garage keypad code security
 

So a friend of mine gave a trusted contractor her garage keypad code so he could get in when she wasn't home. He called her back and said he knew exactly what her code was because those keys were cleaner than the others! He advised her to clean all the keypad keys regularly. I'm doing mine right now.

How many combinations are there when using 4 digits? He did not know exactly what the code was and no need to keep them clean.

24.

Speaking of garage codes, be sure to keep whatever code the builder/previous homeowner gives you. You'll need to check the manual for your opener and delete that code and then add one of your own. The builder told us that we could add our own code. Per the manual for ours, one code DOES NOT overwrite the another code. The keypad will keep 2 sets of codes. He didn't tell us that but I happened to find it when I read the manual. If the builder has the code, I assume his workers/sub-contractors may also have it. He may use the code on all of his houses too. It would be hard for him and workers to keep up with several codes. If there are 2 codes entered and you add a third, I'm not sure if it will overwrite 1 of the 2 or just not accept it. Didn't work on that issue. We have a code for us and another code to potentially give to others if necessary. If we give one to someone else, we plan to change it afterwards.

Having a keyboard is nuts. There are another ways to beat it so I've heard. Get rid of it Pronto Prente!

Actually there are 10,000 combinations. You calculated permutations based on 4x3x2x1=24

The question was how many combinations using 4 digits. In the original post, it said the person knew from the wear pattern which four digits were used.

If using 0-9 there are 10,000 combinations. Using 0-9, there are 5040 4 digit combinations.

No, that's picking out 4 numbers of 0-9...

If you already know which 4 separate numbers are being used (ie, the clean ones), it's only 24 combinations...

smh.... clean keys, don't clean keys, seriously there are several other methods to do it. it all comes down to whether it's worth anyone's time to do it and who is around. Facts are you can cover your house in concrete - still won't keep them out. VPN all you want - still won't keep them out. etc.

Be sure to check if your 4 digit address works as a code. I was told by one builder that all of them are set to the address during the build phase. The garage door company came out on a warranty call and confirmed that to me. If you have two doors, you can set one code for one door and another code for the other door.

Thanks for catching that error.

Since a sophisticated thief can see what keys have fingerprints, I periodically touch all keys on any combination lock.

Probably should clean your fingers.

:ohdear:

Wi-Fi garage door opener & a doorbell camera
 

I installed a WI-FI doorbell camera and and a WI-FI garage door adapter. No need to replace the door opener with the Nexx garage door opener. The Nexx works like any other garage door button except it's an app on your phone.

So, the contractor either show up at your door, you recognize him using your doorbell camera or he calls you when he's there, and you open the garage door. If the said contractor only needs to get into the garage, you can have your house door locked, and just open the garage door itself. The app is Nexx Home. The door opener wires in parallel to your button. You can also set up notifications if the door is open or opened. How many of us have driven off and gotten a mile away to ask ourselves, DID I CLOSE THE GARAGE DOOR? Pull over and check your phone. Close it from where you are.

It does take a 2Giga bit network. Xfinity's routers are set up with 5Gb, but they have both available on their routers.

Nex has some great videos on how to set them up.

Really
 

So tell us what you "heard" and from who.?

Really
 

3 builders told me that that wasn't true

The Linear garage door openers, in most recently built homes, can use 6 digits. Read the manuals that came with your home and you can easily reprogram the keypad. It takes less than 30 seconds.

24 is correct if, according to the OP, the 4 (clean) buttons to use were known.

That was the point - if you clean the buttons, the ones to use are now unclear bringing the combinations back up to 10,000

Its 24 if you do not repeat any numbers. 4*3*2*2 If you repeat numbers it is 4*4*4*4

With three clean builders, you will only have six combinations.

24 is still a good 10 minutes and quite frankly there isn't much in my house someone should be able to steal to make money to support their drug habit unless they're going after a couple of power tools that are worth 20 bucks from harbor freight, I would love them to rip something off like old furniture cuz you would probably cost me a hundred bucks to get it out of the house

Locks are for honest people.

The universe of potential numbers is the 4 clean numbers, not the other dirty numbers. 4*4*4*4=256

According to Google
 

There are 10,000 codes. I think we’re safe. 👍

Nope. 24 possible codes when the four numbers are known.

Your right!!! Four digit code would thousands of combinations.

Only 24 if you know the 4 numbers due to pad being different on just those 4 numbers!

This reminds me of a Seinfeld episode. The show about nothing. Lol

Depends on how many buttons are clean. If 4 digit code and 4 are clean then permutations are correct since you’re not using a repeated number

But he didn't know the sequence. It would have taken someone quite a while to enter.

Can't wait to get rid of the Linear garbage. The numbers of the keypad don't even light up. Two tiny led's at the top don't provide much illumination.

I get figuring out which four keys are in the code but figuring out the sequence of those numbers takes some time and doing.

I THINK it would be 24 possible combinations, assuming you can only use each of the 4 numbers one time.
If you know the four digits used, AND you can only use each number one time, punching twenty four codes in is certainly doable.

Helen Keller had the same problem

Again, we're assuming 4 clean keys.

If you could repeat digits, that would increase the number quite a bit...4x4x4x4=256 possible combinations.

But since the scenario describes 4 clean keys, we're back to 24 because repeating numbers would leave fewer than 4 clean keys. :)

My keypad uses four digits and then you need to press any forth digit. I always pick a different key for the last digit.

Somebody count.................how many posters say 24 combinations and let everyone know how many more times this needs to be posted. Thank You. :popcorn:

Ohiobuckeye
 

Very honest friend! But the 4 symbols have a lot of combinations. But very good advice. From the 8 yrs. we lived there, I couldn’t believe how many dishonest contractors there were. This person is a good friend to have!

With 4 known keys of unknown order there are 24 possible codes. Most keypads lock you out for 30 to 60 seconds after entering a wrong code. I just checked my keypad (now 10 years old) and I cannot discern any difference on the keys. Not sure this is a real issue but it can't hurt to clean the keys as long as you do not get any liquid inside the device.

Almost
 

You almost got it….if the numbers can be repeated, then there are 10,000 possible combinations with 0-9 being the numbers.