MustangChris04 Posted October 25, 2015 Share Posted October 25, 2015 Over the last year my garage door openers for my car have slowly died. (Replacing the batteries didn't help). I was thinking, rather than purchasing new garage door openers, (or a new garage opener unit if that is what is failing), I could use one of the Mini Remotes. I already have the IOLinc to control my garage, so the Mini Remote would be a simple addition. I was thinking I could get the 8 scene Mini remote and use it for the garage door, as well as turning on/off garage lights, outdoor lighting, etc. I have about 5 dual-band devices inside my garage and I don't think the signal from my driveway will be an issue, as I have some battery sensors outside that work reliably. Is anybody using these remotes for garage door control? Link to comment
stusviews Posted October 25, 2015 Share Posted October 25, 2015 Sure. Link a button on the Mini Remote as a controller of the I/O Linc. Link to comment
MustangChris04 Posted October 25, 2015 Author Share Posted October 25, 2015 How's the battery life on the remote? I could go a year or two with the CR2032 batteries in the garage door opener without having to replace. Link to comment
stusviews Posted October 26, 2015 Share Posted October 26, 2015 I have no idea which garage door opener with CR2032 batteries you are referring to. Link to comment
MustangChris04 Posted October 26, 2015 Author Share Posted October 26, 2015 Just a typical clicker that most openers come with: http://i.ytimg.com/vi/gudS4XDizCI/maxresdefault.jpg Link to comment
larryllix Posted October 26, 2015 Share Posted October 26, 2015 My garage door opener batteries have gone for about six years so far but use a bunch of CR1632 and another size cell. My mini remote has a hard time with 40 feet through a brick exterior wall to a SwitchLinc. This is dependent on which angle I hold it on so I know it is marginal from my firepit to the front door Swichlinc. The batteries in the miniremote are rechargeable and with very occasional usage, maybe twice per week, they last about six months. A micro USB is used to recharge it via a standard USB adapter. Edit: "mini USB" was corrected to "micro USB" Link to comment
MustangChris04 Posted October 26, 2015 Author Share Posted October 26, 2015 Thanks larryllix, that's what I was looking for! I have a micro USB charger in my car for my phone, so I suppose I could use that when it dies. Any ideas on the time it takes to charge? Link to comment
stusviews Posted October 26, 2015 Share Posted October 26, 2015 The Mini Remote uses a Micro USB connection, not a Mini USB. Link to comment
larryllix Posted October 26, 2015 Share Posted October 26, 2015 The Mini Remote uses a Micro USB connection, not a Mini USB. Yup Stu is correct. I use my cell phone charger plugs to charge them. I was thinking of another unit I charge occasionally. Apologies and thanks Stu for catching that. Link to comment
stusviews Posted October 26, 2015 Share Posted October 26, 2015 Even with several times daily use, the Mini Remote should last at least a couple of months before needing a recharge. There is no warning that a recharge is pending. Link to comment
MWareman Posted October 26, 2015 Share Posted October 26, 2015 Be aware that there is no appropriate security on Insteon devices for use as a garage door opener. If your garage is connected to your house, make sure to keep the connecting door locked! (a good idea anyway...) Link to comment
Teken Posted October 26, 2015 Share Posted October 26, 2015 I guess I'll be the first to dissent on the idea of using a Mini Remote for activating the GDO from a vehicle. If you're like most the garage houses some of the most expensive things a man could possibly own. Just consider tools, tool chests, lawn mower, etc. For the small amount of money that a purpose built GDO remote cost and most if not all have rolling (encrypted) code technology it just makes sense to use. Now, if you want to supplement it with control of lights etc. Go for it because that's why Home Automation is for along with access / convenience(s). At some point I hope and expect that Smartlabs will place encrypting the signal for a purpose built I/O Linc as a primary offering. Considering the fact a dual band I/O Linc is already in the works perhaps this is something we shall see together in 2016. In closing, the garage door is the largest entry to the property it should be secured with the same level of protection / access as one would expect a front / rear access door. Link to comment
paulbates Posted October 26, 2015 Share Posted October 26, 2015 For the small amount of money that a purpose built GDO remote cost and most if not all have rolling (encrypted) code technology it just makes sense to use. Now, if you want to supplement it with control of lights etc. +1. I went through a period long ago of using an x10 universal module and key chain remote for the garage door, then had the thoughts about security and took it back out. And since I can sense when the door goes up and that its night out, I have that input to turn on premise and inside lighting automatically; I don't need the extra buttons on the remotelinc for lights. Entry methods, as Teken points out, should be left to dedicated security devices like GDO remotes, Elk, etc. Link to comment
larryllix Posted October 26, 2015 Share Posted October 26, 2015 I don't think the Mini Remote would give you enough distance to work nicely. You would have to pull into the driveway and press the button while stopped outside the door and wait for it to open, instead of having it open while coming up the street and being open when you get there. Unless you have a lamppost you could put an access point into. You could also use a sequence to encrypt the command, somewhat, B off, then A Fast On, or twice. Link to comment
stusviews Posted October 26, 2015 Share Posted October 26, 2015 Having to use an encryption code that requires a series of distinct different button presses defeats the convenience of remote control Link to comment
