CHAMBERLAIN BLOCKS SMART HOME INTEGRATIONS WITH ITS GARAGE DOOR OPENERS — AGAIN
A 45 dollars board that wires into the terminals of a Chamberlain or LiftMaster opener and gives you MQTT control over your own network, no cloud involved.
by Paul Wieland
HomeAutomation
- difficulty
- ●●○○○
- time
- an evening
- license
- GPL-2.0
- repo
- repo ACTIVE1,317 stars
●●○○○ · an evening · GPL-2.0 · 1,317 stars · repo ACTIVE
WHAT YOU’LL NEED
- Electronic parts — full list with part numbers in the repo BOM
- Dev board / microcontroller — runs the project firmware
Partner
COMPAREE VERDICT
ratgdo restores local MQTT control to Chamberlain, LiftMaster and Merlin openers that deliberately obfuscate their serial bus to block ordinary relays. You wire it to the opener's terminals, flash the ESPHome firmware, and point it at Home Assistant or NodeRED over your own WiFi. The hardware ships preassembled with the reed switches for door state, so this is an evening of wiring and YAML editing, not a board build. The one thing most likely to go wrong is buying it for a brand new Chamberlain opener: Security+ 3.0 models shipped after mid-2023 shut out all aftermarket controllers, and the ratgdo authors confirmed no software update can fix that. If you have an older Security+ 2.0 opener and you are tired of cloud integrations that break or charge fees, this is the cleanest local control board available. If you are shopping for a new opener, check the model number before you buy the door or the board.
IN THE REPO
NOT IN THE REPO
- —PCB Gerbers, ESPHome YAML firmware, and installation guide with wiring photos are all in the repository.
- —BOM is a single line item: the v2.5 control board with installation kit ships preassembled for $45.
- —Two reed switches for door position feedback are included in the kit.
- —Works with Security+ 2.0 openers only. Chamberlain's new Security+ 3.0 platform blocks aftermarket controllers including ratgdo, per The Verge, and no firmware update can restore that compatibility.
- —Licence is GPLv2, allows commercial use with attribution and source disclosure.
- —The repository moved from paulwieland/ratgdo to the ratgdo organization; old links redirect.
Can I build this?
This build involves mains voltage — for adults comfortable with electrical work only.
Build at your own risk. Projects involve tools, electronics and sometimes mains voltage — follow the creator’s safety notes.
Partner · KickstarterBluHub reads and burns Blu-ray/DVD/CD, adds USB-C, USB-A, SD/TF and 10 Gbps data — plug and play, grand-piano finish.
Videos
Installation walkthrough referenced in sources but not verified by Comparee.
Gallery
Start here
Navigation into the creator’s own docs — we don’t rewrite the guide, we route you to the source.
- 1.Check your opener model (Security+ 2.0 openers are supported. Security+ 3.0 openers block all aftermarket controllers including ratgdo.)
- 2.Order the v2.5 control board with installation kit (Ships preassembled with reed switches. Check the README for the current vendor link.)
- 3.Follow the wiring guide (Wiring photos show exactly which terminals on the opener to connect. Unplug the opener first.)
- 4.Flash the ESPHome firmware (YAML config is in the repo. Point it at your WiFi and MQTT broker.)
Resources
Documentation, files and community threads for this build — we link straight to the original sources and never rehost the creator’s files.
KNOWN ISSUES
- Buying it for a brand new Chamberlain opener: Security+ 3.0 models shipped after mid-2023 shut out all aftermarket controllers, and no firmware update can restore compatibility.
- Skipping the door state reed switches: the real win over a relay is knowing whether the door is actually open, not just whether you pressed the button.
- Not checking the model number before ordering: LiftMaster, Chamberlain and Merlin share the same Security+ protocol, but older non-Security+ openers and newer Security+ 3.0 models are not supported.
- Wiring it live: the control terminals are low voltage, but the opener housing has mains voltage inside. Unplug it first.
- Assuming it bypasses the opener's safety sensors: ratgdo triggers the same open/close command the wall button does. The door will still reverse if something is in the way.
- Expecting this to work with a brand new MyQ hub or app integration: ratgdo replaces the cloud path entirely. If you need the MyQ app to keep working, this is the wrong fix.
Does this work with Security+ 3.0 openers?
No. Chamberlain's Security+ 3.0 platform blocks all aftermarket controllers including ratgdo, Tailwind and Meross. The Verge confirmed with Tailwind that no firmware update to those products will restore compatibility.
Do I need Home Assistant?
No, ratgdo speaks MQTT over your local WiFi. You can use Home Assistant, NodeRED, or any MQTT client. The ESPHome firmware config is in the repo.
What is Security+ 2.0 and why does it matter?
Security+ 2.0 is an obfuscated serial protocol Chamberlain uses on openers made between approximately 2011 and 2023. Ordinary relay devices cannot trigger it. ratgdo decodes that protocol so you get real control and door state feedback.
Can I build this from scratch or do I have to buy the preassembled board?
Gerbers are in the repo, but the preassembled v2.5 board with installation kit ships for $45 and includes the reed switches. Unless you already have PCB fabrication set up, buying it is faster.
Is this legal?
You are wiring a control board to your own garage door opener. There is no bypassing of security features, and the opener's safety sensors still work. The firmware is GPLv2.
Community builds
No community builds yet — be the first, we feature the best ones.
Discussion1
FROM THE COMPAREE TEAM
The v2.5 board with installation kit ships for $45, and the whole thing runs on your own WiFi with no cloud involved. What would you integrate it with first?
Paul Wieland
Paul Wieland started ratgdo after getting fed up with MyQ's cloud integration limits on his own Chamberlain opener. The name stands for Rage Against the Garage Door Opener. The repository has since moved to the ratgdo organization on GitHub.
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DISCLAIMER
- Comparee is not the author of the projects featured here. All rights to each project belong to its creator — every page links to the original source, and we never host creators’ files.
- Information is provided without warranty and may become outdated as projects evolve. Prices are indicative bands only — always check the creator’s parts list for current costs.
- Building and operating any project is at your own responsibility. Protective equipment, safe workshop practice and compliance with local regulations are the builder’s responsibility.
CompareeTEAM23d agoedited
Practical notes from our verification: The repository moved from paulwieland/ratgdo to the ratgdo organization (old links redirect). The compatibility warning is not optional: Security+ 3.0 openers shipped after mid-2023 block all aftermarket controllers, and The Verge confirmed with Tailwind's president that no firmware update to those products will restore compatibility. The $45 price is for the preassembled v2.5 control board with installation kit including reed switches, per the README; we did not verify current vendor availability. The single biggest thing to check before ordering is which Security+ version your opener uses.