UniFi Protect Alarm System

A professional-grade alarm system without the legacy costs, proprietary lock-in or monthly subscriptions. UniFi Protect 7.2 and the SuperLink sensor family let you build a complete, integrated security system that lives alongside your cameras, networking and access control — and, since June 2026, covers smoke, carbon monoxide and air quality too. All managed from one dashboard, with no per-device licence fees.

Updated September 2026 for Protect 7.2, the SuperLink Smoke and CO Alarm, the Vape Detection and Air Quality Sensor and the AI Speakers.

• No monthly fees — own the hardware, no recurring software licence.
• SuperLink wireless — 2 km+ range, sub-GHz, wall-penetrating.
• Smoke and CO alarm — new: life safety on the same platform, with a 10-year battery.
• Air quality sensing — new: CO₂, particulates, VOCs, NOx and vape detection over PoE.
• Edge AI camera integration — sensors, speakers and cameras working as one system.
• Verifiable evidence — new in 7.2: every clip fingerprinted and signed at capture.
• SIA DC-09 dispatch — monitor through the provider of your choice.
• UniFi Protect 7.2 — released August 2026, following 7.1 in May.

The problem with legacy alarm systems

Your old alarm system is probably working against you. Proprietary protocols, annual maintenance contracts, a panel that hasn't had a software update in a decade, and a monitoring company that charges you monthly for the privilege of occasionally calling the wrong number — it's a familiar story.

Most systems installed in homes and offices in the last 15–20 years share the same set of limitations. Here is how they compare with a modern UniFi-based build.

You're no longer building a camera system with bolt-on sensors. You're building a complete physical security and life-safety platform.

What's new in UniFi Protect 7.2

Released in August 2026, Protect 7.2 is aimed at the moment after the alarm goes off: proving what happened, investigating it and, for larger estates, seeing every site at once. Every clip can now be cryptographically fingerprinted at the point of capture, case management has become a proper investigation tool, third-party ONVIF cameras can be managed far more deeply, and a second AI pass cuts false alerts. None of it carries a licence.

Still current from Protect 7.1

Released in May 2026, Protect 7.1 delivered custom video walls, a retrained AI detection engine, the 2nd Gen NVR with built-in Edge AI, and SIA DC-09 dispatch in place of the original Noonlight-only model. Alarm Manager gained the KeyFob and PTZ auto-tracking, and the SuperLink Gateway became a Thread border router. Everything below still applies on 7.2.

SuperLink: the wireless backbone

SuperLink is Ubiquiti's proprietary sub-GHz wireless protocol, purpose-built for security and IoT sensing. Operating on licensed bands (915.6–927.6 MHz in the US; 865.1–869.5 MHz in the EU and UK), it achieves 2 km+ range with wall and obstruction penetration that Wi-Fi and Bluetooth cannot match. Latency is optimised for alarm-grade response times, and every device receives secure OTA updates managed directly through UniFi OS.

A single SuperLink Gateway (USL-Gateway) supports up to 96 SuperLink sensors simultaneously while maintaining backward compatibility with legacy UP-Sense BLE devices. It also acts as a Thread border router, adding compatibility with the Thread and Matter IoT ecosystem without separate hardware. It mounts on a wall or DIN rail, powered via PoE or USB-C, and the new Smoke and CO Alarm joins the same radio network as the intrusion sensors.

That 2 km+ range means one gateway can cover outbuildings, car parks, warehouses and detached structures that would defeat standard Wi-Fi sensors entirely. For an office campus, or a home with a garage or garden room, it is a genuine change in what's possible compared with Ring, Ajax or traditional wired systems.

New: life safety and air quality on the same platform

Ubiquiti's June 2026 "campus security" release added the two categories a serious alarm system was still missing. Both integrate with Alarm Manager, the AI Speakers and Site Manager exactly as the intrusion sensors do.

