Comparisons — Houston
Wireless or wired gate keypad? Distance and users decide.
The honest tradeoffs between a battery keypad and a hardwired one, and when to skip both for a cellular system.
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Wireless keypads are easy: mount it, pair it, done. Wired keypads are permanent: no batteries, no range limits, no pairing. Which one you want depends on how far the keypad is from the operator and how many people need codes.
Here is how we decide.
Wireless keypads
- ✓Install anywhere within radio range of the receiver, usually 100 to 300 feet.
- ✓No trenching or conduit; the fastest and least expensive install.
- ✓Runs on batteries that need changing every one to two years.
- ✓Limited code capacity on basic models; fine for a family, thin for a business.
- ✓Can lose pairing after a power event; reprogramming is quick.
- ✓Range drops with metal posts, dense trees, and LED lighting near the receiver.
Wired keypads
- ✓No batteries, no range limit, no pairing.
- ✓Supports multi-user keypads with individual codes, schedules, and audit logs.
- ✓Requires wire from the operator to the keypad post; new installs need conduit, existing pedestals often have it.
- ✓More vulnerable to lightning through the wire; we add surge protection.
- ✓The right base for adding readers, intercoms, and cameras later on the same run.
Houston weather
Both fail from water if mounted badly. We use weather-rated housings, hoods, sealed pedestals, and drip loops on wiring. Sun-facing keypads get a hood regardless of type.
When to skip the keypad
If you want to see who is at the gate, let in a delivery from your phone, or manage more than a handful of users, a cellular system like CellGate replaces the keypad and adds video and an app. It needs only power at the post. For commercial sites with many users, a reader-based system with fobs or Bluetooth is usually better than any keypad.
Frequently asked questions
How far can a wireless keypad be from the gate opener?+
Typically 100 to 300 feet in the open. Metal, trees, and LED lights reduce it. We test at the post before we mount it.
Can a wired keypad be added to an existing gate?+
Yes, if we can run wire to the post. Existing pedestals often already have a conduit we can reuse.
Which is more reliable?+
Wired, over the long run. No batteries and no radio. Wireless is reliable enough for most homes and far easier to install.
Can I have different codes for different people?+
Multi-user wired keypads and cellular systems do this well. Basic wireless keypads support a few codes.
Do you install both?+
Yes, and we repair both. Common models are on the truck.
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