Are there better alternatives to key card entry systems?
Although key card entry systems for buildings have been one of the most popular access control systems for many years, business facilities are beginning to transition towards access control solutions that are able to be operated remotely, easier to manage, and more cost-effective.
Key card entry system technology is becoming outdated and poses significant limitations in scalability, security, and convenience for commercial activity.
Access control has had to evolve more in the last year alone than in the previous decade because of how quickly our world is changing. The new normal of the COVID-19 pandemic has brought about the need for different features that move beyond basic access management, to the emergence of intelligence reporting and insights, user and admin messaging, and remote access, which are all key aspects of efficient business management.
Access control is now about much more than controlling who can get in and out of your building. Depending on your business needs, your access control system can extend to visitor management as well as smart building analytics, and there are a variety of types of keyless entry systems for you to choose from.
Contactless cloud-based entry systems will become the best alternative to commercial space management and access control. Here are some of the alternatives to key card entry systems you can choose from, and some of their main benefits.
What Are Key Card Entry Systems?
Key card entry systems are a form of electronic access control that makes use of physical key cards to access designated private spaces.
From commercial buildings, apartments, private homes, hotels, and even fitness centers, key card entry systems securely control access to your facility without the use of a key (or multiple keys) to unlock doors.
Not all key card entry systems work the same way, but they do require these basic elements:
Access credentials: The key card itself usually has a chip or sensor that communicates with the access reader
Access reader: Scans to verify the key card and sends information to a Control Panel or Controller which instructs the door to unlock
Access Control Panel: Compares key card credential to database to determine if access is granted. Depending on your building setup, you may need an Access Control Panel, a Single Door Controller for smaller deployments, or a combination of both.
Electric or magnetic door lock: Receives the signal from the access control system to unlock the door.
You can also choose from a legacy (on-site) system or a cloud-based access control option. Onsite systems and some hybrid cloud-based access control solutions may require a local server or computer to manage key cards.
What Are the Types of Key Cards?
Key card entry systems use different technology to communicate with the access reader and allow access to a building.
Wiegand Cards
Named after their inventor John R. Wiegand, Wiegand cards employ the use of magnetics and are one of the earliest types of electronic key cards, dating back to the 1970s.
The Wiegand card is swiped through a reader that emits a magnetic field to detect specific wiring built into the key card. This verifies the credentials of the user, permitting access and unlocking the door.
Interestingly, Wiegand cards still form the foundation of the ‘communications protocol’ behind most of today’s access systems, no matter what kind of ‘credential’ is used.
Swipe Cards
Swipe card door entry systems also use magnetic technology, whereby the swipe card is magnetized with a unique pattern. If the correct pattern is identified when you swipe the card through a magnetic swipe card reader the door opens.
Using a swipe card is very simple and employs similar technology to a credit card.
While the principle of a swipe card is based on that of the Wiegand card, the stripe itself is made up of polarized magnets in multiple tracks and therefore can hold a much longer data set than a Wiegand card.
Another difference is that the magnets in swipe cards are not permanently encoded, so they can be wiped and rewritten as necessary to interact with a different reader or lock.
RFID Cards and Key Fobs
Unlike Wiegand cards and swipe cards, these wireless and contactless credentials use radio waves to transfer data.
Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) cards and key fobs have a built-in RFID tag (or a microchip) with encoded digital data and unique identifying information. These tags are used to interact with card readers that have antennas that emit radio waves and receive signals from the RFID tag which determine whether you are authorized for entry into a building or not.
For the reader to pick up the signal, the user must be within a particular physical range for the reader to receive the data from the RFID tag and grant access.
There is a difference between key card systems and key fob entry systems for buildings. A key fob system uses a small remote control device, as opposed to a key card, to gain access.
Proximity Key Cards
Proximity cards, or prox cards, are a popular type of commercial keyless access system that uses RFID technology. Of the currently-existing key card systems, this one is the most modern.
Users must have an authorized proximity card to gain access to a building however, unlike other key cards, they do not need to be inserted into or swiped through a reader to work. When a prox card has been authorized, the reader simply uses an electromagnetic field to detect the card within a particular ‘read radius’ and transmits the information to a control panel for verification.
