Key Cards

Key Card Access

Access control Key cards can be an advantageous addition to your business. The key card system grants specific access to employees at specific times of the day and to specific doors, therefore allowing you to control who and when is able to enter the building. A key card system is a plastic card that contains a digital structure that the door has to recognize and accept before it will unlock. The key card has a magnetic stripe that contains many tiny and unique magnets that are analyzed. If the door recognizes the specific magnetic particle pattern, it will open. All that is required for a key card system to work is the installation of a key card reader on the door. Included is a key encoding machine that enables certain permissions to the key card such as access time, number of times per day it can be used and allows for multiple door entry. It doesn't take long for a commercial locksmith specialist to install a key card system. There are three types of key card readers that authenticate the magnetic stripe pattern on the back of the card, granting access into the room or building:

  • Swipe reader- the user swipes the key card
  • Insert the reader- the user inserts the key card
  • Proximity reader- the user holds the key card in front of a designated area

Another type of key card readers includes radio-frequency identification or RFID cards, categorized by their range of signal that the key card can be read at:

  • Low frequency (LF RFID)- maximum range of 10 centimeters
  • High frequency (HF RFID)- range between 10 centimeters to 1 meter
  • Ultra high frequency (UHF RFID)- maximum range of 12 meters

There are two types of RFIDs:

  • Active- requires a transmitter to work
  • Passive- does not require any type of battery, instead, the power comes from the reader itself through electromagnetic energy

There are many advantages to using key cards in the commercial setting. Firstly, if the key card is lost or stolen, it can be duplicated in seconds without the hefty cost of rekeying. The card can easily be activated for different access points including various rooms or storage closets. It can be programmed to restrict entry for certain locks in the building, allowing only certain employees access. If an employee quits or is fired, there is no need to rekey or change the locks. Instead, you can activate or deactivate the key card in seconds. The doors no longer need to be manually locked, therefore worries about whether or not the door is locked are gone. Consider installing key cards into your office building to heighten security and restrict access to certain employees.