Smart Gate Retrofit: WiFi and App Control for Any Gate
Before: a remote clipped to your visor. After: app control, guest access, and video from wherever you actually are. Free on-site assessment, firm quote before any work.
Most driveway gates in Metro Detroit do not need to be replaced to go smart. A smart gate retrofit wires a control module into the motor and hardware already installed, adding app access, remote monitoring, and in some cases video confirmation, without swapping the operator itself. 313 Gates is a true gate specialist marketing this as its own service line, not a bolt-on to a garage door route.
Same gate. New brains.
Compare your options.
- Built for LiftMaster gate operators from 1998 forward
- App-based open and close, plus activity log
- Ties into LiftMaster's existing Security+2.0 radio
- Works across most relay-based openers, not brand-locked
- Bluetooth and WiFi control from one app
- No subscription required to operate
- Built-in camera for visual confirmation before opening
- Works with most relay-based openers
- App and web dashboard, multiple users
Which opener types accept a smart retrofit
| Existing opener type | myQ (LiftMaster only) | Remootio / iSmartGate |
|---|---|---|
| LiftMaster residential, 1998 or newer | Direct retrofit kit | Yes |
| Other relay-based residential (Mighty Mule, Ghost Controls, and similar) | Not compatible | Yes, most common candidate |
| Electromechanical swing or slide (Nice, Apollo, FAAC) | Not compatible | Usually, via relay tap |
| Hydraulic swing operators | Not compatible | Usually, may need an interface module |
| Commercial barrier arms | Not compatible | Case by case, confirmed on-site |
| Manual, non-motorized gates | Not compatible | Not compatible, needs an operator installed first |
myQ is a LiftMaster-specific system; Remootio and iSmartGate are built to work across most other brands using a relay-based interface. Exact compatibility is confirmed during the on-site assessment.
One visit, start to finish.
What actually changes after a retrofit
Before a retrofit, opening the gate means a physical remote, a keypad code, or driving up and waiting. After, the same gate opens from a phone anywhere there’s signal, logs who opened it and when, and in the case of a camera-equipped platform like iSmartGate, shows you who’s standing there before you open it at all. None of that requires tearing out the existing motor.
Why few in the metro sell this as its own service
Every dedicated gate specialist and garage-door-turned-gate company checked in the Metro Detroit market covers repair, installation, and standard opener replacement. Few market smart-gate retrofits as their own line of business, even though the hardware to do it, myQ retrofit kits, Remootio and iSmartGate universal modules, has been sold nationally for years. That’s the gap 313 Gates fills: the retrofit knowledge paired with a technician who already knows the gate itself.
Choosing between platforms
myQ makes sense if the existing opener is already a LiftMaster, since the retrofit kit is built specifically for that ecosystem and ties into the LiftMaster gate opener repair work already common in Metro Detroit. Everything else, Mighty Mule, Nice, FAAC, Viking, and older Apollo units, generally routes to Remootio or iSmartGate instead, since those platforms are built to work across brands rather than locked to one manufacturer’s hardware. If video confirmation matters more than app control alone, iSmartGate’s built-in camera is the deciding factor over Remootio’s no-camera setup.
Questions, answered.
Will a smart retrofit work with my existing gate opener?
In most cases, yes. Retrofit modules are built to wire into existing relay-based gate operators rather than replace them. LiftMaster openers pair with myQ specifically; most other brands pair with Remootio or iSmartGate instead. Exact compatibility is confirmed during the on-site assessment.
Do I need new wiring run out to the gate for a smart retrofit?
Usually not, since the retrofit uses the power and control wiring already at the operator. Properties with no existing power run to the gate at all are better suited to a solar gate opener; see that page for how that option works instead.
Can I still use my old remotes after a smart retrofit?
Yes. Retrofits add app and keypad control alongside the existing remotes rather than replacing them, so nothing you already use stops working.
What happens to the gate if the WiFi goes down?
The physical remotes, keypad, and manual release continue to work independent of any app or internet connection. A smart retrofit adds a control layer on top of the gate; it does not replace the gate's own hardware.
What's the actual difference between myQ, Remootio, and iSmartGate?
myQ only works with LiftMaster operators but ties directly into LiftMaster's own ecosystem. Remootio and iSmartGate work across most other brands using a universal relay-based interface, with iSmartGate adding a built-in camera for visual confirmation before the gate opens.