Prox cards require little training to use and operate, are easy to implement, and can be programmed to meet a variety of different needs. They have the option of being actively or passively powered which makes them a good option for a contactless commercial door entry system.
Some proximity card systems also provide trackable entry activity and data analytics for enhanced security.
What Are the Disadvantages of Key Card Systems?
Although key cards for commercial door entry systems do have their perks, there are several disadvantages to using them – namely those of security, management, and scalability.
Security Concerns
Key card door entry systems pose greater risks for security breaches. Every type of key card - Weigand cards, RFID, and prox cards included - can be easily copied with a device that costs no more than $20.
Swipe cards are easy to misplace, meaning anyone can pick up a dropped or stolen card and gain access to your space. These types of cards are also easily borrowed and are rarely if ever given back. You don’t always know if the right person has the card, thereby significantly compromising the security of your building.
When a card is lost, stolen, or unreturned, receiving new replacement key cards can take weeks, meaning your building security could also be jeopardized during that time.
Management Difficulties
Anyone who has used key cards before knows they can be quite inconvenient to manage.
Misplaced key cards are an administrative headache. The procedures for reissuing new cards and deactivating old cards to ensure access is managed properly is a time-consuming and expensive perpetual juggling act.
Key card entry systems still require physically meeting people to give them their key cards and are difficult to manage when it comes to guest, temporary, and after-hours access as they still require a platform to sign in guests, or a receptionist to be physically present to authorize and hand over the card. That doesn’t even include the time it takes to actually program each individual card, which alone can become a logistical nightmare if you’re managing a space used by more than 200 people.
Swipe cards are also known to be unreliable. The magnetic strips are prone to damage which can make them unreadable and unusable.
Non-Scalable
Unfortunately, key card entry systems are limited in what they can do.
If the key card entry system is run on a legacy (on-site) platform, it is not possible to manage multiple buildings from a centralized hub. That means each location must have its own server on-site, which can be very inconvenient and expensive for business owners.
Users who access multiple sites don’t just have to keep track of their key cards but actual physical, metal keys as well, as is often the case for storage spaces and private offices. There’s also the cost of implementing a key card system to consider, which can add up significantly when you consider that each key card you issue can cost $3-5.
Key card access systems do not allow for the revoking or granting of access remotely, making their functionality even more narrow.
Alternatives to Key Card Entry Systems
There are some great more modern access control alternatives that can solve the problems that are common in key card entry security systems.
These more advanced systems offer the same convenience as key cards with fewer drawbacks. In most cases, they are more secure, cost-effective, and convenient than their counterparts.
Keypads for Interior Access
Using a keypad on each door removes the need for physical keys or a key card to gain access to a property. Keypads use PIN codes unique to each staff member and employee to allow access to the facility.
While keypads are technically keyless, they still come with major security concerns. Pins can be easily shared with other people, which doesn’t leave an easily-followed audit trail when a security breach happens and they need to be traced.
Pros
Cost-effective: Keypads are relatively cheap and simple to install.
Convenient: The same employee PIN number can be used to unlock multiple doors, so you only need to memorize one.
Two-Factor Authentication: Stronger security when keypads are paired with other keyless entry methods.
Cons
Prone to Security Threats: Codes and PINs are rarely changed, are easy to share, and can be easily guessed or stolen by hackers and other bad actors.
High Maintenance: Having keypads requires an on-site security staff to monitor them and troubleshoot the support requests that come up when PINs are lost or stolen.
Prone to Human Error: PINs can be easily misplaced or forgotten, which adds to the burden of your security staff when they’re misused.
Video-Enabled Intercom
Intercom technology also allows for keyless entry and can integrate nicely with other access control systems for an extra layer of security.
Intercoms transmit both audio and visual information so you are better aware of who is requesting access, and connect to a building’s electronic or magnetic lock to facilitate entry.
Video intercom is often paired with keyless entry and other access control systems to provide an extra layer of security. It gives a security team a visual confirmation for anyone attempting to access the space and identify tailgaters or unauthorized personnel. Video intercom systems also make it easier for delivery couriers and guests to gain access as well.
