Opening a Gate or Driveway Entry From a Distance: What Smart Locks Can and Can't Do
Few things are as satisfying as opening the gate before you've stopped the car, or letting a delivery driver in while you're across town. "Remote access" is one of the most-searched features for smart locks, and also one of the most misunderstood, because it can mean four different things: a handheld remote, the phone app over Bluetooth, the phone app from anywhere via a gateway, or a lock with Wi-Fi built in. Each needs different hardware, and none of them is the same as controlling a motorised driveway gate. This guide explains what each does, which of our locks offer it, and where the honest limits are.
⭐ Key Takeaways
- The push/pull locks (SL-P1, SL-P2) support a remote control for opening from a distance, and the TTLock app over Bluetooth at the door; away from the door, the app needs the optional G2 gateway, sold separately.
- The gate lock SL-G1 has Wi-Fi built in and uses the Tuya app, which adds remote unlocking, temporary and one-time passcodes, an access log and e-keys you can send.
- Remote access operates the lock. We make no claim that any of our locks drives a motorised gate or garage operator.
- The SL-G1 is a surface-mounted rim lock that bolts on with no cutting and runs on dry batteries, so it suits gates with no power.
- IP66 is a weather rating, not a security rating; a gate lock is only as strong as the gate, hinges and frame around it.
- The push/pull locks do not support Apple Home or Matter.
Four Ways to Open From a Distance
It helps to separate the different ideas that all get called remote access. A handheld remote control is a small fob you carry, and it works over a short range, the way a car key does. The phone app over Bluetooth works when you're near the lock, typically within a few metres, and doesn't need the internet. The phone app over the internet works from anywhere, but needs a bridge between the lock and your home network: either a separate gateway, or Wi-Fi built into the lock itself. Which of these you get depends on the lock.
| Method | What you need | Range | Our locks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Handheld remote | The remote control supported by the lock | Not published — treat as short range | SL-P1, SL-P2 |
| App over Bluetooth | TTLock app and a phone near the lock | At the door | SL-P1, SL-P2 |
| App over the internet via gateway | Optional G2 gateway, sold separately, plus home Wi-Fi | Anywhere with internet | SL-P1, SL-P2 |
| App over built-in Wi-Fi | Tuya app; the lock joins your network directly | Anywhere with internet | SL-G1 (gate); SL-C1 (camera lock) |
💡 Did You Know?
The handheld remote on our push/pull locks opens the lock. It is not described as a gate-motor or garage-door remote, and the manufacturer publishes no range figure for it. If you want a gate to swing open on its own as you arrive, that is a motorised-gate system with its own controller, and you should speak to a gate installer.
A Door at the End of the Driveway: The Push/Pull Locks
If the entry you want to open from a distance is a door — a side door off the driveway, a courtyard door, a framed-glass entry — the push/pull range is built for it. The product pages list a remote control as one of the ways in, "for driveways and gates where you want to open from a distance," alongside fingerprint, keypad code with virtual password, IC card, the TTLock app and mechanical keys. At the door, the TTLock app works over Bluetooth. Away from the door, the app needs the optional G2 gateway, sold separately, which connects the lock to your home Wi-Fi so you can unlock it from anywhere. The push/pull range doesn't support Apple Home or Matter, and we say so on every product page.
✓ Remote control supported, IP66
Smart Door Lock — Long Handle Black, IP66
Push/pull lock with a remote control option, TTLock app and mechanical keys, for a door that takes the weather.
$494.99 AUD
View Product →A Pedestrian Gate: The SL-G1
A gate isn't a door. There's no hallway to leave a key in, the upright is often steel or aluminium that can't be cut for a mortise, and there's often no power nearby. The SL-G1 is designed for exactly that. It's a surface-mounted rim lock: the lock body bolts onto the inside face of the gate and the keeper screws to the frame opposite, so nothing is cut into the upright. It suits steel, timber or stainless steel from 20 to 65 mm thick, is handed reversible, and runs on dry batteries, so no wiring to the gate is needed. It carries a fingerprint reader on both the outside and the inside, an anti-peep keypad, RFID card and a mechanical key, and it's IP66-rated.
For remote access the SL-G1 has Wi-Fi built in and uses the Tuya app, which adds remote unlocking, temporary and one-time passcodes, an access log and e-keys you can send. That makes it a good fit for letting a tradesperson through the side gate while you're at work. The manufacturer marks it CE, FCC and RoHS, not Australian certified, so ask us before ordering if you need compliance paperwork for a strata or commercial fit-out.
