Card & Proximity Card Access Systems

Businesses want to protect themselves from outside threats of all shapes and sizes. You might work in an industry where sensitive products or trade secrets need to have protection. Or, you might want to create a safer working environment for yourself and your employees.

You can meet these and numerous other security objectives by having a quality access control system in place. It can be your first line of defense against unwelcome guests in your business. One of the most reliable, tried-and-true methods for security is the card access system. Card access systems come in many shapes and sizes, and if you want help picking the right solution, then Marlin is here to help.

Why is access control needed?

Access control systems have completely overtaken sign-in sheets, alarms, and traditional locks and keys as the most practical, effective ways to keep your company assets and employees safe.

A quality access control system can help you:

• Create a safe working environment for everyone who enters your business.
• Continuously monitor access to your facilities.
• Adjust and control different parties’ permissions to access different parts of the company.
• Adapt your company’s safety protocols to meet changing needs.
• Integrate the latest hardware, software and mobile solutions to provide trusted parties with seamless access to your facilities.

What are the three types of access control?

The best thing about an access control system is that you have total control over who can go where within your business. You can integrate these systems seamlessly into your security network to create the highest degree of both protection and convenience for your overall commercial needs.

The three most common access control systems are:

• Discretionary (DAC)
• Role-Based (RBAC)
• Mandatory (MAC)

What is a card access system?

One of the most familiar and reliable access control systems is the card access system. With the simple swipe or wave of a wallet-sized card, individuals with the right credentials can gain access to any area of the business, from the front door to your most secure areas.

Card access systems have multiple adaptable options to meet the functional needs of your business. These include:

• Wiegand Access Control Cards
• RFID Cards
• Proximity Cards
• Contactless Smart Cards
• UHF Access Cards
• Fob Access Devices

To learn more about the benefits of each card system, just keep reading.

More About Card Access Systems

What is a reader?

In a card access system setup, think of cards as keys and readers as the locks. A reader is a device that, when an access card makes contact with it, reads the data on the card to grant the cardholder access to a locked area. It is as simple as a credit card reader that collects a payment when you swipe or insert your card, but it can provide extremely high levels of security for your business.

What is a Wiegand access control card?

Consider a Wiegand card the grandfather of access control systems. These cards come embedded with specific wiring. When swiped through a card reader, the card manipulates the magnetic field of the reader and grants the cardholder access to a secure area.

The drawback of a Wiegand card is that the cards have specific coding when they are manufactured. Therefore, you don’t have the ability to change access credentials later. Most of today’s access control cards use magnetic strips or more advanced technology, but they still have the basic coding of the Wiegand system as their foundations.

What is an RFID card?

An RFID card is one of the devices at the forefront of access control systems today. These cards have microchips embedded in them which, when inserted into a card reader, communicate with the reader to provide access to the area. If you remove the card from the reader and get locked out of the area, then you will have to re-insert it into the reader to re-open the door.

The benefit of an RFID card is that it is very hard to duplicate. Therefore, the user alone has control over the data that can grant them access to a certain area. The business, therefore, has a much lower risk of someone using a duplicate card to break into their secure area.

Additionally, RFID cards are adaptable. The business owner can change the coding of the card to change the user’s access to certain areas. Therefore, there is no need to consistently replace cards whenever employees or their access permissions change.

What is a proximity card?

Many people think that an access card has to be swiped through a reader to grant someone access to a locked area. In these days, it’s actually much simpler when you use a proximity card.

Proximity cards use specific radio signal to contact the reader and activate the lock within. Simply by holding the card near the reader, the user is able to access the area. Therefore, you reduce the risks of damaging magnetic strips or RFID chips by continually inserting them into a reader.

What is a contactless smart card?

A contactless smart card is a sophisticated access device that combines both the benefits of the RFID card and proximity access to create an exceptional level of security. These cards have the ability to regenerate unique access codes with each use.

So, every time the card communicates with the card reader, each generates a unique data point to grant the user access. Therefore, in high-security areas, this card creates a very layered degree of protection.

What is a UHF Access Card?

Every RFID access card uses radio frequencies to communicate with the card reader. Depending on the strength of the radio frequency, the business can gain better control over the permissions and activities of those who use the cards.

The highest degree of security comes from the ultra-high frequency (UHF) card, which typically uses frequencies of 860 – 960 MHz to communicate with readers. A UHF card can connect with readers from yards away, and businesses use them for more purposes than simply access control, including for employee identification.

What is fob access system?

As an alternative to a key card system, there is also the fob access system. A fob essentially takes the capabilities of a card and places it within a small device designed to fit any keychain. Most fob systems today rely on proximity readers. As the user places the device near the card reader, the microchip planted within the card will activate the reader, and grant the user access.

How much does a key card system cost?

Depending on the system you choose to buy, your costs will vary. Simpler access control systems are often cheaper. However, they might not provide the highest level of security necessary for your secure areas. Therefore, you will need to find the right balance between smart technology and security.

What is the best access control system?

The best access control system is the one that creates the highest degree of security for your business while still allowing the requisite parties access to the areas where they need to go.

With Marlin’s help, you can have professional guidance in determining which card access system is best for your business’s security needs. We’re committed to helping you adapt your access system to your company’s changing needs, and that’s why we take an individual approach to every aspect of our services.