Can I Use a Qolsys IQ Panel 2 w/o Alarm.com?

While the Qolsys IQ Panel 2 can be used as a noise maker if used without Alarm.com, it is not recommended. While the system will recognize any programmed sensors, and it will make a local audible alert, police will not be dispatched and you will not be notified of the intrusion.

By not using Alarm.com, your IQ Panel 2 becomes extremely limited. Since all outward alerts from the IQ Panel 2 are passed through Alarm.com, you will not be able to receive any phone or email notifications about any alarms that might occur. This makes self-monitoring without Alarm.com nearly impossible. Additionally, this also means that central station monitoring cannot be done without Alarm.com service. As a result, you will not be able to receive automatic police, fire or other emergency dispatch if your IQ Panel 2 is not connected with Alarm.com.

Not using Alarm.com will also prevent you from using some of the most exciting capabilities of the IQ Panel 2. This includes the ability to control Z-Wave devices using the Alarm.com app and being able to arm or disarm your system from a remote location. Alarm.com is also needed to use any security cameras that can provide your home with an added level of protection.

The only thing your Qolsys IQ Panel 2 can do without service from Alarm.com is emit an audible sound that can let on-site users know that an alarm has occurred. From there, it will be entirely up to the user to contact any emergency personnel that are needed. This can be beneficial for users who are regularly on-site at the location, and they might not always be able to tell what is going on at every entry point. For example, if you are downstairs or in a back room, then the audible alert of the unmonitored IQ Panel 2 might serve as an effective way to let you know that a zone in the front of the location has been faulted. While doing this can help you save money by foregoing monitoring service entirely, it will leave you with a very limited system.