Alexa open my garage

Alexa don’t see my garage door opener, she sees all other devices. I’m trying to open/close garage with voice

I’m pretty sure that Echo does NOT allow you to open garage doors. Try using a virtual switch through ST.

Alexa doesn’t care whether you open garage doors or not, but right now it will only handle control requests for two types of device classes under “connected devices”: switches and dimmables.

So, yes, anything else, whether it’s a lock, garage door, thermostat, etc has to look like a switch or a dimmable so we use a virtual switch as a stand in.

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There’s plenty of videos online showing echo doing it

How can I put in a switch. My garage door opener only has 2 wires that goes to the back of motor. I purchased the linear zwave module with tilt sensor

Where will I install the switch at

I was pretty sure it wouldn’t open a “garage door opener”. Just wasn’t all that sure why. Hence, the virtual switch.

Thanks for the explanation.

There’s also a totally separate aspect, Amazon can now control the garageio door opener, which is a specific brand. Nothing to do with smartthings, and not compatible with it. But there are a lot of videos on it.

How can I make a virtual switch

The following is a clickable link.

Note however that the virtual switch is only one part of a multistep process.

One) first you must purchase a networked device which is capable of controlling your garage door.

The only one which is on the official “works smartthings list” is the gocontrol from Linear. (This is the same as the linear GD 00z series) .

http://www.smartthings.com/compatible-products/

Other popular models include the Chamberlain myQ and the Telguard.

Two) once you have the networked garage controller installed and running, you add it to the smartthings network. The exact method will vary slightly depending on the brand you picked.

Three) now you create the virtual switch. Using instructions in my previous post.

Four) now you must associate the garage control device with the virtual switch. The exact method will vary slightly depending on the garage door device that you chose. Community members will be able to help you.

Five) once the two switches are associated, then turning on the virtual switch will open the garage door and turning off the virtual switch will close it. So now we just want to be able to turn on and off the virtual switch by voice.

So now you just have to authorize echo to request smart things to turn the virtual switch on and off. See the following FAQ.

I just made it. . And thanks alot.I have a network devices, a zwave garage door opener that do show up in my list in smartthings, but alexa dint see it

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That’s the one I have, by linear

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Wish I could give u a tip. .now how can I associate the 2

Yes, alexa see the one I created but how can I link to garage

I don’t have a garage controller so I don’t have a specific example for you on associating the garage controller with the virtual switch. Hopefully other people will have suggestions. I know it’s not that difficult.

@slagle ? Since his garage door controller is on The official compatibility list is there a recommended method for putting it in a routine or otherwise associating with a virtual switch?

@lmosenko or @garyd9 or @johnconstantelo might know as well. They’ve done a lot with garage door types. :sunglasses:

Alexet helper works really well for relating a routine to a virtual switch for echo to control.

I don’t have the link, sorry.

Who? ? What? ? Alexet helper ???

Alexa helper is a smart app which allows you to sign up to six different switches (they can be virtual or physical) to run a routine or change your mode. So that way you can say “Alexa, turn on party time!” And it turns on that switch which then runs a party routine you have set up in smart things.

If routines allow you to open your garage door, you would be all set.

You would set up a routine that opens the garage door.

You would use Alexa helper to run the routine when you turn on that virtual switch.

You would then be able to tell Alexa to turn on the virtual switch.

The only reason I didn’t mention this before, is, as I said, I don’t have a garage door controller, and I don’t know whether you can put one into a routine or not. It would certainly be the easiest way.

Here’s the link to the Alexa helper topic:

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Anyone have any suggestions on how to associate a virtual switch with the Linear Garage Door opener discussed in this thread? Trying to use Echo or Bt.tn with IFTTT as a manual open/close for my garage door. I don’t use routines in Smart Things.