# Get Started with Verkada Air Quality Sensors

Verkada Air Quality Sensors offer a variety of different readings to ensure safe air quality and elevate building performance.

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**Warning**. The Verkada sensors are not life safety devices and do not satisfy the requirements to be used as emergency smoke or carbon monoxide detectors.
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You need Org Admin and/or Site Admin [permissions](https://app.gitbook.com/s/NRq5qDDjsYNxwNzF1bcB/users-and-permissions/roles-and-permissions-for-command) for your Verkada Command organization to complete these actions.
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### What you need

* PoE-enabled switch or PoE injector
* DHCP-enabled network
* Cat5 or Cat6 cabling

## Create a site

Sites are the logical way of grouping and managing devices within your Command organization. Site-level permissions make managing and viewing your devices easier. See [Manage Your Sites and Subsites](https://app.gitbook.com/s/ylYKicREo6JpuOJH4teK/configuration/manage-sites-and-subsites) for more information on site creation and management.

## Add a sensor

Sensors can be added from the **Devices** page or directly from a site. At least one sensor needs to be added to Command before you can see the **Air Quality** tab in the **All Products** menu. See [Add a Device to Your Command Account](https://app.gitbook.com/s/NRq5qDDjsYNxwNzF1bcB/organization-settings/add-a-device-to-your-command-organization) for more information.

#### Sensor readings

Verkada sensors detect a wide variety of readings that are used to track information about your environment. See [Air Quality Sensor Readings](https://help.verkada.com/air-quality/sensor-data/air-quality-sensor-readings) for an in-depth explanation of the sensor readings.

## Licensing

Every sensor you manage in Command needs a license. Verkada licensing is applied for each Command organization, and the licenses co-term to a single expiration date. Your licenses may have been automatically added if you claimed your devices via order number. Otherwise, manually add the licenses from the Admin page. See [Manage Your Licenses](https://app.gitbook.com/s/NRq5qDDjsYNxwNzF1bcB/licensing/manage-your-licenses) for more information on adding and managing licenses.

## Connect your sensor

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While Verkada sensors are considered low-voltage devices that do not require a certified electrician to install, we strongly recommend you work with a system integrator or other professional for installation.
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Refer to the sensor’s [setup guide](https://www.verkada.com/docs/?product=sensors\&contentType=setupGuide) for mounting instructions.

### Power and network

Verkada sensors use Power over Ethernet (PoE) for power and communication over the LAN. In most cases, sensors will need to connect directly to a standard switch. PoE injectors can be used when a PoE switch is not available. See the sensor’s [datasheet](https://www.verkada.com/docs/?product=sensors\&contentType=datasheet) for the power requirements of your specific sensor model.

## Check network settings

Verkada sensors are designed to be plug-and-play. However, if your environment includes a firewall with custom rules and policies, you may need to make some configuration changes to get your sensors connected to the cloud. See [Air Quality Sensor Network Settings](https://help.verkada.com/air-quality/getting-started/air-quality-sensor-network-settings) for more information.

If you require your device to have a specific IP address, create a DHCP reservation using the device’s Media Access Control (MAC) address (found on the device’s label). You can also set up [static IP addresses](https://help.verkada.com/air-quality/configuration/configure-static-ip-addresses-for-air-quality-sensors-sv20-series-only) in Command for SV20 Series Air Quality Sensor Devices.

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To configure a static IP address on a sensor device, the device must initially connect to Command and update to the latest firmware using DHCP. Once the update process is complete, it will have the ability to receive the new static IP configuration.
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## Configure alerts

Verkada Command allows you to receive push, email, and SMS alerts for events generated in your organization. The <img src="https://3057705728-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FJtgmyWYlTEX9DpjvBwTL%2Fuploads%2Fgit-blob-91bd70c6d63692bdc09cfe2b790499421775da49%2F05283db7c21547b9b9a924fe0723bd14f6720315.png?alt=media" alt="" data-size="original"> in the bottom left of Command takes you to the **Alerts** page where you can set up and manage alerts. Sensor events include vape detection, tamper detection, air quality index, and more. See [Configure Air Quality Event Alerts](https://help.verkada.com/air-quality/events-and-alerts/configure-air-quality-event-alerts) for more information on sensor events and creating alerts.