What the air quality readings actually tell you

• NOx — nitrogen oxides. Toxic combustion gases from gas hobs and boilers at home, and from vehicles, forklifts and generators in loading bays, car parks and workshops. A rising NOx index is an early sign that ventilation is failing or a flue is faulty, long before anyone notices a smell.
• PM2.5 and PM10 — particulate matter. Fine particles from smoke, cooking, traffic and outdoor pollution drawn in through vents. PM2.5 is the most health-relevant reading and the one to watch in offices near main roads, in workshops and in schools.
• CO₂. The stuffy-meeting-room gas. Above roughly 1,000 ppm concentration and decision-making measurably suffer; the sensor can drive ventilation or simply tell facilities which rooms are overloaded.
• VOC index. Volatile organic compounds from paint, new furniture, cleaning products and solvents. Expect spikes after decorating or deep cleans; sustained high readings point to a ventilation problem.
• Vape index. Detects vapour events in toilets, dormitories and back-of-house areas where cameras cannot go, and can trigger the nearest corridor camera or a spoken warning instead.

The complete product guide

Everything you need to build a serious alarm system on Protect 7.2. Each product integrates natively with Alarm Manager, and pricing is shown for both the UK and US Ubiquiti stores.

Foundation hardware

SuperLink Gateway — USL-Gateway · £105 / $129

Required. The hub of your SuperLink sensor network, and a Thread border router as well. This is the first thing you install: it creates the radio mesh all your sensors communicate over, so mount it centrally for maximum coverage. Supports up to 96 USL sensors plus up to 7 legacy UP-Sense BLE devices simultaneously. A High-Availability variant, selected when ordering, adds cellular failover so alarm signals still get out if broadband fails.

96 USL sensors · Thread border router · PoE or USB-C · wall or DIN rail · BLE backward compatible · 2 km+ range.

UniFi NVR 2nd Generation — UNVR-G2 · £555 / $699

Recording and Edge AI. Doubles camera capacity over the original (up to 60 HD or 30 4K cameras) and brings built-in Edge AI to the recorder — no separate AI Key required for vector indexing, image-based search, Person Re-Identification or natural language search. An integrated HDMI ViewPort turns the NVR into a live monitoring station out of the box, with improved RAID protection. The UNVR-G2 Pro (approximately £800 / $999) doubles capacity again with 8 drive bays and around 60 days of retention. Fully local, no recurring fees.

60 HD / 30 4K cameras · built-in Edge AI · integrated HDMI ViewPort · 4× HDD bays · RAID protection · 1U rackmount · no licence fees.

Alarm Hub Kit — UP-AlarmHub-Kit · £325 / $399

Hardwired integration · enterprise and hybrid builds. The bridge between legacy hardwired sensors and the modern UniFi platform. If you're replacing an existing system that still has working door contacts, PIRs or beam sensors wired in, the Alarm Hub lets you retain and repurpose all of that cabling. It provides 32 hardwired input zones, supports standard end-of-line resistors (1–5.6 kΩ), and connects to Protect over PoE++. The steel-enclosed panel supports 12V SLA battery backup — essential for maintaining alarm function during power cuts.

32 hardwired zones · EOL resistor support · PoE++ powered · 12V SLA battery backup · 2× output relays · NDAA compliant · steel housing.

Detection sensors

Entry Sensor — USL-Entry · £31 / $39

Door and window monitoring. The bread and butter of any alarm system. Slim magnetic contact sensors mount on door or window frames and report open/closed status to Protect immediately. With up to 6-year battery life they are genuinely fit-and-forget. Deploy one on every external door, every ground-floor window, and any internal door worth monitoring. No cabling — stick them in place and adopt in the UniFi app within seconds. Also sold in a discounted 3-pack, and a recessed variant now fits invisibly inside the door frame with up to 3 years of battery life.

Up to 6-year battery · magnetic contact · SuperLink wireless · door and window · 3-pack and recessed versions available.

Motion Sensor (PIR) — USL-Motion · £37 / $49

Interior detection. A passive infrared detector designed for versatile installation across hallways, reception areas, server rooms and open-plan offices. Like the entry sensor it delivers up to 6 years of battery life, and integrates directly into Alarm Manager for triggered responses — including automatically swinging a PTZ camera to cover the detected zone. Install at internal choke points to catch intruders who bypass perimeter sensors.

Up to 6-year battery · PIR detection · SuperLink wireless · versatile mounting · PTZ auto-trigger.

