this post was submitted on 13 Jun 2026
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86
Is there a smart garage door opener worse than liftmaster? (lemmy.world)
submitted 1 day ago by Brkdncr@lemmy.world to c/asklemmy@lemmy.world
40 comments fedilink hide all child comments
 

Do not buy one of these for their smart features unless everything else is worse.

I'm in a rural area and my options for garage door service people are limited. They only install liftmaster. I have 2 garage doors, and wanted a simple external pad to operate both, while also letting me program temp codes for when i have someone performing work.

Somehow the dealer programed one PIN code to both door motors. I told them I would take care of it using the app.

These liftmaster devices are the worst. Some wireless pads simply dont pair to the app, so programing PINs from the app won't work. This was the first sign of trouble. I contacted their support, which was available on the weekend, a real human, and was honestly very helpful.

Program the wrong PIN, or want to change one? Can't do it through the app. You'll need to get a ladder out so you can unplug the motor power, disconnect the built-in battery, and do a full reset.

A full reset means you'll need to program the door max open and max close locations. You'll also need to reprogram the wired pads (why???). The learn button on the wired pad? can't be used to program the remotes. oh don't forget the homelink buttons on your vehicles.

Here's what i had to do to remove a single PIN and get the wireless pad minimally working:

  1. Disconnect battery on door motor 1
  2. disconnect power door motor for 30 seconds.
  3. reset door motor 1
  4. program door motor min/max locations
  5. program wired pad (why??)
  6. futz with wired pad screwdown connectors because they don't ground to the screw, they ground to small pads around the screw (why???)
  7. program wireless outdoor pad to motor 1.
  8. program remote 1 to door motor 1
  9. program remote 2 to door motor 1
  10. program car1 homelink to remote 1
  11. program car 2 homelink to remote 1
  12. reconnect battery.
  13. set up wifi using mobile app.
  14. Disconnect battery on door motor 2
  15. disconnect power door motor for 30 seconds.
  16. reset door motor 2
  17. program door motor min/max locations
  18. program wired pad (why??)
  19. futz with wired pad screwdown connectors because they don't ground to the screw, they ground to small pads around the screw (why???)
  20. prorgram wireless outdoor pad to door motor 2
  21. program remote 1 to door motor 2
  22. program remote 2 to door motor 2
  23. program car1 homelink to remote 2
  24. program car 2 homelink to remote 2
  25. reconnect battery.
  26. set up wifi using mobile app.
top 40 comments
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[–] lemming741@lemmy.world 1 points 4 hours ago

It runs esphome, and it has a web server built in. It's obviously made to integrate to home assistant but it works very well in an isolated network.

[–] LastYearsIrritant@sopuli.xyz 3 points 7 hours ago (1 children)

Thirdreality has zigbee tilt sensors you can stick on your door to see if it's open or closed. It stays 100% on your network and doesn't need any app on your phone or anyone outside your house to have access to this information.

Shelly has a zigbee relay that you can use to trigger any garage door. It also stays 100% local and has no way to get out to the cloud.

You can rig literally any door to use these sensors and switches with no need for special appliances.

[–] lemming741@lemmy.world 3 points 5 hours ago (1 children)

I didn't want to worry about batteries or dongles so I got one of these. It has a laser distance sensor, and a wired magnetic reed input.

https://konnected.io/collections/smart-garage-door-openers

[–] LastYearsIrritant@sopuli.xyz 2 points 4 hours ago

That's neat. I probably would have done this if I knew about it before I set up the other way.

[–] MonkderVierte@lemmy.zip 1 points 10 hours ago

So is it now bad or smart?

