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PAI supports two methods for connecting to a Paradox alarm panel. Both expose the same monitoring and control capabilities — the difference is purely physical.

Serial connection

Connect via the panel’s built-in TTL serial port or a USB RS-232 adapter. The simplest option when your host is physically close to the panel.

IP150 module

Connect over your local network using the Paradox IP150 add-on module. Supports direct TCP connections and Paradox SWAN cloud relay.

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Choosing a connection method

SerialIP150
Requires extra hardwareLevel shifter or USB adapterIP150 module
Distance from panelMust be localAny network-reachable host
Firmware restrictionDo not upgrade EVO to 7.50.000+Firmware < 4.0 or ≥ 4.40.004 for direct mode
Cloud dependencyNoneOptional (SWAN)

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CONNECTION_TYPE config option

The CONNECTION_TYPE setting in pai.conf controls which connection is used. It accepts either 'Serial' or 'IP'.
pai.conf
CONNECTION_TYPE = 'Serial'  # or 'IP'
All other connection settings are ignored when they do not apply to the selected type.
Serial-over-TCP is also supported — for example, when an ESP32 or Arduino acts as a proxy between the panel’s serial port and your network. Use CONNECTION_TYPE = 'IP' and set IP_CONNECTION_BARE = True to bypass IP150 module framing and communicate directly with the serial stream over TCP.

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