MustangChris04 Posted October 27, 2015 Author Share Posted October 27, 2015 Everybody brings up some good points about gaining access to the garage. Ever since I saw the episode on Shark Tank about how easy it was to break into a garage, I programmed my interior door that goes to the garage to automatically lock with a z-wave deadbolt. Assuming I don't use an Insteon remote to open my garage, there is a whole ton of other Insteon traffic on the network that would have the same security vulnerabilities as the remote. Even the I/O link connected to the garage could be controlled through a repeating Dual-Band device, and anybody could park up next to my house and plug an extension cord into any of my outdoor outlets to gain access to the powerline. You have to weight the convenience factor with the security vulnerabilities. What are the changes of somebody near my house sniffing my insteon traffic to open my garage? Slim to none. What are the chances of somebody pushing up on the garage door to forcefully get the chain off the track, or using a clothes hanger to pull the quick release? Much higher... PS: I love the idea larryllix came up with using your own encryption code, it made me laugh. I'm sure the wife is going to love that idea! Link to comment
paulbates Posted October 27, 2015 Share Posted October 27, 2015 Its probably best to go with best practices where you can. If you install something and avoid an vulnerability, do it. While I agree Insteon rf/db vulnerability is a worthy concern, I try not to overreact to it. I don't use more rf/db than I need, and try to keep things like the plm away from the edges of the house. I use a signalinc bridge in the panel instead of access points. I locate my router, phone base and PLM to minimize its strength at the property line where someone could most like "sniff" it. I have very few DB devices. To your point, out of 125M houses in America, whats the threat potential for my individual house to an impactful insteon exploit? I believe its very low. Other than the things I've listed above, my alternative is to replace insteon. And if so, replace it with what? Google "z wave vulnerability" for a list of possibilities there. I think its a matter of minimizing exposure in the most practical way. Paul Link to comment
BamBamF16 Posted October 27, 2015 Share Posted October 27, 2015 If you have mobilinc you could set a geo-fence around your home and only allow the open command to function when your phone is inside the zone. A clunky version of two-factor authentication. Link to comment
Teken Posted October 27, 2015 Share Posted October 27, 2015 I believe most people can appreciate that life is a balance of risk vs reward(s). A person will need to weigh out what fits their lifestyle, needs, environment. From there I would think most people would do some research in the area of concern and like Paul Bates follow known best practices in those endeavors. In my past life force protection was my trade and profession . . . This is probably why I have a completely different take on security and how its employed in homes, business, and industrial applications. What can not be ignored is we as a people live in an age where information is pervasive, available, and accessible. As many know knowledge is power - but only if you apply that knowledge that promotes positive results in others. People have (enmass) decided to use critical information and exploit even the most basic things in our homes. As MustangChris04 indicated, seeing for the first time a coat hanger disable a locked garage door is pretty unsettling. This is why people have to really consider some aspects of their lives and homes need to be *dumbed* down. When people asked me what are some of the key elements of force protection and how I would deploy such solutions. 99% of them were always shocked with the lack of (Technology) I used as a first line of defense. Technology is great and if used correctly can be most excellent but the reliance on electronics, computers, servo's, and AC/DC powered devices are a recipe for disaster when things go boom! There is a reason the phrase KISS was coined . . . People should try to keep as many things in their lives, homes, work, etc based on KISS. People are hard pressed to count on one hand how many toggle switches have ever burned out or not activated after a power outage. Never mind indicating it was hacked or compromised in a way that the user did not intend it to be so. Link to comment
larryllix Posted October 27, 2015 Share Posted October 27, 2015 Some of this reminds me of the security people trying to upsell you on fancy locks. The deadbolt was pushed to the public as the only lock to have on your door, being so sturdy without a tongue pickable by a banana knife or even credit card. Then some donkey thought of ways to defeat these miracles being pushed, by just breaking the sidelite window and turning the knob. Then came the deadbolt without a handle that couldn't be beat so easily from either side. Now the user can't leave of his/her own home, so a spare set of keys hang in the deadbolt lock on the inside, for convenient usage, when leaving the home. Looks really decorative too and it doesn't take a guest much time to make an impression of the key for duplication while you hang up her coat. The result? You should change all your locks every five years and every time we move. The saga continues. A new market is born. We think that some thief can sit outside our home watching and decrypting our Insteon signals, getting full access to our ISY, maybe and yet he/she can't figure out how to beat a geofencing programme or other algorithm? In the end we do our best to keep the teenagers out and we buy insurance. A simple double click or Off On Mini Remote sequence and lots of "This home is protected" stickers will do that one. Not having things, worth the hassle of stealing, in the house keeps the professionals out. Fancy gadgets won't. Link to comment
mwester Posted October 27, 2015 Share Posted October 27, 2015 (from the XKCD comics at https://xkcd.com/ ) Link to comment
larryllix Posted October 27, 2015 Share Posted October 27, 2015 LOL. Awesome! Reminds me of the silly vehicle steering wheel locks. One TV show hired a thief to crack one and despite all the warnings about it being hardened kryptonite steel, the thief just cut the steering wheel with a hacksaw in about 25 seconds and slid the useless gadget off. Link to comment
Teken Posted October 27, 2015 Share Posted October 27, 2015 (from the XKCD comics at https://xkcd.com/ ) LOL, well played . . . That really made my day thanks! Link to comment
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.