How to Enable Virtual Intercoms

GateHawk’s Virtual Intercom provides your residents’ guests with an additional method of utilizing the features a physical GateHawk intercom provides. If, for any reason, a guest chooses not to use the physical intercom or the physical intercom is compromised, the Virtual Intercom provides guests with a virtual version of that intercom directly on their mobile device. The Virtual Intercom allows guests to access the directory and call residents or managers (two-way audio only) as needed from their mobile devices rather than the physical intercom. 

To use the Virtual Intercom, guests must scan the QR code posted on the physical intercom. To help prevent guests from utilizing the Virtual Intercom feature maliciously, guests must also meet the following requirements to access the Virtual Intercom:

• Their mobile device must have Location Services enabled

• They must be physically near the intercom (the default distance is 30 feet, but this is customizable to your liking)

• They must be using a mobile device (as opposed to a laptop computer)

Once the Virtual Intercom is accessed, the guest is temporarily presented with a mobile version of the community directory. From there, they can tap on the desired resident (or manager) to initiate a two-way audio call in which the resident or manager can choose to grant or deny access to the community. 

Setting Up a Virtual Intercom

Suppose you would like to enable the Virtual Intercom feature for one of your GateHawk units. In that case, you can either configure the feature yourself or contact your GateHawk dealer directly to have them configure it on your behalf.

If you would like to configure Virtual Intercoms on your own:

1. Log into the GateHawk Property Portal

2. Click on the Property Organization where the intercom is located (if applicable)

3. Click the Intercom Units tab at the top of the page
   

4. Click on the desired intercom

5. Click the Virtual Intercom tab under the name of the intercom
   

6. Click on the Enable Virtual Intercom toggle to turn on the feature (the feature is enabled when the toggle is blue)

7. By default, Enable Mobile Device Check will be toggled on when you enable the Virtual Intercom feature which requires guests to be within a specified range of the physical intercom to utilize the Virtual Intercom (recommended) but feel free to disable it if desired

8. Input the Latitude and Longitude coordinates of the physical intercom’s location on the property using one of the following methods listed in the next section

9. Set the Maximum Distance from Intercom in the text field (the default and recommended is 30 ft)

10. Click Save 

Your residents’ guests will now be able to utilize the Virtual Intercom feature for that intercom!

Finding Your Intercom’s Coordinates

The easiest way to find your intercom’s latitude and longitude coordinates is via Google Maps. 

To find the coordinates using your internet browser on your desktop or laptop:

1. In a different window or tab of your internet browser, open https://maps.google.com/

2. Click and drag on the map to find the approximate location of your property

3. Zoom in as closely as possible to find the exact location of the intercom

4. Hover your cursor over the intercom’s physical location and right-click on your computer mouse

5. The coordinates of that location will be displayed in the pop-up menu (click on the coordinates to copy them to your computer’s clipboard)

To find the coordinates using your mobile device:

1. Stand by your intercom 

2. Open Google Maps on your mobile device and allow the program to find your location

3. Tap and hold on the screen where the intercom is located on the property to drop a pin

4. The coordinates of the pin will be listed in the Google Maps search bar

Requesting QR Codes

The secret to how the Virtual Intercom works is all in the QR code. Newer intercom models may have Virtual Intercom QR codes pre-installed on the device, but if you are setting up the Virtual Intercom on a unit without a pre-installed QR code and need one sent to you, or you just need a replacement, please submit a support ticket to the GateHawk Support Team here, or call us directly at 602-607-4620.