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Wireless Alarms Devices

Configure, test, and install your Verkada wireless alarms devices

This article is a guide for new Alarms. Refer to this article if you have classic Alarms. See New Alarms vs Classic Alarms if you are unsure which version of Alarms you have.

Verkada wireless hubs and sensors communicate over a proprietary sub-GHz wireless communication protocol. This custom protocol operates at 915 MHz (US, Canada) and was built to maximize security, range, and battery life.

Our wireless signals are encrypted using AES-128. Through direct sequence spread spectrum (DSSS) technology, Verkada’s technology prevents signal jamming and other attacks, which can impact competitor systems.

Wireless sensor specs

SKU

Description

Line of sight

Battery Life

Power

BR35

Water Leak

300ft (90m)

Up to 5 yrs

1x CR123A

BR33

Panic Button

300ft (90m)

Up to 5 yrs

1x CR123A

BR32

Motion

300ft (90m)

Up to 5 yrs

2x CR123A

BR31

Door

300ft (90m)

Up to 10 Years

2x CR123A

Real-world range depends on various factors, including walls and their material, noise, installation position, etc.

Compatible Alarms devices

Wireless sensors need to connect to a hub to communicate. See below for a list of compatible Alarms devices for wireless sensors.

BE32 Alarm Expander

The BE32 supports up to 8 wired zone inputs, a siren/strobe output, and up to 160 wireless sensors when connected to a BP52 via RS-485. The unobstructed line-of-sight range is up to 300 ft (91.44m).

BK22 Alarm Keypad

The BK22 alarm keypad supports up to 160 wireless sensors when connected via RS-485 to the BP52 or via PoE when both devices are on the same local LAN. The unobstructed line-of-sight range is up to 300 ft (91.44m).

BP52 Alarm Panel

The BP52 Alarm Panel is required for wireless sensor connectivity. This panel supports 32 wired sensors directly connected to the device and acts as a wireless hub as well for support of up to 160 wireless sensors. The unobstructed line-of-sight range is up to 300 ft (91.44m).

WH52 Wireless Hub

The WH52 Alarms Hub supports up to 160 wireless sensors when connected via the same local network as the BP52. The unobstructed line-of-sight range is up to 300 ft (91.44m).

WH32 Wireless Repeater

The WH32 supports up to 160 wireless sensors when connected back the a BP52 via RS485. The unobstructed line-of-sight range is up to 300 ft (91.44m).

Configure wireless sensors

BR35 Wireless Water Leak Sensor

The BR35 is powered by 1 CR123A lithium battery and has a battery life of up to 5 years.

Command configuration

Configure the range between the magnet and door sensor up to 2 inches:

In Verkada Command, go to All Products > Alarms.Select your Alarms site.In the left navigation, click Devices .Click your sensor to view the Device Settings.Here you will be able to configure a context camera and mute the device.

Test the BR35

  • After adding the sensor to Command and assigning it to an alarm site with a BP52 panel, go to Devices > Activity to view BR35 events.

  • Simulate a leak by bridging the two contacts with a metal screwdriver to test the sensor.

LED Behavior

A green LED will turn on when water is detected. The light will stay on as long as water is still detected.

See the BR35 Install Guide for physical installation instructions.

BR33 Panic Button

The BR33 wireless panic sensor is powered by 1 CR123A lithium batteries and has a battery life of up to 5 years.

Command configuration

Configure the range between the magnet and door sensor up to 2 inches:

In Verkada Command, go to All Products > Alarms.Select your Alarms site.In the left navigation, click Devices .Click your sensor to view the Device Settings.Here, you can configure the following settings:Panic Gestures: Choose the button press pattern that triggers a panic signal and alarm. Options include Single, Double, Triple, or Long Press.Mute Device: When enabled, the device will not trigger alarms but will continue to record signals.Nearby Camera: Select the camera to pair with the panic button for visual context.

Panic buttons are not video-verified. Paired camera footage is provided for context only.

Test the BR33

  • After adding the sensor to Command and assigning it to an alarm site with a BP52 panel, go to Devices > Activity to view BR35 events.

