There's a moment most of us know well.

You're in the middle of cooking dinner, the kids are loud, and the gate buzzer goes off.

You have no idea who it is.

You drop everything, walk to the intercom panel, squint at a grainy black-and-white image, and try to figure out if you need to buzz them in or not.

Or maybe you're two hours away from your rural property and your Airbnb guests just arrived — and they can't get in because they misplaced the key code you sent them.

Or perhaps you're a local business owner who's had one too many "after hours" visits from people who shouldn't be there.

The good news? There's a smarter way to manage all of it — and it's exactly what we do here at The Techery.

When most people think about entry systems, they picture a basic video doorbell. And while those have their place, what we install goes well beyond a WiFi camera on your front door.

A properly designed smart access and entry system ties together your intercom, gate or door control, keypads, alarm integration, and even your phone — into one seamless experience. You can see who's at the gate, talk to them, and let them in (or not) from anywhere in the world. No running to the door. No leaving a key under the mat. No awkward lockout calls at 9pm.

This is hands-free living done properly.

At The Techery, one of our go-to access control platforms is Ubiquiti's UniFi Access ecosystem. It's the same brand we use for WiFi and surveillance, which means everything speaks the same language — managed from a single app, on a single platform.

Here's what that looks like in practice:

The G3 Reader Pro is a touchscreen access reader that sits at your entry point — whether that's a front door, a gate, a garage, or a commercial entry. It supports multiple ways to unlock: tap your phone (via Mobile Touch Pass), use an NFC card or key fob, enter a PIN, or even use facial recognition. The G3 Reader supports mobile unlock, NFC cards, and TouchPass — and the G3 Reader Pro adds a camera, live view, two-way audio, and facial authentication.

What this means for you: your cleaner can have their own access code. Your guests get a temporary PIN that expires when they check out. Your staff can be granted access to specific doors during specific hours — and that access can be revoked instantly from your phone, no locksmith required.

The G4 Doorbell Pro adds another layer — it features a 5MP sensor with 1600×1200 video at 30 frames per second, a 138° horizontal field of view, infrared night vision, and two-way audio, all integrated directly into the UniFi Protect platform. If you're already running UniFi cameras on your property, your doorbell footage lives right alongside the rest of your surveillance — one app, one interface.

For multi-tenant or more complex entry needs, the G3 Intercom is ideal for multi-tenant residential and commercial entry points such as gates or main entrances — securing access while providing directory services to call specific users or contacts.

If you live on a larger property in the Southern Highlands, you already know the challenges.

Your front gate might be 400 metres from your house. Visitors often arrive when you're out in the paddock, or in town, or in another state entirely.

A properly set up access system means your gate can be unlocked from your phone — anywhere, anytime.

You can see exactly who's there via a camera at the entry point, have a two-way conversation, and decide whether to let them in, all without leaving where you are.

We've installed these systems across rural properties throughout the region,

integrating gate controllers with UniFi Access readers and cameras so that the whole entry point becomes visible,

manageable, and secure — even from hundreds of kilometres away.

And because we design everything around your actual infrastructure

— including your internet connectivity (whether that's NBN, Starlink, or 5G) —

the system is built to be reliable, not just impressive on day one.

If you manage a holiday property or short-term rental, smart access is genuinely life-changing.

No more driving out to meet guests because they lost the lockbox code. No more physical keys being copied, lost, or left somewhere unexpected. No more late-night phone calls asking how to get in.

With a properly configured keypad or NFC-based entry system, you can issue unique access codes or digital keys to each guest — codes that activate on check-in day and automatically expire at checkout. If a guest extends their stay, you update it from your phone in seconds. If something goes wrong mid-stay, you have full visibility and control without stepping foot on the property.

This is particularly relevant for the Southern Highlands, where short-term rental properties are booming and owners are often managing from a distance. We've helped a number of local property owners set this up properly — and the feedback is always the same: "Why didn't we do this sooner?"

A smart entry system is even more powerful when it's paired with a smart alarm system. That's where Ajax comes in.

Ajax is a professional-grade, fully wireless security platform that we install and configure for both residential and commercial properties. At the core of the Ajax system is a wireless modular network — motion detectors, door and window sensors, glass break detectors, sirens, and smoke or flood sensors all connect to a central Ajax Hub over encrypted frequency-hopping channels, making it difficult to jam or interfere with.

Because Ajax is wireless, installation is clean and non-invasive — no chasing cables through walls or ceilings.

Expanding coverage is simple: just pair a new device to the Hub without any rewiring.

The Ajax app gives you complete control of your system anywhere, anytime — including real-time push notifications, SMS, or calls when the alarm is triggered, and active alerts for any attempt to tamper with the system.

For rural properties and holiday homes in particular, this matters. You're not always on-site. You need a system that tells you what's happening, when it's happening, with enough detail to make an informed decision — rather than a system that just makes noise and hopes someone nearby notices.

Ajax also integrates with surveillance cameras and automation devices, meaning your security system can become part of a broader smart property setup over time.

This is important — and something we're proud of.

Installing access control and alarm systems in NSW isn't something just anyone can do. It requires a licensed security technician. At The Techery, our team holds the appropriate security licences, which means every access control and alarm installation we carry out is done legally, properly, and to a professional standard.

We're installers of both Ubiquiti UniFi and Ajax systems, which means we're trained on these platforms specifically — not just following a YouTube tutorial. When something needs configuring, troubleshooting, or updating, we know these systems inside and out.

When you invest in a properly designed access and security system, you want to know it was done right. That's what we're here for.

One of the things we hear often is: "I didn't think we were big enough for something like this."

But smart access and entry isn't reserved for luxury estates or large commercial buildings. We've designed and installed solutions for small rental properties, local businesses with a single entry point, rural homes that just want to manage their front gate properly, and everything in between.

The beauty of the platforms we use is that they scale. Start with a single entry reader and a doorbell camera. Add a keypad at the shed. Integrate your alarm. Add more camera points over time. It all lives in the same ecosystem, managed from the same app.

You don't have to figure out what you need upfront — that's our job. We come to site, understand how you actually use your property, and design something that fits.

If you're tired of worrying about who's coming and going, managing physical keys, fielding lockout calls, or simply not knowing what's happening at your gate when you're not home — let's have a conversation.

We're based right here in Bowral and we service properties across the Southern Highlands and surrounds. Give us a call on 02 4883 6781, pop into see us at Shop 5, The Mill, Bowral, or reach out via our website.

We'll come to you, take a look, and put together something that actually works for the way you live.