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AL54 End-to-End Setup Guide

This guide walks you through the complete setup process for Verkada’s AL54 wireless lock system, from pre-installation testing and site planning to hardware installation and Command configuration. Follow these steps to ensure reliable communication between your AC12 access controllers, WH32 wireless hubs, and AL54 locks.

System architecture

To bring an AL54 online in Verkada Command, three Verkada hardware components are required:

Each AC12 supports up to 4 WH32 hubs (two per reader port, daisy-chained if needed) and can manage up to 16 AL54 locks. Each WH32 can connect with up to 16 AL54s.

Figure 1: AL54 communication architecture

Build your own test setup

Before your site visit, create a test setup to confirm connectivity and validate hub and lock placement.

You will need

  1. AC12

  2. WH32

  3. AL54 (interior and exterior modules)

  4. 8 AA batteries

  5. GC31

  6. Verkada Command organization for testing

Steps

  1. Set up the AC12 and WH32 following the installation steps in this guide.

  2. Connect the AC12 to the GC31 using an Ethernet cable for stable internet connectivity.

  3. Connect the reader cable from the exterior AL54 module to the interior AL54 module.

  4. Insert the eight AA batteries into the interior module to power the lock.

  5. Add all devices to your Command organization.

Pre-site walk planning

Before beginning your site walk, review the floor plan and mark all doors where you plan to install an AL54. Based on these planned lock locations, determine optimal placement for the WH32 hubs.

Each WH32 has a wireless range of up to 150 feet in a typical building environment. However, this range can vary depending on several factors, including:

  • The number and material of walls between the hub and the lock

  • The angles of those walls

  • The presence of radio interference

  • Whether the lock is installed indoors or outdoors

Because of these variables, it’s important to perform testing as outlined in the Site walk section.

WH32 broadcasts its strongest signal directly in front of the device, while the sides and rear have significantly weaker coverage. For best results, mount the WH32 on a wall facing the wireless locks, and position it so that the exterior side of each AL54 faces the hub to maximize signal strength.

Site walk

Before starting your site walk, make sure you have:

  • The test setup you built earlier (GC31, AC12, WH32, and AL54)

  • The floor plan with all device locations marked

Procedure

Position the first hub

  1. Go to the first planned hub location on your floor plan.

  2. Place the WH32 from your test setup at that location.

  3. Ensure the GC31 is powered on to maintain connectivity while testing.

Check the first door location

  1. Proceed to the first door that will connect to the hub.

  2. Verify that the door is compatible with the AL54 and confirm the correct SKU.

Refer to the AL54 SKU Selection & Door Compatibility training center video or review the Mechanical Compatibility sections of the AL54-CY and AL54-MS datasheets for additional information.

Place and test the AL54

  1. Place the powered AL54 at the door location.

  2. In Command, remove and re-add the lock to the WH32 to reset its connectivity status.

  3. Wait six minutes for the system to gather enough data and update the connectivity status.

Evaluate connectivity

  1. If the status is Connected or Good, the door placement is acceptable.

  2. If the status is Poor or Disconnected, take one of the following actions:

    • Move the WH32 closer to the door

    • Connect the AL54 to a different nearby hub

    • Add another hub to improve signal coverage

Retest as needed

  1. After making any changes, retest the door’s connectivity.

  2. If you repositioned a hub, retest all other doors previously connected to it to ensure they still show acceptable connectivity.

Repeat for all locations

Continue this process for all hub and door locations on your floor plan until each door’s SKU has been confirmed and connectivity has been verified for every door location.

Post Site Walk Planning

After finalizing hub locations, plan AC12 placement.

  • Each AC12 supports up to 4 WH32s (2 per reader port, daisy-chained if needed).

  • RS-485 cabling limits:

    • One WH32 per port: up to 1,500 ft

    • Two WH32s daisy-chained: up to 300 ft between devices

  • Use shielded RS-485 compliant cable (18–22 AWG).

Purchase Equipment

  1. After confirming device quantities from your site plan, order all required AL54 locks, WH32 hubs, and AC12 access controllers.

  2. To ensure flexibility during installation and account for range or signal limitations discovered during testing, we recomment purchasing approximately 1.5 times the planned number of WH32s.

  3. Keep any additional WH32s on hand during deployment to adjust hub placement for optimal coverage and signal strength.

  4. Once installation is complete and all final hub placements are confirmed, return any unused WH32 units to Verkada for a full refund. Verkada provides an extended return period for the WH32 to accommodate this flexibility.

Installation

Command Setup

To streamline installation, set up all devices in Command ahead of time without physically building or wiring them.

  1. Determine the exact AC12, WH32, and AL54 devices to place at each location on the floor plan and label them accordingly.

  2. Commission each device into Command.

  3. Complete the software portiton of the device setup in Command using the AL54 Command Setup Guide.

Physical Installation

  1. Mount the AC12 and WH32 units in the locations specified on your floor plan. Note: See the AC12 Setup Guide and WH32 Setup Guide for more information.

  2. Wire the AC12 and WH32s together:

    1. Connect one WH32 per reader port, or daisy-chain two WH32s as needed.

    2. Connect the RS-485 OUT terminal of the first WH32 to the RS-485 IN terminal of the second WH32.

    3. Refer to the wiring diagrams below for wiring configurations.

  3. Once the AC12 and WH32s are wired and powered, install each AL54 on its designated door.

    1. Verify that each AL54 connects to its assigned WH32 and confirm its connectivity status in Command.

    2. If the connection shows as Poor or Disconnected, adjust the hub or lock placement to improve signal strength, or add an additional WH32 as needed.

    3. Repeat this process for all AC12, WH32, and AL54 devices until every lock shows stable connectivity and functions as expected.

Wiring diagrams

Figure 2: Wire an AC12 to a single WH32
Figure 3: Wire an AC12 to four WH32s (two daisy-chained to each AC12 reader port)

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