Pros
Real-Time Verification: You or your staff can see who is at the door and confirm their identity yourself.
Integration: Video intercom systems pair well with other keyless entry systems for an added layer of security.
Cons
Labor-Intensive: Video intercom systems require an on-site security administrator to monitor the video feeds, confirm identity, and grant access. That makes this solution hard to scale when you open up a new facility or expand to a new building.
Expensive: Video intercom systems need constant maintenance and oversight, and are usually overkill for a smaller space.
Advanced Biometrics
This interesting key card alternative uses more advanced credentials to identify authorized users, including modern technology such as fingerprint and iris scans, and facial recognition data.
Advanced biometrics are generally used as part of a two-factor authentication process to complement more traditional access control methods. They add additional security by providing more certainty that who is granted access is an authorized user.
What is also great is that they can be used together with mobile access control systems, a better option is to use the biometrics built into smartphones to increase your level of security without the added expense of investing in additional biometric technology.
Pros
Highly Secure: Biometric information like fingerprints is very hard to fake and can only be supplied by your staff and authorized personnel.
Convenient and Fast: Granting access is quick and instantaneous. Placing a finger on a scanner and unlocking a door takes seconds. No more misplacing key cards or memorizing PIN codes.
Cons
Prohibitively Expensive: Biometric access control is an advanced technology that requires a significant up-front investment to install and upgrade. The technology is becoming more accessible with time, but it’s still not a realistic solution for many smaller brands.
Data and Privacy Concerns: Biometric scanning uses information that’s highly personal and unique to a person’s identity to grant access that needs to be secured from outside threats. This can be seen as invasive, and not all your employees may be comfortable with providing that data. Storing the information itself also intersects with data and medical privacy laws and needs to be treated with increased caution.
Smartphone Mobile Access Control
Cloud-based mobile access control systems have stepped up keyless security to a whole new level, now rendering key card and key fob entry systems almost obsolete.
The use of a smartphone as a remote key has made this type of access control more affordable, convenient, and secure than other options. Sending a key using this technology is as easy as entering the user’s name, phone number, and email in a mobile app or web portal.
Smartphones are also uniquely tied to an individual's identity which provides enhanced security, and there is the extra benefit of the built-in facial ID or fingerprint scanning technology in today's mobile phones, adding another layer of security for users.
This type of entry system has become a better alternative to outdated and overpriced key card systems, now that the need to control access for employees remotely has become crucial. More specifically, the popularity of coworking spaces has also driven the need for a more secure and easily personalized access control system to ensure employers can monitor just who is coming and who is going throughout the day.
Pros
Highly-Scalable: Access information is kept on a centralized cloud-based system that’s accessible from anywhere. That means you can implement it easily whenever your business expands to a new building or location, all while having access to the same data.
Convenient and Secure: Access is granted via an employee’s smartphone, which your employee is likely carrying with them all throughout the day. Smartphones already have multiple layers of security built into them, which removes the need for more conventional access control methods like key cards or PINs.
Remote Access Authorization: Mobile access control systems let you grant or revoke access whenever a device gets lost, without having to dispatch security staff or file a support request with a network administrator to resolve the issue.
Cons
Potential Security Vulnerabilities: Mobile access control makes use of an employee’s phone, which is can be lost or stolen just like a keycard can. This is less of an issue with cloud-based mobile access control, where compromised phones can be tracked and have their access credentials taken away remotely.
BYOD: Many office facilities and coworking spaces that use mobile access control have a Bring Your Own Device policy. Some businesses may feel the need to pay for a mobile device for employees which can add costs.
Why Mobile Access Control is the Best Alternative to Key Cards
In a time when remote contactless features, convenience, affordability, and ease of management are becoming non-negotiable, mobile access control is a game-changer for access control systems.
It enables you to instantly grant or revoke access from anywhere, be notified when staff enter and exit a building, and its monitoring dashboard gives you the ability to obtain intelligent insights around occupancy and space usage; providing a much more comprehensive audit trail than using key cards.
Nexkey allows you to specify business hours to keep building doors unlocked and to set a timer to lock them at the close of business – the ultimate in superior space and access control.