[–] humble_boatsman@sh.itjust.works 42 points 23 hours ago (1 children)

After installation from previous owner, one fine morning in new home we awoke to our garage door opening at 4am.(semi rural, garage under bedroom) to headlights in my drive way. What the actually fuck. Bat in hand underwear on running down to see what the fuck was going on. AMAZON DELIVERY HAS PRE ARRANGED AUTHORIZATION TO OPEN YOUR LIFTMASTER DOOR AND WAS ALSO PRE AUTHORIZED FOR EARLY DELIVERIES. LET ME FUCKING REPEAT THAT AMAZON DELIVERY DRIVER IN A FUCKING UNMARKED VEHICLE OPENED OUR LIFTMASTER GARAGE DOOR BECAUSE WE DIDNT EVEN KNOW IT WAS A THING AND HAD TO OPT OUT OF IT BECAUSE IT IS A FUCKING THING.

[–] Brkdncr@lemmy.world -3 points 22 hours ago (1 children)

It’s very clear during setup that the amazon thing is opt in.

[–] phailhaus@piefed.social 23 points 22 hours ago (1 children)

They noted that the garage door was set up by the previous owner. That likely also means that the previous owner could still open it from the app.

[–] humble_boatsman@sh.itjust.works 3 points 7 hours ago

And also the camera. As wife is our IT I had here completely disconnect it from internet and as good as she is it took days to figure it all out

[–] quediuspayu@lemmy.dbzer0.com 4 points 17 hours ago

The mechanical and electric parts of a door are simple enough, the programming to operate then can't be that complex either, so I wonder how much a programmer could charge for a bespoke program to operate them.

[–] yesman@lemmy.world 26 points 1 day ago (3 children)

My experience is that any object dependent on an app is invariably worse than the manual/old version.

[–] tiramichu@sh.itjust.works 2 points 5 hours ago

I got an air conditioner for super cheap because the app integration was broken.

Still came with a traditional remote, which worked fine.

I was delighted because no app is not a problem - in fact it's a straight upgrade.

[–] fluffykittycat@slrpnk.net 5 points 1 day ago (1 children)

I know, it sucks. The bullshit factor increased faster than the helpfulness with these half asses smart devices

[–] 4am@lemmy.zip 6 points 22 hours ago

The sad thing is that there are smart device protocols out there that let you just hook shit up locally, use whatever app you want - and im not even talking about HomeAssistsnt DIY style. SmartThings was a hub that just let local control be a thing.

Now it’s hard if. Or impossible to find stuff that doesn’t let someone else control your stuff, monitor your stuff all the time, and make you stuff obsolete and shut it down just to make you get a new one.

The problem isn’t “smart” stuff, the problem is capitalism.

[–] CompactFlax@discuss.tchncs.de 14 points 1 day ago (1 children)

As I recall they locked out HomeAssistant from their API. Crappy company.

[–] tyler@programming.dev -2 points 1 day ago (1 children)

You don’t even need an API for a garage door, just use a switch, the garage door handles it all with its own sensors. OP could just add a keypad that works with HA and program it to open or close the garage door with a garage door box, whatever they’re called.

[–] sickofit@lemmy.today 1 points 10 hours ago

If it can operate with a dumb switch, it can be run with an ESP32. You can probably also get an old fashioned wired keypad ( KEP-1 I think) for local operation.

[–] Blue_Morpho@lemmy.world 16 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Have liftmaster. I haven't used another brand but I can't imagine anything worse. And my liftmaster is app free. There's no way I'd pair an app to a door to my house.

[–] Brkdncr@lemmy.world 2 points 1 day ago

Cool thanks for the input.

[–] favoredponcho@lemmy.zip 9 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (2 children)

I have an ancient liftmaster, pre-smart home. Third parties sell conversion kits online that basically make them smart. Works great. Works with home assistant too. See if you can get a 20 year old liftmaster.

[–] thatsnothowyoudoit@lemmy.ca 8 points 1 day ago (1 children)

We’ve been using a ratgdo for years. Spectacular.

https://ratcloud.llc/

We were chamberlain users who got locked out of their API using homebridge.

This little esp32 device worked a treat.

