Remote Control Range

Garage Door Remote Control Range

Garage door opener remote control distances and range may vary depending on the part of town you are in. For example, an opener in a coastal area (like Point Loma or La Jolla) will not have the range an opener might get inland.

Why is do garage door openers have better range inland compared with coastal areas? The answer: because of what is floating around in the air. A multitude of frequencies are floating around in the air, even right now, from radio signals to military operations. The more frequencies interfering, the worse range your remote will have.

I live in Santee (Inland) and I typically find the range to be good. Although it does vary from day to day between 80 to 100 feet. Like most of you I’m looking for maximum range in my garage door opener remote. Over time I noticed the range on my gate slowly going down... down... down... until I had to stand right in front of it for it to open.

To fix the problem, I replaced the antenna, since it is exposed to the weather. I took it down and replaced it with an old TV antenna I had. The repair worked, and now my range is roughly 300-400 feet! Problem solved!

The need for better reception

Now that doesn’t mean that you can do the same thing to increase your remote's range. My antenna wire for my gate is coax cable…your antenna is simply a wire. Many opener manufacturers acknowledge the need for better reception in and around the coastal areas. In response, these manufacturers started producing garage door openers that run on dual frequencies.

This means that the transmitter or remote control will emit two frequencies at the same time. Then, the receiver built into the opener will grab the strongest signal. These transmitters make the signal at least twice as good as before, offering a nearly perfect solution.

Military Frequencies and Interference

The military owns the frequencies that our garage door openers run on, something that most people don't realize. When they decide to jam those frequencies, there is nothing you or I can do about it. We simply must be patient and wait it out. Thankfully, as single frequency machines are replaced by newer models, these problems will start to go away.

New Opener Technology

The Liftmaster Rep told me last month that they have tested the dual freq machines near a military base in Florida and it worked flawlessly. Genie’s system is basically the same. Both are great options to replace existing systems.

How can I increase my remote's range?

You have two logical choices to improve remote range when living on the coast…

1- Replace the opener you currently have, regardless of how old it is, with one of the newer dual freq machines. Replacing your current opener almost guarantees an increase in range.

2- Wait until the manufacturers comes out with an external receiver that you can attach to your existing machine. If manufacturers come out with an external dual freq receiver that could be a good option. However, remember you should not spend lots of money to amplify a system that is already over 10 years old. In that case we recommend you just buy a new system.

Many people try to find cheaper solutions to “help” increase their range on an old garage door opener remote. One method is installing an external antenna outside with coax cable. However, there are no guarantees that it will work and it can be quite expensive.

I have tried that in the past with limited success. Not to mention, by the time all is said and done you will be just a few dollars short of a brand new machine.

Conclusion

In a nutshell, where you live impacts your garage door remote's range, especially in coastal areas. This is because of interference from various frequencies, especially military frequencies. Manufacturers now offer dual-frequency garage door openers for better reception in coastal spots, minimizing interference issues, even near military bases.

If you're after a stronger signal, consider upgrading to one of these newer models. If you have the time, you can also wait for manufacturers to release external dual-frequency receivers for existing machines. However, be cautious about investing in costly solutions for older systems; sometimes, buying a new system makes more sense. Cheaper alternatives, like external antennas, might not guarantee success and could end up costing nearly as much as a new machine.

So, weigh your options wisely! Make sure you consider cost and effectiveness when deciding how to improve your garage door remote control's range.