Glass Break Sensor — USL-GlassBreak · £42 / $49

Perimeter detection · forced entry. Uses acoustic analysis to detect the characteristic frequency signature of breaking glass, catching forced entry that bypasses door contacts entirely. It also incorporates motion sensing for dual-function coverage. At 134.5 mm long with adhesive or screw mounting it installs cleanly alongside windows, glazed partitions or shopfronts, and one sensor can cover multiple windows in the same room.

Acoustic glass break · built-in motion · adhesive or screw mount · SuperLink 2 km+ · EU 865 MHz / US 915 MHz.

Smoke and CO Alarm — USL-Smoke · £70 / $89

Life safety · new June 2026. Smoke and carbon monoxide detection in one ceiling-mounted unit on SuperLink, with a sealed 10-year alarm battery, a replaceable CR123A cell for the radio, test and silence buttons, and a tamper switch. Because it reports into Protect, a trip identifies the room, starts nearby cameras recording, can be announced through an AI Speaker, and reaches the app and any SIA DC-09 monitoring provider you have configured — not just the people in the building. Sold for residential use; requires a SuperLink Gateway.

Smoke and CO · 10-year alarm battery · SuperLink wireless · app silence · tamper switch · residential use.

Vape Detection and Air Quality Sensor — UP-AirQuality · £79 / $99

Environmental intelligence · new June 2026. A compact PoE sensor for the places a camera cannot go. It measures temperature, humidity, CO₂ (0–40,000 ppm), PM1, PM2.5, PM4 and PM10 particulates, a VOC index, an NOx index for toxic combustion gases, an Air Quality Index and a Vape Index, sampling once a second. Thresholds feed Alarm Manager automations: alert facilities when CO₂ climbs in a meeting room, start the corridor camera when vaping is detected in a school toilet, or flag a rising NOx reading in a garage, kitchen or loading bay. Wall, ceiling or table mounted, calibrated through the mobile app.

CO₂ · PM1 / 2.5 / 4 / 10 · VOC · NOx · AQI · vape · temperature and humidity · PoE · 1 Hz sampling · Protect 7.1 or later.

Environmental Sensor — USL-Environmental · £38 / $49

Water, temperature and humidity. Beyond intrusion, this covers the threats that cost businesses the most: water leaks, temperature extremes and humidity. It detects standing water via floor-level contact points, dripping water from above via top contacts, and supports external probe extensions via 3.5 mm jack. With temperature, humidity and ambient light monitoring, it is essential for server rooms, plant rooms, basements, or anywhere a burst pipe or HVAC failure could cause serious damage. Powered by a CR123A battery.

Flood detection · drip detection · temperature and humidity · external probe port · CR123A battery.

All-In-One Sensor — UP-Sense · £49 / $59

Multi-function · BLE. The original UniFi BLE sensor packs motion, ambient light, temperature and humidity detection into one compact unit, connecting via Bluetooth LE through the SuperLink Gateway or any compatible Protect access point. It lacks the range of newer SuperLink sensors, but suits indoor environments like server rooms, reception desks and equipment closets where environmental awareness matters as much as motion. Fully compatible with Protect 7.2 and Alarm Manager.

Motion, light, temperature and humidity · BLE connectivity · multi-function · battery powered.

Response, control and automation

Remote Control KeyFob — USL-FOB · £29 / $39

Arm · disarm · panic. A compact pocket-sized remote with programmable Arm, Disarm and Panic buttons, plus a fourth customisable action button, and up to 10 years of battery life from a single CR2450 cell. Ideal for users who don't want to fish out a phone to arm or disarm, or for vulnerable users needing a panic button by the bedside or in a back office. Requires Protect 7.1 or later and a SuperLink Gateway. Multiple fobs can be assigned to different users with individual permissions.

Up to 10-year battery · arm/disarm/panic · pocket-sized 67×35 mm · CR2450 battery · 2 km SuperLink range · per-user permissions.

SuperLink Siren — USL-Siren · £89 / $109

Deterrent and alert · all-weather. The wireless siren delivers a 110 dB audible alarm alongside emergency LED lighting in an all-weather enclosure. Being SuperLink-connected, it can go wherever it works best as a deterrent rather than wherever the cable reaches, and triggers automatically through Alarm Manager. Two variants: battery/DC-powered (USL-Siren) for cable-free deployment, or PoE-powered (UP-Siren-PoE) for permanent installations where Ethernet is already pulled.