It’s been pretty reliable. On one or two occasions we’ve had to reboot the device after a power blip but overall it’s been excellent.

We 3D printed our own enclosure for it too.

[–] bluGill@fedia.io 3 points 23 hours ago

That doesn't work with the newest liftmasters at least last I checked.

Genie is apparently still fine.

[–] Brkdncr@lemmy.world 1 points 1 day ago

Not really a realistic option.

[–] starlinguk@lemmy.world 3 points 20 hours ago (1 children)

But, but, it only has to open and close. Why would you need a smart one unless you enjoy giving companies all your data?

[–] Brkdncr@lemmy.world 4 points 19 hours ago

Opening remotely from the house so I can remotely start the car.

Shutting the door when my SO forgets to.

Creating temp PIN codes for guests.

[–] tal@lemmy.today 7 points 1 day ago (1 children)

I’m in a rural area and my options for garage door service people are limited. They only install liftmaster.

I would guess that as long as you're willing to pay them more to cover travel, you can probably convince a company further away to do it. Can't hurt to try, at any rate.

[–] Brkdncr@lemmy.world 3 points 1 day ago

I’ve learned that it’s better to find a company local if they are reliable and back their work, which this company is.

It can hurt to try because like many of my other tasks, the non-local company have screwed me over. Ive paid for a 2nd roof and the work is bad, but the company is gone. Plumbing/well work has never been right from the companies from the city.

[–] DarrinBrunner@lemmy.world 6 points 1 day ago (3 children)

I installed my Genie myself almost 30 years ago, so no messing around with apps, etc. Don't they sell basic openers with simple remote buttons anymore?

I don't want workers in my garage when I am not there, so I don't need that. Why does a garage door opener need wifi access? Sounds like a bunch of "features" no one needs, or at least I don't need them because I've never had them, and I can't imagine what more I'd want a garage door opener to do, but open the door when I pull up and push the button.

[–] CanIFishHere@lemmy.ca 2 points 23 hours ago

I have a chamberlain (also crap, but for different reasons) that allows Amazon drivers to deliver packages inside the garage.

[–] Brkdncr@lemmy.world 2 points 1 day ago

My SO regularly leaves the door open. I sometimes get anxious that I left it open.

I like opening the door remotely and remotely starting my vehicle.

I want to see if the door opens while we’re away from the home.

There are a number of reasons to want some of these features.

[–] MrMeowMeow@mander.xyz 2 points 1 day ago

I’m in the same boat. My garage door pad has two 16AWG wires going to it. Commercial doors I have installed have four. I know the tempting “convenience” of having wifi for all of your devices, but garage doors are stupidly simple to hard wire.

[–] treadful@lemmy.zip 2 points 23 hours ago* (last edited 22 hours ago) (2 children)

I was thinking about hooking mine up to Home Assistant. But apparently their simple indoor buttons aren't really buttons and you have to build some freaky induction circuit to get around their pointless vendor lock-in just to operate it.

If I ever have a choice, I'll never be any of those Chamberlain/Liftmaster pieces of shit.

[–] Brkdncr@lemmy.world 1 points 22 hours ago

Good idea.

[–] wirelesswire@lemmy.zip 1 points 22 hours ago (1 children)

I got new Liftmaster garage doors installed this past January. I haven't installed the app and I have no plans to. I didn't even consider different brands or features at the time; I just wanted door that open and close when you push the buttons. So far, they have been fine, and the integrated battery backup came in handy once as well.

[–] Brkdncr@lemmy.world 1 points 21 hours ago

Even without the app there are downsides. The wired wall panel connections are odd/cheap and it’s not using a simple method to activate the doors.

[–] GreenKnight23@lemmy.world 2 points 1 day ago (1 children)

just build your own with a pi pico

[–] Brkdncr@lemmy.world -4 points 1 day ago (1 children)

No you.

[–] GreenKnight23@lemmy.world 6 points 22 hours ago

I did, that's why I mentioned it.