Most secure garage door opener

[bagged89s10]

There has been an exponential increase in car theft in my town and surrounding areas. Now the thieves are using scanners to open garage doors. It wasn’t that big of a deal up until now as my current garage was only a workshop and I would just latch it from the inside. I’m in process of building a new detached garage where I’ll actually be able to park at least one daily driven car.

I will need wall mount openers to save ceiling space for a future lift. I see liftmaster 8500w and chamberlain rj070 and genie 6170 for jack shaft openers.

Are these my only options if I want an opener?

What’s the most secure garage door opener?

 

[MotorCityBear]

I have the lift master and when the door closes, a “dead bolt” locks in the track. So far, no issues with it. Plus it has WiFi capabilities if your garage has a WiFi signal.

 

[bagged89s10]

I have the lift master and when the door closes, a “dead bolt” locks in the track. So far, no issues with it. Plus it has WiFi capabilities if your garage has a WiFi signal.

Now if someone was to use a scanner to try to hack into my opener, the deadbolt would just unlock right? Is it true that the deadbolt is all plastic on the inside?

I kind of wish I could get an opener that didn’t use RF codes but would only work if you are logged into the WiFi account.

 

[matt_i]

"Most secure garage door opener"

One that's unplugged.

You could access WiFi to enable an WiFi-controlled enet switch, which would energize a relay to turn on AC power to the garage door opener and then use typical RF protocols.

 

[like2wheel]

I kind of wish I could get an opener that didn’t use RF codes but would only work if you are logged into the WiFi account.

I guess I kind of have that now with my RJ070's because with the steel on the outside of my building, you have to be 3/4 of the way up my driveway before the remotes work.

Maybe if you cut the antenna off the door controller it would have that effect but still work from the app.

 

[MotorCityBear]

The actual “dead bolt” is steel. I am not sure what is inside the mechanism.

This is the one I have.

https://www.liftmaster.com/liftmaster-8500w-wall-mount-opener/p/8500W

 

[Teutonics]

"Most secure garage door opener"

One that's unplugged....

My wifi enabled garage door security hack: I have a z-wave switched outlet that automatically turns off (cuts power to garage opener) whenever my phone leaves a specified geolocation (i.e. my yard). Power is restored once I return, and then I can use the wifi opener. I'm using a Smartthings hub to tie it all together.

For extended absence, a padlock goes through the door track.

 

[Showkey]

This whole thing sounds a little less than plausible. Sounds more like a nightly news over blown story ?

If your really concerned:
Not convenient but use a wifi outlet for the opener that would take two steps to open the door.
Turn the door off........but.........a theft organization would just hook on to the door and tear the door off the building if they want your car. Which probably more accurate and easier than the opener override.

Auto theft why do they need to break and enter when they can just steal a car on street ?
Is this theft to order like grand theft auto ?
How do they move the car after they in the garage ? Vehicle Theft system override, tow truck etc ?

 

[Jinks]

A good insurance policy. Locks keep honest people & lazy crooks out. If someone wants your stuff bad enough they will get it, no point in worrying about it.

OTOH, make your neighbor look easier. Add extremely bright lights that come on when the door is opened unless turned off first. Add a really loud siren that works with the lights, but be prepared for the times you forget to turn them off before you open the door.

 

[ericm]

A radio scanner won't open a garage door- they're receive-only.

Older garage remotes, the kind that used dip switches to set a combination, are comparatively easy to hack. The attacker builds or buys a transmitter device that quickly runs through all the combinations until it finds the one that works. Cryptographers call this a brute force attack. I do need to point out however that even this attack is far more than the vast majority of criminals will do. Jimmying a door is easier, as is stealing a remote from an unlocked car.

Modern openers use "rolling code" systems where the code transmitted is never repeated and can't be reused. So there's no way to brute force it. Newer rolling code systems have faster rolling times and other improvements to try to defeat the attacks uncovered by security researchers (a summary here: https://www.andrewmohawk.com/2016/02/05/bypassing-rolling-code-systems/).

While these attacks are possible on at least some openers, they require significant knowledge and expertise on the part of the criminal, or access to someone with the knowledge and expertise. It's unlikely that your local garage thieves have either. So I'd work on more traditional types of security first before worrying about your new garage door opener getting hacked.

Besides physically locking the door when you're on vacation, you could also put the openers on a switched circuit and just turn them off as needed.

 

[bagged89s10]

My wifi enabled garage door security hack: I have a z-wave switched outlet that automatically turns off (cuts power to garage opener) whenever my phone leaves a specified geolocation (i.e. my yard). Power is restored once I return, and then I can use the wifi opener. I'm using a Smartthings hub to tie it all together.