110 dB output · emergency LED · all-weather IP rated · battery or PoE variants · Alarm Manager triggered.

AI Speaker and AI Horn Speaker — UP-AI-Speaker · $199 and UP-AI-Horn-Speaker · $299

Spoken alerts · new June 2026 (indoor). Where a siren just makes noise, the AI Speakers talk. The indoor AI Speaker is a 100 dB PoE unit for surface or flush mounting that can announce which smoke alarm or sensor tripped, play pre-recorded messages, or deliver text-to-speech warnings when a camera detects something. The all-weather AI Horn Speaker does the same outside at 120 dB, IP66 rated, on PoE+ — "You are being recorded, leave the site" the moment a person crosses a line at 2am is a far better deterrent than a bell. UK store pricing is being confirmed; UK distributors list the Horn Speaker at around £235 ex VAT.

100 dB indoor / 120 dB outdoor · PoE · text-to-speech · pre-recorded messages · camera and sensor triggered.

Relay Module — USL-Relay · £32 / $39

Automation and integration. The glue between Protect and the physical world. This compact SuperLink module provides both input and output interfaces, letting you trigger or respond to third-party devices based on alarm events — activate a standalone siren or strobe, control a doorbell chime, trigger a garage door, operate an electric gate, shut off a water valve, start an extractor fan when air quality drops, or switch lights as part of an alarm response. It can equally receive input from third-party sensors such as existing hardwired PIRs or beam sensors, feeding those triggers back into Alarm Manager.

I/O interfaces · 3rd-party sensor input · trigger external devices · SuperLink wireless · siren, gate, fan or lights.

AI camera alerts: the force multiplier

Sensors tell you something happened. Cameras tell you what happened, and who did it. Protect's retrained AI detection engine is tightly integrated with Alarm Manager, and 7.2 adds a second verification pass so that what reaches your phone is worth looking at.

When a SuperLink sensor or smoke alarm triggers, associated cameras immediately begin recording at maximum quality. PTZ cameras swing to preset positions covering the triggered zone, and can follow a moving vehicle through their field of view. An AI Speaker can announce the event or warn the intruder. By the time the notification reaches you there is already timestamped, signed video evidence, with the Edge AI engine making the entire library forensically searchable.

Building your UniFi alarm system

1. Start with a UniFi console running Protect 7.2

   A Cloud Gateway Ultra, Max or Fiber, a Dream Machine Pro or Pro Max, the 2nd Gen NVR (UNVR-G2) or one of the Enterprise NVRs all qualify. If you already run UniFi networking, chances are you're compatible. Protect is included at no extra cost on most consoles; the improved case management needs UniFi OS 5.1.27 or later.

2. Install the SuperLink Gateway

   Mount the USL-Gateway centrally — high on a wall, or on a DIN rail in a comms cabinet. Connect to any PoE switch port; it appears in UniFi Network topology automatically and adopts into Protect within seconds. For large or complex sites, deploy multiple gateways for overlapping coverage, or add the High-Gain Antenna. It also acts as a Thread border router for any Matter or Thread devices you add later.

3. Deploy your intrusion sensors

   USL-Entry sensors on all external doors and ground-floor windows (recessed where you want them hidden). USL-Motion in hallways, reception areas and stairwells. USL-GlassBreak near large glazed areas. Pull the battery tab on each sensor and they appear in Protect ready to adopt.

4. Add life safety and air quality

   Fit a Smoke and CO Alarm on each floor and in the rooms fire guidance calls for, then pair each with its nearest camera and speaker in Alarm Manager. Place a UP-AirQuality sensor in meeting rooms, toilets, kitchens, garages and anywhere combustion happens — one PoE cable does power and data — and set thresholds for CO₂, PM2.5, NOx and vaping. A USL-Environmental in the server room or plant room catches water and temperature problems.

