One small box. Up to three switches.
SmartRemote is a compact IoT relay device — roughly the size of a Wi-Fi router — that mounts near your gate motor, distribution board, or wherever your switches are. It connects to your home Wi-Fi and puts three independent relay switches under your remote control.
Each switch can control something different: your gate, your outdoor lights, your irrigation pump. Each one has its own settings, its own schedule, and its own behaviour.
Gate motor / Garage door
Quick trigger — closes the relay briefly to activate your motor, just like pressing the button on your remote.
Lights
On/Off toggle — switch outdoor, driveway, or security lights on and off remotely or on a schedule.
Pump or irrigation
Scheduled or manual — run your borehole pump, irrigation system, or pool pump at set times.
Up and running in under an hour
Most people install SmartRemote themselves. If you're wiring it into a gate motor or lights, a regular electrician can do it in 20 minutes.
Mount and power the device
Find a suitable spot near your gate motor, DB board, or the switches you want to control. SmartRemote runs off 12V DC — the same supply most gate motors and garage doors already use. It has a green Phoenix connector for direct wiring inside a gate motor enclosure, and a standard 12V barrel jack for external installation powered from a wall adapter. If you don't already have a suitable 12V supply, we can include one as an optional extra.
- 12V DC powered — compatible with most gate motor batteries
- Phoenix connector for in-motor wiring, barrel jack for external use
- 12V power supply available as an optional extra
- Compact size — fits almost anywhere
Wire your switches
Each of the three relay outputs connects in-line with whatever you want to control. For a gate motor, you wire it in parallel with the existing open/close button terminals. For lights or a pump, it wires into the live feed. Your regular electrician will know exactly what to do.
- Three independent relay outputs
- Works with 12V, 24V, and 240V loads
- Clear wiring diagram included in the box
Connect to your Wi-Fi
Once powered on, SmartRemote broadcasts its own temporary Wi-Fi network. Connect your phone to it, open a browser, and you'll be taken to the setup page. Enter your home Wi-Fi name and password, and SmartRemote joins your network. Takes about two minutes.
- Works with any standard 2.4GHz Wi-Fi router
- No app required for setup — just a browser
- Remembers your Wi-Fi through power cuts
Configure via the web dashboard
Log in to iot.smartremote.co.za from any browser. From here you name your switches, set their behaviour (quick trigger, on/off, or scheduled), authorise the phone numbers and Telegram user IDs that can control the device, and configure weekly schedules.
- Set switch names and behaviour modes
- Authorise WhatsApp numbers and Telegram user IDs
- Configure weekly schedules per switch
Six ways to take control
Once set up, you can control your switches from wherever you are. Pick whichever method suits you — or use several.
Message your SmartRemote's WhatsApp number with the device name. Your number is checked against the authorised list and the switch triggers within seconds — no app, no password, no extra setup.
Example commands
acmedevice
acmedevice two
acmedevice three
Telegram
Prefer Telegram? Message SmartRemoteZABot, send the device name, and your switch responds — no WhatsApp account needed. Auth is by your Telegram user ID, which the owner adds in the dashboard.
Example commands
acmedevice
acmedevice two
acmedevice three
Mobile app
Download the SmartRemote app and connect directly to your device over Bluetooth. One tap triggers a switch — no internet required. Perfect when you're on the property and want instant response.
- Works without internet on-site
- One-tap buttons per switch
- Available for iOS and Android
Web dashboard
Log in to iot.smartremote.co.za from any browser — phone, tablet, or computer. Control all three switches manually, update schedules, authorise users, and check device status.
- Works from any browser, anywhere
- Manual override of schedules
- Full settings and configuration
SMS
The same commands as WhatsApp, sent as a text message. No data connection required — works anywhere you have cellular signal. Auth is by your cell number, which the owner adds in the dashboard.
Example commands
acmedevice
acmedevice two
acmedevice three
Missed call
Call the SmartRemote number and hang up. The device sees your caller ID, confirms you're authorised, and triggers the assigned switch. No data, no typing, nothing to install — works from any phone.
- Zero data required
- Nothing to type — just call and hang up
- Optional voice confirmation
Set it once. Let it run itself.
Each switch has its own weekly schedule. Set exactly when it should turn on and off — SmartRemote handles the rest automatically, even when you're asleep, on holiday, or off the grid.
Schedules are stored on the device itself, not in the cloud. If the power goes out and comes back, your schedules are still there and the device resumes automatically.
- Daily or day-of-week schedules per switch
- Survives power cuts — no cloud dependency
- Override manually at any time
- Set and manage via the web dashboard
Example weekly schedule
Outdoor lights switch off
Every day at 06:00
Outdoor lights switch on
Every day at 18:30
Irrigation runs for 30 min
Mon, Wed, Fri at 07:00
Security light comes on
Every night at 22:00
Security light switches off
Every day at 06:30
Each switch works the way it needs to
A gate doesn't work the same way as a light. SmartRemote lets you configure each switch independently so it behaves exactly right for what it's connected to.
Quick trigger
The relay closes briefly — typically for one second — then releases. This mimics pressing a physical button, which is exactly what gate motors and garage doors expect. Controllable via all four methods.
Good for:
- Gates and garage doors
- Doorbell triggers
- Momentary switches
On / Off toggle
Press to switch on. Press again to switch off. The relay stays in whichever state you last set. Perfect for anything that should stay on until you tell it to stop.
Good for:
- Outdoor and security lights
- Fans and extractors
- Water pumps
Scheduled
The switch follows a weekly timetable you set in the dashboard. You can still override it manually at any time — but the schedule takes over again at the next scheduled event.
Good for:
- Garden and driveway lights
- Irrigation systems
- Pool and borehole pumps
Ready to set it up?
Order your SmartRemote device and have it controlling your gate, lights, and more within the hour.