Opening Driveway Gate with Your Phone?

• 

  Hybroid on 26/08/2024 - 21:57

  Hikvision have access controllers to connect and open/close gates via the iPhone App. Even 17,000 km away. Look into what integrates with your security system.

• 

  ozbargainsam on 26/08/2024 - 22:09

  +3

  What's the name of your gate mechanism? Is there any branding on the control box or the remote. Or literally any information?

• 

  jv on 26/08/2024 - 23:34

  +3

  Opening Driveway Gate with Your Phone?

  Careful not to break your phone. I doubt warranty would cover that…

  • 

    Sammy2000 on 27/08/2024 - 09:52

    +2

    Have to have a good throwing arm to hit the open button.

  • 

    payless69 on 27/08/2024 - 10:24

    That is why you should only buy a phone from Gerry.
    Saves you a lot of time trying to get a warranty that never existed.

• 

  fraudie on 26/08/2024 - 23:37

  In my case I had a manual switch in the house to open the gate so just bought a SwitchBot Bot (Need their Matter Hub for it to work remotely)

  • 

    ozbargainsam on 27/08/2024 - 08:28

    I've got a ''Magic Button' gate controller and remote. I believe they're proprietary so I've been considering getting the switchbot setup but $100 just to 'automate' my gate isn't something I'm prepared to pay.

    • 

      klaw81 on 27/08/2024 - 11:27

      As per the posts down below, you can almost certainly do this using a Meross unit (or any number of similar kits) for less than $50.

      The Switchbot gadget is a good way to work with units that simply can't be tapped into, but almost all garage door and gate motors have contacts designed specifically to work with hard-wired buttons that make WiFi relay switches an absolute breeze.

• 

  holdenmg on 27/08/2024 - 03:19

  +2

  AusPost will just toss it over the fence or leave a Card.

  If you are expecting a Parcel, use https://auspost.com.au/receiving/mypost and you can have it redirected to a Post Office for you to collect on your return or redirect to a 24/7 Parcel Locker. https://auspost.com.au/receiving/collection-points

  Your bigger problem is if Fire Brigade need to gain access and you are away.
  Can you give a neighbour a key to bypass the motorised gate?

  • 

    pjetson on 27/08/2024 - 08:11

    +3

    Your bigger problem is if Fire Brigade need to gain access and you are away

    The fire brigade don't need a key, they have a variety of tools that they can use to get in anywhere, and the legal backing to do so when needed :-)

  • 

    donga100 on 27/08/2024 - 09:21

    +1

    AusPost will just toss it over the fence or leave a Card.

    That's if you're lucky!

• 

  crentist on 27/08/2024 - 03:32

  +2

  If you can look at or open up the current control unit and identify a switch point, that is turned on when it registers the fob, you may be able to add one of the Meross garage door opener units that often pop up on here, which do exactly what you want but for regular garage doors.

  Those do a few things, but the core function is activating a switch. On typical garage door openers, the switch is externally accessible as 2 exposed screws. Connect those 2 screws with a piece of metal and the switch gets activated.
  If your system doesn't have similar easily accessible switch points, it will probably still be doing the same thing internally, wherever the key fob receiver connects to the motor controller. Either way, the test and install process is basically the same.

  In theory this should be pretty easy, as long as there is no wacky anti-intruder security going on or something.
  The starting point would be to identify your door opener brand and model, and look for any manuals and what they say about manually triggering the door mechanism, or replacing the key fob.
  Note that this should not require removing the old system, and the key fobs would keep on working.

  • 

    klaw81 on 27/08/2024 - 11:19

    +1

    This is probably the right path to go down, if you're starting from scratch.

    Something like the Meross garage door unit is simple to set up and requires very little technical knowledge and only basic tools.

    However, it does have a few prerequisites you might need to consider first. You will need:
    1. A gate motor that supports a hard-wired toggle button (most of them do, but check)
    2. A spare GPO adjacent to your gate opener unit, or the ability to tap into the gate opener's own DC power supply with a 5V converter;
    3. A strong WiFi signal at the gate opener so it can be operated reliably;
    4. Sufficient space for the Meross unit to fit inside the gate opener for weather-proofing, or a separate weatherproof enclosure for the Meross unit.

    Note that there are plenty of other units that have similar capabilities for around the same price, including the Orion Grid Connect Smart Garage Door Controller that's sold at Bunnings for $50.