Pros & DIYers

YoLink at the gate — then the whole property

When I put monitoring on a gate, I reach for the YoLink ecosystem. One hub at the house or shop, a relay for control, and an outdoor contact sensor on the gate. Two gates at the same place? Still one hub — just add a second relay and a second sensor.

  • 1 gate = 1 hub + 1 relay + 1 outdoor sensor
  • 2 gates same site = 1 hub + 2 relays + 2 sensors
  • Hub choices: standard, battery backup, SpeakerHub, or cellular (~$7/mo)
  • After the gate: sprinkler timer, power monitors, leak sensors, and more
YoLink for Gates

Range is the reason. YoLink talks LoRa out to about a quarter mile in the open, so the driveway gate, the barn gate, and the shop don’t need Wi‑Fi out there. Customers get phone alerts when a gate opens or sits open, and once the gate is done they usually start adding the rest of the lineup — temp sensors, leak sensors, sprinkler timer, power plugs. I haven’t found a single person who dislikes it.

Below is the kit I actually install, the hub options (including cellular for the real remote spots), and the add-ons folks ask for after. Links go to Amazon with my Associates tag.

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

YoLink outdoor gate contact sensor

Outdoor contact sensor (the gate eye)

This is what I put on the gate leaf or frame — open/closed status on your phone, left-open reminders, and enough range to reach from the road back to the house. Same sensor works on shed doors and secondary man gates.

  • Outdoor gate / shed contact sensor (YS7707)
  • App alerts + open reminders
  • Long-range LoRa (hub required)
  • AA batteries, multi-year standby
One sensor per gate. Two gates at one site = two sensors, still one hub.
View on Amazon Ask about an install
YoLink smart relay

YoLink relay (make it do something)

Dry-contact relay for tying YoLink into openers, lights, or other low-voltage gear. I use it so the gate isn’t just monitored — you can automate and control from the app. Hub required; power the relay with 5–24V DC.

  • Smart dry-contact relay (YS5706)
  • Up to 5A switching (or drive a bigger contactor)
  • Works with Alexa / Google / IFTTT via the hub
  • One relay per gate or controlled load
Two gates = two relays. Keep a DC supply in the panel — don’t feed it AC.
View on Amazon Ask about an install
YoLink smart home hub

Standard YoLink Hub

The everyday gateway. Wi‑Fi or Ethernet, generates the LoRa network for every device on the property. One hub handles a single gate or a whole spread of sensors — I usually start here unless the site needs spoken alerts or cellular.

  • Hub YS1603 — Wi‑Fi 2.4 GHz or Ethernet
  • Supports a large device count per hub
  • Required for full app features
  • No monthly fee for the hub itself
Prefer hardwired Ethernet to the router when you can — set-and-forget.
View on Amazon Sensor + hub starter kit
YoLink SpeakerHub

SpeakerHub (talking alerts)

Same job as the hub, plus a speaker. It can chime or speak custom text-to-speech — “front gate open” — so you’re not staring at the phone. Great in the shop or kitchen.

  • SpeakerHub YS1604
  • Spoken and tone alerts
  • Wi‑Fi hub for the whole YoLink lineup
  • No mic — it talks, it doesn’t listen
If you want audible alerts without another gadget, start with SpeakerHub instead of the plain hub.
View on Amazon Ask about an install
YoLink Hub 3 cellular gateway

Hub 3 — cellular + battery for remote sites

For the places with weak or no home internet: Hub 3 adds 4G LTE (SIM ready; about $6.99/mo official) plus built-in battery backup. Use it as a normal hub on Wi‑Fi/Ethernet, or turn on cellular when the site is truly out there. For battery backup without cellular, the X3 Hub is the other button.

  • Hub 3 YS1605 — LTE + Wi‑Fi + Ethernet
  • Onboard battery backup for outages
  • Cellular plan under $10/mo when activated
  • Same LoRa range for gates and outbuildings
Rural driveway or hunting camp with bad broadband? This is the hub I point people to.
Hub 3 (cellular) on Amazon X3 Hub (battery backup)
YoLink temperature and humidity sensor

Temp & humidity sensors

I use these a lot after the gate is online — shop, pump house, dog kennel, freezer, greenhouse. Same hub, same app, long battery life, alerts when it gets too hot or cold.

  • Indoor T/H (YS8003) for enclosures & shops
  • Outdoor T/H kit option if you need it outside
  • Threshold alerts by app / email / SMS
  • Same LoRa network as your gate sensors
If you already bought a hub for the gate, extra sensors are cheap insurance.
Indoor T/H sensor Outdoor T/H kit
YoLink sprinkler hose timer

Sprinkler timer (the “after the gate” favorite)

Once the gate kit is in, this is one of the first accessories people add. Hose-end smart timer with schedules, volume mode, weather delay, and flow history — on the same hub as the gate.

  • YoLink sprinkler / hose timer YS4103
  • Timed or gallon-based watering
  • Rain delay / ECO weather mode
  • Long-range; hub for app control
Grab the timer-only link if you already have a hub from the gate install.
Timer only (hub required) Timer + hub kit
YoLink smart plug with power monitoring

Power monitors & smart plugs

See what’s drawing power and switch loads from the phone. Handy on gate operators, chargers, shop tools — anything you want eyes on without another app ecosystem.

  • Smart plug with energy monitoring (YS6602)
  • Real-time and history in the YoLink app
  • Schedules and automations
  • Hub required
Pair with a power-fail alarm if you want a ping when the gate circuit loses AC.
View on Amazon Power fail alarm
YoLink water leak sensor

Water leak sensors

Shop sinks, water heaters, irrigation valves — drop a leak sensor where a slow drip turns into a bad day. Same hub as the gate. The Sensor 2 listing below has the rope-style detection and a built-in alarm.

  • Water Leak Sensor 2 (YS7904G)
  • Rope-style detection + audible alarm
  • Long-range, battery powered
  • Scales from one spot to a whole property
Customers who love the gate kit almost always add leak sensors next.
View leak sensor Ask about an install

Quick answers

No. One hub covers the property. Each gate gets its own outdoor sensor and usually its own relay. Two gates = one hub, two sensors, two relays.

That’s what the Hub 3 cellular option is for. Built-in LTE with a low monthly data plan (Amazon lists about $6.99/mo), plus battery backup. Good for rural sites where Wi‑Fi isn’t reliable.

It’s built for outdoor gate and shed use. Mount it out of standing water and direct wash-down when you can. Lithium AAs hold up better outdoors than alkalines.

That’s half the point. Same hub runs temp/humidity sensors, water leak sensors, sprinkler timers, smart plugs with power monitoring, and a long list of other YoLink gear.

Want this on your gate?

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