For extended absence, a padlock goes through the door track.

Can you give more info on this? Sounds like exactly what I want.

 

[P0234]

Clear the paired remotes from the opener when you get it and use the smartphone app.

 

[bagged89s10]

A good insurance policy. Locks keep honest people & lazy crooks out. If someone wants your stuff bad enough they will get it, no point in worrying about it.

OTOH, make your neighbor look easier. Add extremely bright lights that come on when the door is opened unless turned off first. Add a really loud siren that works with the lights, but be prepared for the times you forget to turn them off before you open the door.

That’s certainly true. We always lock everything up. I also just recently bought a Lorex camera security system with built in flood lights, sirens, and 2 way audio which will be placed at the garage and 2 driveway locations. I know the neighbors or neighbors dog might set it off if I don’t set it up properly. Lol [emoji23]

This whole thing sounds a little less than plausible. Sounds more like a nightly news over blown story ?

If your really concerned:
Not convenient but use a wifi outlet for the opener that would take two steps to open the door.
Turn the door off........but.........a theft organization would just hook on to the door and tear the door off the building if they want your car. Which probably more accurate and easier than the opener override.

Auto theft why do they need to break and enter when they can just steal a car on street ?
Is this theft to order like grand theft auto ?
How do they move the car after they in the garage ? Vehicle Theft system override, tow truck etc ?

The car theft in the area is getting crazy. This theft ring has a bunch of teenagers riding around to neighborhoods. They are mainly looking for unlocked cars with keys in them, but now they have started using some type of scanning device to try to open doors. Then they look for cars with keys in them in the garage.

A radio scanner won't open a garage door- they're receive-only.

Older garage remotes, the kind that used dip switches to set a combination, are comparatively easy to hack. The attacker builds or buys a transmitter device that quickly runs through all the combinations until it finds the one that works. Cryptographers call this a brute force attack. I do need to point out however that even this attack is far more than the vast majority of criminals will do. Jimmying a door is easier, as is stealing a remote from an unlocked car.

Modern openers use "rolling code" systems where the code transmitted is never repeated and can't be reused. So there's no way to brute force it. Newer rolling code systems have faster rolling times and other improvements to try to defeat the attacks uncovered by security researchers (a summary here: https://www.andrewmohawk.com/2016/02/05/bypassing-rolling-code-systems/).

While these attacks are possible on at least some openers, they require significant knowledge and expertise on the part of the criminal, or access to someone with the knowledge and expertise. It's unlikely that your local garage thieves have either. So I'd work on more traditional types of security first before worrying about your new garage door opener getting hacked.

Besides physically locking the door when you're on vacation, you could also put the openers on a switched circuit and just turn them off as needed.

Yeah I’m going to make sure we have proper security first but putting the openers on some type of switched circuit is going to be on the list.

 

[king nero]

Clear the paired remotes from the opener when you get it and use the smartphone app.

I have wondered how many burglaries were made by means of coded remotes.
Let's be honest, how many of you have reset this when the garage door was installed?

A thief would just need a fairly decent log of remotes and adresses (few weeks after the install would be obvious), that's it...

 

[infinkc]

you can always plug the opener into a secondary remote power switch to kill power to it, so there is another means of disconnect.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Westek-...svq8xJTBJx1jBEePowsaAg2XEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

 

[gnpenning]

you can always plug the opener into a secondary remote power switch to kill power to it, so there is another means of disconnect.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Westek-...svq8xJTBJx1jBEePowsaAg2XEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

This will also work well as a remote for a 120v dust collector in the wood shop.

 

[nadogail]

IMHO, the best protection you can get is a nosy neighbor who knows what is supposed to be going on and what is not.

 

[Teutonics]

Can you give more info on this? Sounds like exactly what I want.

Sure, here are the items I use, but if you don't want or need a full home automation system I'll link other options below:

Smartthings home automation hub (the "brain" of the system - zwave, zigbee, and wifi capabile):
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07FJGGWJL/?tag=atomicindus08-20

zwave switched outlet (just an example, there are many brands and models... zigbee format is also acceptable):
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07B3SWWTH/?tag=atomicindus08-20

For just a single switched outlet, the above is overkill... but if you think you may want to automate other household items (door locks, lights, outdoor lighting, switches, water leak sensors, water valves, etc.) this is a good place to start.

If you want to just control a single outlet, something like this (wifi) would work as well, but would not give the geolocation capability so you'd need to turn the switch on and off via your phone (again just an example, there are many to choose from but Wemo is well supported):
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08CJGZZZ1/?tag=atomicindus08-20

You can definitely go down a rabbit hole with this stuff... feel free to PM me if you have more questions.

