LiftMaster 823LM Security+ 2.0 Smartphone Controlled Remote Light Switch with Smart Light Control

I bought two of these, and they work great, although I have only used them for a week, so I can't address the issue of longevity. But what I am most pleased with is that this switch doesn't require all the special internet gateway hardware and special aps that the descriptions at Amazon and the Liftmaster web page imply you need to buy.You can pair the garage door remote directly to the switch without all the extra enhancements. If you really want to open the door and turn on other lights with your smart phone or from some computer terminal thousands of miles from your home, you will need to buy the extra gateway hardware, but they aren't necessary for just basic operation.And the pairing process is easy. I use only one button on my remote, which opens the door, which then relays signals to the switches that turn on the porch lights and the rest of the garage lights for 12 minutes in sync with the light on the opener overhead. If you will be working in the garage at night for a few hours, the switches can be activated normally like regular switches, and the lights will stay on until you turn them off. The same thing if you want to leave the porch lights on if you are expecting visitors.

I should have done this about 5 years ago when I replaced my Genie Door Opener with a Liftmaster.I installed a Leviton X10 Flash Transmitter wired to a dry switch on the door itself and installed a matching Leviton X10 wall switch. I was using this set-up to turn on/off my (4) 60-watt ceiling lights so that the garage would fill with light whenever the door was opened. The system worked great when it worked, but I have had to replace (5) Flash Transmitters and (2) door switches over the past 20 years - total cost of about $300 in replacement parts. The X10 Wall Switch always worked, but they cannot build a transmitter that will last.I started searching for another solution last week when the transmitter started working sporadically again. I had forgotten that Liftmaster offered something like this for the MyQ unit I had installed 5 years ago. WHAT AN IMPROVEMENT! I installed it tonight and it was effortless. I was able to trash all the X10 gear and wiring. I don't know how this differs from X10, but it worked instantly after I installed it.Now whenever the garage door opens, all my garage lights come on. When the door closes, all my garage lights go out at the same time the opener light switches off. I can override with the wall switch manually at any time.If you have a MyQ - this appears to be the way to go (if it lasts)!

Works fine for minimal lighting. For some stupid reason it can only handle 300 Watts. This is only 1/6 of the capacity of a normal switch. A regular light switch is good for up to 1800 Watts. Why on earth would they design a switch that can't adaquately replace an existing switch? I wanted to put the switch in for the basement of my barn where we always forget to turn the lights off. It has 480 watts of flourescent tubes so my great idea won't work.

(Boosted the rating to 4 on October 27th, 2013 - see update below)I am probably being a bit tough on only giving a 3 star rating on this product but here is why...I have been testing Liftmaster's system against Insteon's system in my house as I'm trying to see which one I want to go with in the long run. I was very pleased with the ease of install for the Liftmaster system and using the MyQ feature to control my lights and garage doors. When I actually read and paid attention to the instructions, everything whent flawlessly with the set up. I still am blown away by being able to control the lights and garage door remotely from my iPhone! Pretty cool! I also like the option of receiving alerts when the garage door is opened or a light is turned on.Here is where Liftmaster is behind its competition:Other systems, including Insteon, have advanced features on their software that allow you to run scheduled events with their products. For instance, I have installed a Liftmaster wall switch to control my outside plug that I use for my Christmas lights. At this point I will have to manually turn them on and off from my iPhone rather than being able to set a schedule up to do that for me. Being able to schedule the on/off events would be very convenient. Insteon has this feature so it trumps Liftmaster in this area. (Maybe this feature will be available with Liftmaster before I actually put up my lights this year ;))Other systems, including Insteon, have a really cool feature called "scene" where you can set up a bunch of events that are all initiated with one selection on your iPhone or even scheduled to occur at a specific time or upon a specific event. For instance, I could have a "scene" called "wake up" that turns on all the lights I use when I get up in the morning and prepare to leave for work. All these lights can be programed to turn off at a specific time; for example a few minutes after I leave.Finally, one other area that Liftmaster has to do some catch up in is the number of different products that are offered with their system. Other systems, again including Insteon, have additional sensors such as motion sensors, door contact sensors, etc. that really expand the possibilities associated with home automation. This is an exciting field with almost limitless possibilities!I would guess, or rather really hope, that Liftmaster is at this moment working on expanding their system. Maybe there is a major app upgrade just around the corner and some more gadgets in the works (?).Liftmaster, give me expanded app features and a few more gadgets to tie into your system and I will gladly give you a FIVE star rating!Let me end on a positive note... I think the Liftmaster hardware is excellent (especially the garage door controllers), the install was simple and the price of the system quite reasonable. I am eagerly awaiting (and hoping) for some upgrades to this system.Update, October 27th, 2013I just returned yesterday from my vacation home in Arizona. While there, I installed a couple of Liftmaster wall switches, a liftmaster gateway, and a new MyQ enabled garage door opener. Talk about ease of install and setup! I used the switches to control things that I didn't need on timers - a back yard flood light and the power outlet for my security camera. I also installed an Insteon system to control my garden lights, some indoor lights, motion sensors, and door open/close sensors. I went with the Liftmaster system for the two switches and the garage door because the set up was so easy and even thought they don't have the scheduling feature that Insteon has, they are just really dependable, quick to respond to my on/off commands, and never let me down (yet). The more I use Liftmaster's MyQ products, the more I love them! I have boosted my 3 rating to a 4 based on just how easy the system is to work with and how dependable it is. Still no 5 though until they upgrade their software to include scheduling.