  • By default, BR33 panic buttons won’t trigger an alarm if the partition is disarmed. Assign them to a partition with a 24/7 always-armed schedule during deployment to ensure proper functionality.

See the BR33 configuration page for more information.

Led Behavior

  • Led off: Default state

  • Led flashing: Panic button pressed, but the hub has not received a signal

  • Led on for 1 minute: Panic button pressed and signal received by hub

See the BR33 install guide for physical installation instructions.

BR32 Wireless Motion Sensor

The BR32 is powered by 2 CR123A lithium batteries and has a battery life of up to 5 years. The sensor uses passive infrared (PIR) to detect changes in infrared light with a 90° horizontal field of view and 35 ft (10m) detection range. Pet/animal-resistant up to 80 lb (36 kg).

See the BR32 Install Guide for physical installation instructions.

Test the BR32

  • After installing the batteries, the motion sensor goes into walk test mode. In test mode, the green LED:

    • Turns on when motion is detected.

    • Turns off after 5 seconds with no detected motion.

  • While in normal operation, the green LED:

    • Does not turn on when motion is detected.

    • Flashes rapidly 2 times every 2 minutes to indicate low battery.

After 10 minutes in test mode, the device returns to normal operation.

BR31 Wireless Door Sensor

The BR31 is powered by 2 CR123A lithium batteries and has a battery life of up to 10 years. Configurable door gap width up to 2 in (5cm) to support different installation requirements ​

An optional configuration as a universal transmitter allows you to use internally wired terminals to convert signals from a separate 2-wire sensor into wireless signals that can be received by a wireless hub device (BP52, BK22, BE32, WH32, WH52).

See the BR31 Install Guide for physical installation instructions.

Command configuration

Configure the range between the magnet and door sensor up to 2 inches:

In Verkada Command, go to All Products > Alarms.Select your Alarms site.In the left navigation, click Devices .Click your sensor to view the Device Settings.Under Sensitivity, set the sensitivity for the sensor. More movement means the magnet can be further away from the door. Minimal movement indicates that the magnet must be close to the door.(Optional) Configure additional settings, as necessary:Universal Transmitter Mode: Enable this option and set the Normal State to transmit any wired sensor signal back to the wireless hub.Sensitivity: Adjust the sensor’s trigger sensitivity. Options include less, moderate, or more movement.Door Held Open (DHO) Delay: Enable this setting to trigger an alarm if a door remains open beyond the specified delay.The alarm activates only if the door stays open for the configured duration.Available delay options: 30 seconds, 60 seconds, 5 minutes, or 10 minutes.Note: A DHO alert remains active as Door Open until the door is closed.Mute Device: When enabled, the device will not trigger alarms but will continue recording signals.Nearby Camera: Select a camera to pair with the door sensor for visual context.Video Verification: When enabled, monitoring agents will review footage from the paired camera when the sensor is triggered. If no person is detected, the alarm will be dismissed.

Once changed, you must open and close the door to change its state so that the sensor can reflect the change made in Verkada Command.

Test the BR31

  • Press the top button to enable test mode. In test mode, the green LED:

    • Turns on when the sensor is separated from the magnet (door open)

    • Turns off when the sensor is brought close to the magnet (door closed)

  • While in normal operation, the green LED:

    • Does not turn on when the sensor is separated from the magnet

    • Flashes rapidly 2 to 3 times every 2 minutes to indicate low battery

After 10 minutes in test mode, the device returns to normal operation.

Cellular Backup Module

The ACC-CEL-LTE-2 cellular backup module is a plug-and-play solution powered by a USB 2.0 connection to the BP52 alarm panel. This module provides a multiple network LTE connection (AT&T and T-Mobile) with automatic failover to the best available network. An unlimited data plan for alarm signaling is included in the license.

Test cellular failover

Unplug the Ethernet cable from the BP52.Verify the hub LED transitions from solid blue to blinking blue and finally back to solid blue.Initiate a trigger from any wireless or wired sensor and check if Command has received the event.

Prefer to see it in action? Check out the video tutorial.

Need more help? Contact Verkada Support.

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