How to use two remotes for one ceiling fan
Most modern ceiling fan remotes are proprietary and lack a pairing mode for a second controller, making it nearly impossible to add a second unit. This leaves homeowners unable to control a single fan from multiple locations, such as opposite sides of a large room or both the top and bottom of a stairway.
What people tried
Every workaround mentioned in the threads below. We haven’t tested any of them — and nobody here is claiming they worked.
Found another way around this?
Share your steps and trade-offs so fellow engineers don't have to reinvent the wheel. No account required.
- 1Hiding the single remote in a central locationDid this help you?
- 2Wiring the fan to a third-party DC motor controller that speaks RFDid this help you?
- 3Using a smart home bridge like Bond Bridge for phone controlDid this help you?
- 4Hard mounting the remote cradle to a wall switch plate next to the power switchDid this help you?
- 5searching carefully for regular line voltage switched fans with standard bulbsDid this help you?
- 6using universal fan light wall control receiversDid this help you?
In their words
Unedited, grouped by where they were said, most upvoted first within each place, each linked to the thread it came from.
“Hitting a switch is easier than keeping track of a bunch of remotes.”source ↗
“3 remotes for each room is insane”source ↗
“Remotes all seem nonstandard with no ability for > 1 remote. Also, replacing broken remotes seems really difficult.”source ↗
“most DC fan remotes are proprietary garbage with no pairing mode for a second remote.”source ↗
“As for multiple remotes, good luck.”source ↗