 

[like2wheel]

IMHO, the best protection you can get is a nosy neighbor who knows what is supposed to be going on and what is not.

So we should go out & get a nosy neighbor?

I wouldn't know where to look for one. How much do they cost?

 

[Jinks]

So we should go out & get a nosy neighbor?

Shouldn't have to look far, there's usually one around.....


I wouldn't know where to look for one. How much do they cost?

More than they're worth, & more than you'd expect since nobody really wants one..........

 

[Metal-Marc]

My wifi enabled garage door security hack: I have a z-wave switched outlet that automatically turns off (cuts power to garage opener) whenever my phone leaves a specified geolocation (i.e. my yard). Power is restored once I return, and then I can use the wifi opener. I'm using a Smartthings hub to tie it all together.



For extended absence, a padlock goes through the door track.

This is exactly my setup.

 

[CJDave]

Sure, here are the items I use, but if you don't want or need a full home automation system I'll link other options below:

Smartthings home automation hub (the "brain" of the system - zwave, zigbee, and wifi capabile):
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07FJGGWJL/?tag=atomicindus08-20

zwave switched outlet (just an example, there are many brands and models... zigbee format is also acceptable):
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07B3SWWTH/?tag=atomicindus08-20

For just a single switched outlet, the above is overkill... but if you think you may want to automate other household items (door locks, lights, outdoor lighting, switches, water leak sensors, water valves, etc.) this is a good place to start.

If you want to just control a single outlet, something like this (wifi) would work as well, but would not give the geolocation capability so you'd need to turn the switch on and off via your phone (again just an example, there are many to choose from but Wemo is well supported):
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08CJGZZZ1/?tag=atomicindus08-20

You can definitely go down a rabbit hole with this stuff... feel free to PM me if you have more questions.

Teutonics, can more than one cell phone be hooked into the geolocation system? CJDave.

 

[Metal-Marc]

Teutonics, can more than one cell phone be hooked into the geolocation system? CJDave.

Yes with smartthings you can do that. When everyone is gone, smartthings will arm the system and do whatever routine you program, like turn a z-wave power outlet on or off, turn lights off (Philips Hue), etc...

The first person coming near the house will triger whatever programing you did, turn z-wave outlets on or off, turn lights on, disarm the smartthings system, etc.

And no monthly fees. Pretty cool stuff.

 

[CJDave]

Very interesting. Thanks. CJDave.

 

[HenryAZ]

If you have a cord hanging down from the opener with a red handle on it, that disconnects the opener and lets you raise the door manually. Crooks know exactly where that red handle is and can fish a wire with a hook end through the side weatherstrip and over to the handle to pull it down. One easy anti-theft thing you can do is to remove the red handle, leaving only a piece of rope hanging down. Or you can remove the rope altogether.

 

[PhantomEB]

Liftmaster 8500 here. Automatic door to close is set at 1 minute, I made an Angle Iron barrier for the deadbolt mechanism and I shortened up the pull string higher than comfy for anyone to pull it much less fish for it.

 

[Greeny]

Wyze is another inexpensive option for control from your phone or google device. $15 for two outlets:

https://wyze.com/wyze-plug.html

 

[Swanny1953]

I have Liftmaster 8500. Also installed MyQ access point and app on iPhone. Just tried a test where I locked the opener using the switch on the wired opener. Regular RF opener wouldn't work, but the iPhone app opened the door just fine. Maybe an option . . . .

 

[allinon72]

One glaring security risk IMO is a side keypad, which seem to be very easy to manipulate. I’m thinking about removing mine.

 

[ericm]

Modern keypads use the same rolling code technology that remotes use. If yours uses rolling codes, it's not vulnerable the easy known attacks.

This video (https://lifehacker.com/test-if-your-garage-is-vulnerable-to-a-hack-that-opens-1710108565) explains how to tell.

 

[bagged89s10]

One glaring security risk IMO is a side keypad, which seem to be very easy to manipulate. I’m thinking about removing mine.

Yeah I had one on my old opener only because I didn’t have a keyed door right next to it. The door next to it was a patio door with only a lock on the inside. The new garage will have an entry door so I’m not going to put keypads for the doors.

 

[Youngandfree]

My next door neighbor is a local deputy. He said in my area, thefts are happening when thieves force the garage door open with a long pry bar of sorts. We live in a fairly rural area and just moved out here. A buddy is a few miles away and told me to keep my stuff locked up. It seems like thieves think it us spread out enough that neighbors won't know what has happened till they are long gone.