✓ Gate lock, built-in Wi-Fi, IP66
Smart Door Lock Fingerprint Both Sides
Surface-mounted rim lock for gates, with fingerprint on both sides, Tuya app and no wiring needed.
$354.99 AUD
View Product →What Remote Access Does Not Do
It doesn't drive a motor. A smart lock releases a bolt. A sliding or swinging driveway gate with an electric operator has its own controller, safety sensors and remote. Our locks aren't sold as controllers for those, and we won't imply otherwise. If you have a motorised gate and a separate pedestrian gate beside it, the lock belongs on the pedestrian gate.
It doesn't make a weak gate strong. IP66 describes how well the lock keeps out rain and dust; it says nothing about how hard the gate is to force. A smart lock on a flimsy gate, with light hinges or a thin frame, is a convenience, not a security upgrade. Pair it with a frame, hinges and a keeper that match what you are protecting.
It depends on your network. App control away from the lock needs internet at the lock: your home Wi-Fi via the G2 gateway on the push/pull range, or a signal strong enough for the SL-G1's built-in Wi-Fi at the gate. If the gate is far from the router, test the signal before you commit.
It still needs a backup. Batteries run flat, and Wi-Fi drops out. Every lock here has a mechanical key as a final override, and our guide to what happens when the batteries die explains the sequence.
| Your situation | Lock to consider | Remote option |
|---|---|---|
| Side gate, steel or timber, no power | SL-G1 | Built-in Wi-Fi, Tuya app |
| Side or courtyard door with a mortise | SL-P1 or SL-P2 | Remote control; TTLock app with G2 gateway |
| Sliding glass door onto a driveway or yard | SL-P2 / SL-P2-S, hook bolt | Remote control; TTLock app with G2 gateway |
| Motorised driveway gate | Not a smart lock job | Ask a gate installer |
Guest Access Without Giving Away a Key
The practical reason most people want remote access isn't convenience for themselves, it's access for other people: a cleaner, a dog walker, a delivery driver, a tradesperson. A temporary or one-time passcode, sent to their phone and expiring after the visit, is safer than a hidden key. The SL-G1 does this through the Tuya app, and the push/pull range offers keypad codes, including a virtual-password mode that lets you pad your real code with extra digits to defeat shoulder-surfing; our guide to virtual passwords explains how it works. We'll cover sharing codes with guests in a separate guide.
Shop the Gate and Weather-Rated Range
Outdoor & Gate Smart Locks
Weather-rated locks for gates and courtyard entries — surface-mounted, no wiring.
Shop the Collection →For doors rather than gates, see the push/pull range, work out the weather rating with our guide to what IP66 means, and compare every model in the complete buying guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a smart lock open my driveway gate?
Our locks open a lock, not a gate motor. For a pedestrian gate the SL-G1 is designed for it; a motorised driveway gate has its own controller and needs a gate installer.
Do the push/pull locks have a remote control?
Yes. The remote control is one of the supported ways to open them, and the manufacturer publishes no range figure for it, so treat it as short range.
How do I unlock from my phone when I'm away?
On the push/pull range you add the optional G2 gateway, sold separately, so the TTLock app can reach the lock over your home Wi-Fi. The SL-G1 has Wi-Fi built in and uses the Tuya app.
Does the SL-G1 need wiring?
No. It runs on dry batteries and is a surface-mounted lock that bolts to the gate without cutting into it.
Can I send a temporary code to a visitor?
On the SL-G1, yes: the Tuya app adds temporary and one-time passcodes and e-keys you can send. The push/pull range also supports keypad codes, including virtual passwords.
Does it work with Apple Home or Matter?
The push/pull range does not support Apple Home or Matter, and the manufacturer says so explicitly.
Key Takeaways
- Remote access means four different things: a handheld remote, the app over Bluetooth, the app via a G2 gateway, or built-in Wi-Fi — and none of them drives a gate motor.
- The SL-P1 and SL-P2 support a remote control; the SL-G1 has built-in Wi-Fi for gates with no wiring — see push/pull vs turn-handle for the door range.
- IP66 is a weather rating, not a security rating: read IP66 explained.
- Keep a mechanical key and a battery plan — see what happens when the batteries die.
- For hinged versus sliding doors see hook bolt vs straight bolt, and browse the outdoor and gate locks or the complete buying guide.