Gate Intercoms, Keypads and Remote Access in Sydney

Choosing how people get through the gate

Most homes end up with more than one way to open the gate. Think about who comes and goes:

• Household drivers usually use a remote on the keyring or in the car.
• Children, carers and regular visitors often find a keypad code easier than carrying a remote.
• Deliveries and visitors you do not know are best handled with an intercom so you can see and speak to them first.
• Tradies or guests on a set day can be given a temporary code that you delete afterwards.

Video intercoms

A video intercom puts a camera and call button at the gate and a screen inside the house. Many systems also send the call to your phone, so you can answer from work or the back garden and open the gate remotely. This is popular in the Eastern Suburbs and on the North Shore, where homes are often set back from a busy street and the front door cannot be seen from the gate.

There are two main ways to connect the gate station to the house:

• Wired, with a cable run from the gate to the house. Reliable, but it may need trenching across a driveway or garden.
• Wireless or network based, using Wi-Fi or a mobile connection. Easier to install but dependent on signal strength at the gate.

Any new power circuit for intercom or gate equipment is electrical wiring work, and in NSW that must be done by a licensed electrician.

Keypads

A keypad is a simple, hard-wearing way to let people in without handing out remotes. Good keypads allow several codes, so you can give the cleaner a different code from the family and remove it when needed. Backlit keypads are easier to use at night, and they should be mounted where a driver can reach them without getting out of the car.

Remotes and app control

Extra remotes can usually be programmed to an existing gate motor, as long as they are compatible with the receiver. Some motors also support app control through a Wi-Fi or GSM module, which lets you open the gate from your phone and see whether it is open or closed. Ask your installer what your motor supports before buying anything online.

Strata buildings and shared driveways

Apartment car parks and shared driveways need access control that can handle many users. Systems for strata often use proximity tags or cards, a central list of authorised users, and an intercom that rings through to individual apartments. Changes to common property in a NSW strata scheme generally need approval from the owners corporation, so involve the strata manager early. See our guide to car park boom gates and strata approvals and our commercial boom gate page.

Getting started

Tell us what gate and motor you have, if you know, and who needs access. We pass your enquiry to an independent local installer who can recommend and quote on a setup. You can also add access control to a newly automated gate.