Door Access & Intercom
Grandstream GDS37xx Door Stations & Video Intercoms (GDS3710/GDS3712/GDS3705)
Installing a Grandstream GDS door station so visitors can call your phones from the door, and staff can see who's there and buzz them in. Covers wiring basics, connecting the unit to your phone system, and opening the door from any desk phone.
Setup steps
- 1Plan the install: the door station mounts at the door; a network cable runs from it back to your switch. The unit can be powered by PoE (a single network cable does everything) or by a 12V DC supply if PoE isn't available. PoE is strongly recommended.
- 2The door release (electric strike or magnetic lock) wires to the GDS's built-in relay terminals: the lock's circuit connects through COM and either NO (normally open — for strikes that unlock when powered) or NC (normally closed — for maglocks that unlock when power drops). Use a separate power supply rated for the lock; don't power the lock from the GDS itself.
- 3Door lock wiring affects life safety and fire egress rules — if you're not comfortable with strike/maglock wiring, stop here and call Business IT Solutions at (207) 819-8229. We install these regularly.
- 4Connect the GDS to a PoE switch port and let it boot. It will grab an address from your router automatically; if there's no DHCP server it falls back to 192.168.1.168 after a few minutes.
- 5Browse to the unit's address and log in: username admin, and the unique random password printed on the sticker on the unit. Change the password and store it safely.
- 6Configure the SIP account: in the door station's account settings, enter the phone-system account details (server, extension number, password). If we host your phone system, we'll provision the door station as an extension for you.
- 7Set the doorbell target: configure the door station's call button to dial the extension or ring group that should answer the door — reception, a group of phones, or even a cell phone via the phone system.
- 8Set the door-opening PIN: in the door system settings, configure the 'remote PIN to open door.' Anyone who answers a door call enters this PIN from their phone's keypad to trigger the relay and unlock the door.
- 9Test the full loop: press the door button, answer at a desk phone (video appears on video-capable phones like the GXV/GRP color models), enter the PIN, and confirm the lock releases and re-locks.
- 10For video models (GDS3710/3712), aim and focus the camera view from the web interface, and check the picture at night — the built-in illumination covers normal doorway distances.
- 11If the unit also supports keypad entry or RFID cards/fobs, program codes and cards for staff in the web interface so employees don't need to be buzzed in.
Troubleshooting
Pressing the door button doesn't ring any phones+
Check the door station is registered to the phone system (its web dashboard shows the account status). If it shows unregistered, the SIP settings or network path are wrong. If it's registered but not ringing, confirm the button is set to dial a valid extension or ring group. A reboot of the door station clears most one-off registration hangs.
I answer the door call but the door won't unlock when I enter the PIN+
First confirm you're entering the exact remote PIN configured in the door station (followed by # if your system requires it) while the call is active. If the PIN is right, the issue is usually DTMF — the tones from your phone aren't reaching the door station. That's a phone-system setting; call us at (207) 819-8229 and we'll align the DTMF mode on both ends.
Door unlocks but instantly re-locks before anyone can pull the handle+
Increase the relay/door-open duration in the door station's settings — 3 to 5 seconds is typical. If the strike buzzes but the door still won't open, the strike may be binding against the door frame; that's a mechanical adjustment, not a settings problem.
Video is black or terrible at night+
Check that nothing was mounted over or too close to the camera/illumination window — overhangs and stickers block the built-in IR/white light. Aim the unit away from facing bright lights directly (parking-lot floodlights pointed at the lens will silhouette everyone). Clean the lens; door stations live outside and get grimy fast.
Door station randomly goes offline+
Outdoor cable runs are the usual suspect: moisture in a connector or a marginal PoE run. Check the cable and connectors at both ends, and confirm the switch port isn't over its PoE budget (the GDS drops when the switch can't feed it at peak draw). If it's on WiFi via an adapter or a long run near power lines, expect trouble — a clean wired run fixes it.
Anyone can guess their way in / I need to change who can unlock the door+
Change the remote PIN in the door station settings and update the staff who answer door calls. Remove departed employees' keypad codes and RFID cards promptly in the web interface. If the unit is publicly reachable on the internet for remote viewing, it must sit behind proper firewall rules — have us review the setup rather than forwarding ports to it.
Pro tips
- Power the lock from its own supply and switch it through the GDS relay — sharing power between the door station and the lock causes reboots when the strike fires.
- Photograph the sticker (MAC + default password) before mounting; it's on the back of a unit that's about to be screwed to a wall.
- Decide fail-safe vs. fail-secure with intent: maglocks release on power loss (fire code often requires this on egress doors); strikes usually stay locked. Your fire marshal's opinion beats convenience.
- Pair the door station with a color desk phone at reception and staff get one-touch video answer and door release — the best experience for the money.
Still stuck? We're local and happy to help.