checked before replacing all detectors. Ask what can stay, what changes and which tests are included.
List exterior entrances, building levels, pets, video needs, authorized users and water or combustion risks. For a business, include hours, deliveries and areas occupied after closing.
A quote should distinguish equipment, installation, subscription, video retention and service conditions. No universal sensor count or single plan suits every property.
Alarm.com
Alarm, video, locks, garage and lighting: find compatible devices in one place.
03 / The app
Menu names may vary. Available controls depend on your plan, equipment and account permissions.
The app alone does not create an installation. Ask your provider to check activation and permissions if the property or a device is missing.
Remote IQ Panel 4 arming may occur without an exit delay, depending on settings. Send the command after leaving. Check excluded protection before choosing to bypass open zones.
A pending command is not confirmation. Use your panel code according to the entry procedure if necessary. A phone without Internet or an offline device can prevent remote control.
A panel code does not automatically provide an app login. An administrator creates a separate login on the website under Users → Manage Logins → Add a Login and sets permissions.
When access is no longer needed, review panel, app, lock and garage permissions.
Choose Forgot Username or Password on the sign-in screen. Enter your email or username and follow the message received. Check junk mail. Contact your provider for identity verification if you no longer control that email.
Use a unique password and enable two-factor authentication where available. Never share a verification code with someone contacting you unexpectedly.
Under Notifications, add an available rule for arming, disarming or another event. Choose users, times and recipients, then save.
For example, receive an alert when an employee disarms at opening or an entrance is used while you are away. Check phone permissions and Do Not Disturb. Mobile notifications do not replace station procedures.
04 / Cameras and doorbell
Indoor, outdoor and doorbell cameras: each one should serve a specific view and purpose.
The equipment
Alarm.com outdoor camera
Monitor an entrance, driveway or delivery access. Confirm the model, power supply and placement before installation.
Define your views: front entrance, driveway, back door or delivery entrance. Choose an outdoor-rated model and have power and connectivity checked at the planned location.
Before mounting, check faces, field of view, reflections and night lighting. Excessive height may show only the top of a head. Avoid unnecessarily filming neighbouring private spaces.
The equipment
Alarm.com indoor camera
View a selected room or circulation area. Choose placement around the useful field of view and the people using the space.
A hallway, circulation area or workspace may be appropriate. Decide what the image must help verify. Avoid intimate spaces and inform occupants about cameras.
Filming through glass can cause reflections, especially at night. Use an appropriate outdoor installation instead of an indoor camera behind a window.
Other brands are not automatically compatible. Ask your provider if adding is unavailable or the device belongs to another account.
Live video, event clips and continuous recording are different features. Availability and retention depend on equipment, plan and settings. An alert does not guarantee continuous footage exists.
The equipment
Alarm.com video doorbell
See who is at the door and speak with visitors, depending on enabled features. Power and chime compatibility must match the model.
Check phone volume, microphone permissions and camera audio if needed. Have position, framing, power and chime compatibility verified during installation.
05 / Lock and Smart Garage
A connected lock or garage lets you operate compatible equipment from the app.
The equipment
Weiser keypad lock
The keypad provides code access. Alarm.com control requires a compatible connected version; a keypad alone does not establish compatibility.
Retracting the bolt does not physically open the door. Check that it is closed and aligned. Locking and alarm arming are separate commands unless an automation is configured.
This admits a trusted person without sharing your main code. Video and lock control require compatible devices and relevant services.
The equipment
myQ garage controller and sensor
Example of connected garage equipment. Alarm.com integration depends on the controller model, opener and activated service; confirm these before enrolment.
The opener and controller must be compatible. Have safety devices checked and verify the travel area. Never close onto a person, pet or object.
With an agreed drop-off and a way to check the scene, open at the appropriate time. Wait for the package to be placed and the driver to leave, then close and confirm. An available garage camera can help verify the visit.
Manual remote control is not automatically an integrated delivery service. Have an alternative if network or camera access fails. Manage access from the garage into the house according to your rules.
Add an available garage notification rule. Choose the door, status change or “left open” condition, schedule and recipients. Check the rule's delay and save.
An alert helps you respond; it is not automatic closing, which needs separate configuration and safety conditions.
