Installation Overview

A ClavePoint install needs the right camera view, power, network, and gate relay.

If your site has those four pieces, the system is straightforward. This page helps you check your site in under a minute. Installer specs and full hardware details are one click away.

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The Four Pieces

Each piece has one job. If you have all four, you can install ClavePoint.

Plate Camera

A continuous RTSP/ONVIF PoE camera aimed at the plate, with real IR and the right lens. For most close gate lanes a 2 MP / 1080p camera is enough.

ClavePoint Appliance

The small computer that reads the plate, checks your approved-plate list, and decides whether the gate should open. Lives at the operator or IT closet.

Gate Relay

A small networked switch that mimics the gate's open button. The relay stays near the gate operator; the camera can be elsewhere.

Power and Network

Wired Cat6 with PoE is best. If trenching is not possible, use a wireless bridge. If no power exists, use a packaged solar PoE cabinet installed by your contractor.

Install anatomy

Four Pieces, One Local Decision

The camera supplies the video stream, the appliance makes the access decision locally, the relay mimics the gate button, and the dashboard logs what happened.

Plate camera
RTSP / ONVIF video
Appliance
Local whitelist match
Relay
Dry contact trigger
Gate opens
Event logged locally
Best: wired Cat6 + PoE
Fallback: wireless bridge
Remote sites: solar PoE cabinet

Pick the Scenario That Fits Your Site

One of these almost always describes the install. Pick the closest match and read the short answer.

Best case

Normal wired gate

This is the simplest path. A PoE camera mounts within 328 ft of the operator, Cat6 runs to the appliance, and the relay sits next to the gate controller. Most HOA and small commercial gates fit here.
Rear plates

Rear-plate state

In states like Tennessee or Florida that only issue rear plates, the camera has to see the back of the vehicle before the gate opens. That usually means a second mounting point upstream from the gate. The gate relay still stays at the operator.
No trench

No trench, but power is nearby

If trenching cable across a driveway is not practical, use a point-to-point wireless bridge between the camera pole and the appliance side. As long as the camera has power, the data path can be wireless.
No power

No power at the camera

For remote camera points with no AC power, use an industrial solar/battery PoE cabinet plus a wireless bridge. ClavePoint specifies the camera stream; your low-voltage or security contractor installs the pole, panels, and battery.
Moving traffic

Roadside or open parking lane

For drive-through car washes, parking entrances with no stop bar, or roadside enforcement, the camera needs a longer lens, a tighter capture zone, and a faster shutter. This is where the installer guide matters most. See installer specs.

Not sure which one fits?

Send a gate photo, the likely camera location, and what power or conduit is nearby. We will map the simplest install path before quoting hardware.

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What Drives Cost or Complexity

If a site has one of these, the install is still straightforward but the quote will reflect it.

Rear plates only

May need a second mount point upstream from the gate.

No power at the camera

Adds a solar/battery PoE cabinet and contractor labor.

No conduit or Cat6 path

Adds a wireless bridge pair and surge protection.

Long capture distance

Needs a longer-lens camera and a tighter capture zone.

Multiple lanes or gates

Each lane wants its own camera; one appliance can serve several.

Compliance requirements

Component-status documentation or vandal-rated housings can be scoped when required.

Five-Minute Pre-Install Checklist

Answer these before requesting a demo or quote. We need exactly this much to scope your site.

  1. 1
    Where is the plate visible before the gate opens?

    Stand where the camera would mount and look at the lane. Can you read a plate from that angle, at that distance, at night?

  2. 2
    Is there power or conduit near that camera position?

    PoE-from-the-operator is easiest. Existing power at a pole is the next-best option.

  3. 3
    Can we keep the camera within 328 ft of PoE, or do we need wireless?

    Cat6 with PoE works up to 100 m / 328 ft. Beyond that, a wireless bridge is the answer.

  4. 4
    Is your state front-plate or rear-plate only?

    Rear-plate-only states change where the camera has to sit. We will design around it.

  5. 5
    Who is your gate or low-voltage contractor?

    They handle pole, mount, conduit, solar, and the final relay-to-operator wiring. We coordinate with them on the integration.

Frequently Asked Questions

Short answers for buyers, board members, and operators. Installer-level questions live in the installer guide.

Not always. ClavePoint works with RTSP/ONVIF IP cameras, but the camera has to be aimed and configured for plates. A general overview camera is usually too wide. For most close gate lanes, a 2 MP / 1080p PoE camera with real IR and the right lens is enough.
Usually no. At gate distances the goal is a tight, clear image of the plate. A 1080p stream with the right lens gives the reader enough detail and keeps processing fast. A 4K wide-angle stream can waste compute without making the plate easier to read.
The camera needs to see the rear plate before the gate opens. That may mean placing a camera upstream, behind the vehicle path, or on a separate pole. The gate relay stays at the gate operator; only the camera location moves.
Use a point-to-point wireless bridge if power exists near the camera. If there is no power, use a packaged solar PoE cabinet plus a bridge. Cellular is the fallback when line-of-sight is not practical.
Your low-voltage, gate, or security contractor owns field installation: pole, mount, conduit, solar, batteries, wireless bridge, cellular, and local code compliance. ClavePoint owns the camera stream requirements, appliance setup, gate relay integration, and the acceptance test.
ClavePoint makes the core gate decision on the local appliance at your site. As long as the appliance, camera, network switch, relay, and gate motor have power and are connected, a recognized approved plate can open the gate without internet. Remote support and cloud features need internet.
No. ClavePoint is an access-control device, not a safety device. The gate operator's safety loops, photo eyes, and obstruction sensors must remain installed and working. Our relay only mimics the existing "open" button; qualified installers must preserve and verify safety wiring after integration.

Need the technical version? Read the installer guide for lens, mounting, fps, component documentation, weatherproofing, and the full hardware FAQ.

Send Us Your Site

Send a gate photo, the planned camera location, and a quick note on power and conduit. We will confirm the simplest install path before quoting hardware.

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