Upgrading the Z-Wave Firmware for My Qolsys IQ Panel 2 Plus

In this video, Michael from Alarm Grid shows you how to upgrade the Z-Wave firmware for a Qolsys IQ Panel 2 Security System. Upgrading the Z-Wave firmware is different from upgrading the system firmware. But both follow a virtually identical upgrade process. By upgrading the Z-Wave firmware, you can unlock certain features for the panel, namely the Smart Start feature and the S2 Security Protocol.

The key Z-Wave Firmware Version that you want to install on your IQ Panel 2 is Z-Wave Firmware Version 6.81.03 or higher. This will unlock the aforementioned features. You can check or confirm your panel's Z-Wave firmware version in the About Menu of the system. But an even easier method to know if a firmware upgrade would be useful is to consider the system firmware that came installed on the panel when it was manufactured. If the system originally came with System Firmware Version 2.4.0 or higher, then it is already running a high enough Z-Wave firmware version to support the features mentioned previously. But if you had to upgrade the system firmware to get on 2.4.0 or higher, then you can upgrade the Z-Wave firmware as well.

It is important to understand that upgrading the Z-Wave firmware for an IQ Panel 2 is optional. All you are unlocking is the Smart Start feature for adding Z-Wave devices by QR code and the S2 security protocol. Many users choose not to perform the upgrade, because it often requires deleting the entire Z-Wave network and then re-adding every single Z-Wave device. This can be a very time-consuming process if you have a large Z-Wave network. It is sometimes possible to complete the upgrade without clearing the network, but it can cause instabilities, so deleting first is usually recommended. Since this can be very annoying, many users will simply choose not to upgrade, and just use the regular S0 security protocol and live without the Smart Start feature, which is rarely used anyway.

https://www.alarmgrid.com/faq/how-do-i-upgrade-the-z-wave-firmware-for-my-qolsys-iq-panel-2-pl

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