The biggest innovation in garage door opener technology over the last decade is Wi-Fi compatibility. Thanks to this high-tech feature, homeowners can monitor and control their garage door at a distance by linking up their opener with their smartphone.

Only a small number of garage door opener brands currently offer this feature. Among them is Genie, whose latest opener models come equipped with their Aladdin Connect technology. In fact, Genie is leading the way when it comes to Wi-Fi connectivity, thanks to some novel innovations it hase introduced, such as Virtual Keys.

In today’s blog, the team at Creative Door™ takes an in-depth look at some of Genie’s Wi-Fi enabled garage door openers and remotes, as well as some of the benefits of upgrading to this technology.

What is Aladdin Connect technology?

Aladdin Connect allows you to control and monitor your garage door using a smartphone, no matter where you are in the world. Specifically, it allows you to perform the following functions remotely:

• Open and close your garage door
• Verify whether your garage door is open or closed
• Receive alerts telling you your garage has been opened

It also gives you a history of when the garage door was used, including dates and times.

What are the advantages of having a Wi-Fi-enabled garage door opener?

Having an opener that’s linked up with your smartphone has numerous practical advantages. Here are some ways you can use this feature:

• Determine whether you closed the garage door
  Have you ever left your home in the morning and then wondered if you remembered to close the garage door? If you have Aladdin Connect, you can simply open the application on your phone and see right away whether the door is open or closed. If it’s open, you can close it with the press of a button.
  
• Avoid accidently leaving the garage door open
  Another thing you might have experienced is arriving home and then realizing you accidentally left the garage open all day. The Aladdin Connect application allows you to receive alerts if your garage door has been left open.
  
• Let in friends, family, and trusted individuals
  If you’re at work and need to let a dogwalker, tradesperson, or family member enter your home, you can let them in through your garage. With Aladdin Connect, you can remotely open the door whenever someone needs to be given access.
  
• Be warned about suspicious activity
  With the Aladdin Connect application, you can receive alerts any time someone opens your garage door. As a result, you’ll know right away if an unauthorized person enters your garage.

What are Virtual Keys?

With Aladdin Connect technology, you can give other people virtual keys to your garage. These keys are issued to the person’s smartphone and granted for a precise duration (for example, from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. on July 1 or every Wednesday from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m.). They can be revoked at any time by the homeowner.

Here are some common scenarios in which Virtual Keys come in handy:

• You want to provide your contractor access to your home in the morning and afternoon during renovations.
• You want to give a trusted technician access to your home for two or three hours during the day.
• You want to allow a dogwalker to get into your garage on set days between specific hours.
• You rent out a vacation home (for example, through Airbnb or VRBO) and want to give guests access for the duration of their stay.

Can Wi-Fi-enabled openers connect to smart home systems?

Aladdin Connect technology allows you to link up your garage door opener with smart home systems such as Alexa, Google Assistant, Control 4, and Yonomi. This is useful for anyone who wants to simplify their lives by integrating all the electronic systems in their homes — or for people who want to be able to say, “Alexa, open my garage door.”

Which Genie openers have Wi-Fi connectivity?

Wi-Fi connectivity comes standard with the following Genie garage door openers: Connected ProSeries Model 2128, Reliag ProSeries Model 3120, and Connected ProSeries Model 4124.

All three openers are available in both belt and chain drive configurations. And they all have powerful DC motors that deliver quiet, reliable operation. Additionally, they each come with the full range of Genie safety and security features, including Safe T-Beam Non-Contact Reversing System, Intellicode Access Security System, and GenieSense Monitoring and Diagnostic Technology.

To find out more about these openers and to determine which one is best suited to your home, speak with one of the experts at Creative Door™ at a location near you!

Genie Garage Door Openers in Western Canada

Creative Door™ carries and installs Wi-Fi-enabled Genie garage door openers at all our locations across Western Canada: Edmonton, Alberta; Fort McMurray, Alberta; Calgary, Alberta; Vancouver, British Columbia; Kelowna, British Columbia; Saskatoon, Saskatchewan; Regina, Saskatchewan; and Winnipeg, Manitoba.

Trust our experienced team with all your garage door operator installation, repair, and maintenance needs. Contact us to learn more about our products and services.