Smart Home

MyQ HomeKit Integration Options for Garage Doors

Having a Chamberlain group/LiftMaser myQ enabled garage door is amazing and great to have. However, for sure you would want to upgrade this by adding an Apple HomeKit support for your myQ, right? Do not worry as there are ways to do this and the most popular way to do this is by integrating your myQ Home Bridge device with HomeKit support.

However, Chamberlain group are not interested in the smart home market. In fact, there have been reports and cases of being blocked, dropped and pay walled. These disruptions often times discourages and worries users. It provides uncertainty as well. Moreover, Chamberlain have official discontinued HomeKit compatible myQ Home Bridge due to low demand. Though this is the case, they have promised that the existing devices would still work. With this situation, it is not surprising that their customers have become wary. If you are one of them, do not worry as there are a lot of good alternatives for WiFi garage door openers in general with some providing Apple HomeKit compatibility.

Up Front Considerations

One thing that a smart home support would need is myQ enabled garage door opener. This technology is created by Chamberlain which is designed as a communication system that would aid the myQ app to interact with other myQ smart devices such as door remotes, lights, cameras and myQ garage doors.

In this technological age, many garage door motors are supported by myQ which allows your garage door to communicate with your other myQ devices. Additionally, if you would like to be able to make most out of this technology and able to access all its features, you will need to have a bridge device that would connect to your home network which would then allow you to use a smart home platform or app.

Terminology Notes

Residential garage door opener is a smart device which would connect to your WiFi which would then allow you to use app that would control and monitor your garage door remotely. This usually acts as a bridge to your garage door motor.

Garage Door Motor is the hardware that opens and closes the garage doors . myQ home bridge on the other hand is the official HomeKit enabled garage door opener for myQ hardware.

Homebridge is an open source bridge which provides HomeKit integration.

The Official MyQ HomeKit Hub

MyQ Home Bridge

Features

  • Wall mount included
  • Supports HomeKit, Google and IFTTT

myQ Home Bridge devices – Chamberlain and LiftMaster usually act as a communicator between myQ and WiFi. They come with HomeKit support plus basic function. What is great with both Chamberlain and LiftMaster is that you would not need to set it up to get HomeKit support. In fact, the MyQ Home Bridge is enough. It would act as the myQ bridge/gateway that would connect your door opener to the Chamberlain’s cloud service and myQ app.

The two models that we highly recommend are Chamberlain myQ-G0303-SP and LiftMaster MYQ 819LMB. These models are very similar to each other with their labels being their only difference.

Unfortunately, if you are outside the US, you would not be able to have access to them as they only support US voltage sockets and US garage door frequencies.

The myQ Home Bridge is a smart hub which is a box and tool that connects to your WiFi. Physically, there is not much to say. Chamberlains myQ smart phone app on the other hand is where all the configuration takes place. If you are planning to just use HomeKit, keep in mind that you will need to set up the mentioned app first.

When you have integrated your door to the bridge and the bridge to your HomeKit, it is only when you could access your garage door accessory in your Apple Home app. In short, you will already be able to open and close the door through voice commands or through tapping.

Another feature you could access is notifications of the status of your garage door – when it is closed or opened and when it is starting to close or open. Its notification feature could be configure according to your preference and need.

MyQ service also provides a secure in garage delivery feature through the Amazon Key service. All you have to do is to connect your myQ account to the Amazon Key app and you are good to do.

Installation

When you are installing this device, you will need to consider a location that could provide the ability of the bridge to communicate wireless to your garage door motor and your home network. Do not worry as the myQ is reliable in terms of it being radio protocol which it is able to receive remote signal from the car. Though this is the case, you would still want to ensure that you do not place it too far from the garage. Moreover, you would also need to have a power socket close to your device.

Setup

As long as you will be installing your myQ Home Bridge as your first myQ bridge/hub, you will be okay. By doing this, you will be able to install your bridge and power it up. The next step that you would need to do is download your myQ app on your phone and setup everything from there. Ensure that you set up an account on their cloud service first then get your garage door paired with it. Once you have done that, you could now pair your HomeKit in your myQ app.

Real World Performance

As you would have notice, the myQ Home Bridge is dependent on the myQ cloud. Its response time is not affected with this. However, since you will have to go through the bridge there is a mandated warning period that is being implemented for safety reasons. Though this requirement is annoying and you will have to wait for five second audible alarm and flashing light, it is not really an issue. The bigger concern when it comes to Chamberlain is that there is a number of users that have issues with myQ Home Bridge product such as its notification speed, WiFi issues and losing configuration after power failure.

The Unofficial MyQ HomeKit Integration

myQ Smart Garage Hub

Features

  • WiFi enabled
  • Supports Google Assistant, IFTTT
  • Inexpensive
  • Second door via addon sensor

Another alternative that would provide you the same solution as Chamberlain’s official device is through combining non-HomeKit MyQ hub with third party Homebridge integration software. Though this option is more complicated in terms of setting up, it is an effect solution which works with standard MyQ hardware. What is more amazing about it is that it does not require extra devices in your garage. Moreover, through this method, you will also be able to use it as a multiple garage door openers since it operates wirelessly.

For you to be able to start with this device, you would need to know its requirements which would depend on what you already have in your setup. Furthermore, you would need a non-HomeKit myQ garage opener like myQ-G040101-ES or Liftmaster MyQ Garage controller.

Another thing that you would need to do is to set up a Homebridge install which is open source. This would act as your translator or communicator between your MyQ hub and HomeKit. This could be done through a small Raspberry Pi device.

If you do not have them, then, it would be better for you to go with stand alone garage door opener like the iSmartGate. It is a LITE model which could be considered as a DIY solution. If you plan to use this, you will have to keep in mind that once you have set it up with your Homebridge it can be used to connect to about 2000 other non-HomeKit products and services.

You could also use myQ homebridge plugin in Homebridge. By doing this, you could get a full HomeKit support including the status of the garage door and transit progress. You will also be able to get notifications on all of your Apple devices and integrate it with HomeKt automations.

Non-MyQ Garage Door Openers for HomeKit

iSmartGate

Features

  • Supports HomeKit, Google, IFTTT, SmartThings
  • WiFi enabled
  • Door position sensor
  • Local control
  • Supports time limited user access

iSmartGate LITE is a more expensive option and it is formerly known as GoGoGate. Though this is the case, it is a good investment. It comes with better platform compatibility and has true local HomeKit support. It does not need any subscription for it to support any platforms. This garage door opener comes with wireless door position sensor which would tell the device whether it is up or down.

For step by step instruction on this device, you could visit their website.

Meross Smart WiFi

Features

  • Supports HomeKit, Google, Alexa, SmartThings
  • Door position sensor included
  • WiFi Enabled
  • Local control
  • Easy Installation

The MSF100HK model is similar to iSmartGate. It connects to its button terminals on the garage door motor. It is a simple device and it has a remote door button that supports only one garage door. It uses wired magnetic sensor which determines whether the garage door is open or closed.

It uses timer for its travel time of the door and for this to work, you will need to configure it on your Meross app.

It door sensor uses simple magnetic reed switch which needs to be located where wire could run back to its device. It also works to mount it to the chain guide for the motor.

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