5. Integrate legacy hardware (optional)

   To retain existing hardwired sensors, install the UP-AlarmHub. Terminate your wired zones into the 32 input terminals (standard bell wire works fine with the included 1 kΩ EOL resistors), connect PoE++, and the Hub appears in Protect alongside your wireless sensors. Existing cable work is immediately repurposed.

6. Add sirens, speakers, keyfobs and automation

   Mount a USL-Siren externally as a visible deterrent and audible alert, and an AI Horn Speaker where a spoken warning will carry. Put an AI Speaker indoors so smoke and sensor events are announced by room. Hand out USL-FOB key fobs for one-button arm, disarm or panic without phones. Add a USL-Relay wherever you need to trigger or listen to a third-party device — a strobe, gate controller, extractor fan or water shut-off valve.

7. Configure Alarm Manager and dispatch

   Define alarm zones, set entry and exit delays, configure arm and disarm schedules (or use geofencing via the mobile app), and map each sensor to a camera and speaker. Set up push notifications, email alerts, webhook shortcuts, or SIA DC-09 dispatch to your chosen local monitoring provider. No vendor lock-in required.

8. Test and arm

   Walk test each sensor from the Protect app or dashboard and press the test button on every smoke alarm. Verify camera cross-triggers and speaker announcements. Confirm push notifications arrive on all devices and that the keyfob panic button works. Test cellular failover if you've deployed the HA Gateway. Then set your first arm schedule.

Quick reference: what to buy

Every product discussed, grouped by how essential it is rather than by category, with UK and US pricing side by side.

Essential — the working alarm system

• SuperLink Gateway · USL-Gateway · £105 / $129 — wireless sensor hub and Thread border router.
• Entry Sensor · USL-Entry · £31 / $39 — door and window open/close detection.
• Motion Sensor · USL-Motion · £37 / $49 — interior PIR detection.
• Glass Break Sensor · USL-GlassBreak · £42 / $49 — acoustic forced-entry detection.
• Smoke and CO Alarm · USL-Smoke · £70 / $89 — life safety on the same platform. New.

Recommended — the system you'll actually want

• Remote Control KeyFob · USL-FOB · £29 / $39 — arm, disarm and panic without a phone.
• SuperLink Siren · USL-Siren · £89 / $109 — 110 dB wireless deterrent.
• AI Speaker · UP-AI-Speaker · $199 (UK price TBC) — indoor spoken alerts by room. New.
• Vape Detection and Air Quality Sensor · UP-AirQuality · £79 / $99 — CO₂, particulates, VOC, NOx and vape. New.
• Relay Module · USL-Relay · £32 / $39 — third-party integration and automation.
• Environmental Sensor · USL-Environmental · £38 / $49 — flood, temperature and humidity monitoring.
• UniFi NVR Gen 2 · UNVR-G2 · £555 / $699 — recording with on-device Edge AI.

Situational — larger, hybrid and high-availability sites

• Alarm Hub Kit · UP-AlarmHub-Kit · £325 / $399 — 32-zone bridge for existing hardwired sensors. Hybrid and enterprise builds.
• High-Availability Gateway · USL-Gateway HA variant · price on request — cellular failover for alarm signalling.
• AI Horn Speaker · UP-AI-Horn-Speaker · $299 (around £235 ex VAT from UK distributors) — 120 dB outdoor text-to-speech deterrent.
• High-Gain Antenna · USL-Antenna · £38 / $49 — extended SuperLink range on large sites.
• All-In-One Sensor · UP-Sense · £49 / $59 — multi-function BLE indoor sensor. Optional.

See it working

Ubiquiti's own walkthroughs of the Protect 7 platform, followed by two closer looks at the alarm system and the SuperLink sensors.

Ready to upgrade your security?

Whether you're replacing an ageing alarm panel in an office or building a smart home security system from scratch, Protect 7.2, the SuperLink sensor family and the new life-safety and air-quality devices offer a scalable, genuinely modern alternative — intrusion, fire, gas and air quality on one platform, with evidence you can prove.

Contact IT Pro Expert for your Ubiquiti UniFi Protect alarm system and camera security installation and guidance. We also build custom solutions to sit alongside UniFi products and other smart systems, including global alarm notifications and integration with legacy radio alarm links or SMS triggers. See also our CCTV installations and Ubiquiti Universe pages.