06 / Home automation
Simple controls and automations chosen for your daily routine.
Select the named compatible device under lights or switches and turn it on or off. Dimming requires both the lamp and device to support it.
A lamp's physical switch generally needs to remain on when using a smart plug. Respect electrical ratings; do not connect heating or sensitive equipment without explicit compatibility.
Have service and compatibility checked if options are missing. Test a simple action before building multiple rules.
A scene combines available commands. “Away” might arm the system, turn off lamps and lock a compatible door if configured.
Add or edit a scene, select devices and actions, and save. Check each result during testing: a sent command does not prove a door is locked.
Do not add door opening or disarming to a routine without reviewing when and by whom it is used.
A compatible thermostat and service may provide temperature controls and schedules. A compatible valve can supplement leak protection. Each function needs its own equipment; Alarm.com does not automatically connect every appliance.
Use simple names such as “Living room lamp”, “Back door” and “Main garage” so everyone chooses the correct device.
07 / Connectivity and maintenance
Practical checks to understand the issue before changing programming.
On IQ Panel 4, open the top menu, then Settings → Advanced Settings. Enter your authorized master code, open Wi-Fi, enable it if needed and select your network. Enter its password, connect and check the status.
This reconnects the panel only; it does not send the new password to cameras. Panel cellular backup does not mean cameras have the same backup.
Identify the model first. Open the offline camera in Alarm.com and use its troubleshooting assistant. On some compatible models, access point mode allows reconnection:
Do not hold the button for 20 seconds on every camera. Exceeding seven seconds can reset some models. Doorbells and other generations may use a different method.
Check power, Internet and local signal. Start with the network if several devices fail together. For one affected device, note its light and exact message.
Do not remove or reset it as your first attempt. Resetting may require re-enrolment.
Teach every user the entry door, personal code and disarming delay. Check entrances before arming. Record the triggered zone and circumstances rather than permanently disabling a detector.
Ask for a coverage review after renovations, moving devices or changing pets. Arrange transmission and emergency-device tests with your provider.
Read low-battery messages, update contacts and remove former users. Check camera views regularly, especially after moving devices or changing lighting.
Follow manufacturer maintenance procedures and intervals. A working app does not replace checking detection and transmission to the monitoring station.
| Compare | Notifications / self-monitoring | Professional monitoring |
|---|---|---|
| Who receives the event? | You or authorized people, when the notification reaches them. | A monitoring centre receives signals covered by your agreement and follows the instructions on file. |
| What if you do not respond? | A notification alone does not provide an operator to take over. | The centre follows the agreed procedure for the signal and designated contacts. |
| Who requests help? | You assess the situation and contact emergency services if needed. | Handling may include requesting appropriate responders, subject to verification and applicable procedures. |
| What should you confirm? | Enabled alerts, connectivity, phone permissions and recipients’ availability. | Monitored signals, communication paths, contacts and services actually included. |
A monitoring connection does not mean someone watches your cameras continuously. Video verification, where offered, should be specified separately. Neither notifications nor monitoring guarantee a response time.
Your project, our support
A residential or commercial alarm system should suit your property and be easy to use. With Solution Alarme Plus, plan around three priorities: the entrances to protect, the equipment you need and the controls you will use every day.
House, condo, business or warehouse: tell us about your doors, circulation areas, schedules and authorized users. These details help us discuss protection suited to your situation.
Qolsys panel, sensors, cameras, lock or connected garage: we help you plan a configuration around your needs. Compatibility, remote features and included services should be confirmed in your proposal.
Learning the controls matters as much as choosing equipment. Use this guide to prepare questions and review arming, disarming, user codes and alerts. Contact our team for an issue related to your installation.
Instructions are provided directly on this page. The references below identify the original documentation. Follow your installed model's instructions and local requirements. Fire safety recommendations cited are from Québec; confirm applicable requirements for an Ontario installation.
App images are official examples. Panel screenshots vary by model and software. The home and business scenes are illustrations created for this page, not photographs of customer installations.
French IQ Panel illustrations come from the official Canadian French IQ Panel 4 user guide. Supplied English screenshots may show a different panel generation.
Solution Alarme Plus
House, condo or business: tell us about your entrances, existing equipment and needs.
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