Choosing The Right Card Reader For Your Business
When your company is looking to upgrade its security, one option is to install some type of card access system. These card readers make it harder for unwanted people to enter restricted areas, but you need to figure out which option works best for your company. By understanding how each type works, you will have an easier time choosing the appropriate model to install in your building.
Swipe Cards
Swipe cards, which resemble credit cards, are commonly used as an access control point for many businesses. These cards have magnetic strips on the back, which allow a company to store a minimal amount of data for security purposes.
Usually, this data is an employee's name and job title. The card also has information about which areas an employee can enter. For example, a basic swipe card allows an employee to enter through the front door, but the card will not allow them to enter restricted areas such as a computer server room.
The swipe cards do allow companies to customize the information, but there are a few limitations. One example is that the employee must swipe the card through the reader for it to be read. When you require all of your employees to swipe their cards before they can enter, this action can take some additional time before everyone can enter the building.
Proximity Readers
When you want to reduce the amount of time it takes your employees to enter the building, you can choose a proximity reader instead. With these readers, the card only has to pass near or in front of the device for the card to be read.
The cards hold the same amount of information as a swipe card. The biggest difference is that these cards use radio waves to communicate the same information with the electronic device. Once the card is close enough, the reader gathers the information, and it can unlock doors or allow employees to use an elevator that is not accessible by the general public.
Smart Cards
Some companies have expanded the proximity readers further and have installed microchips within the cards, which are referred to as "smart" cards. The microchips use radio waves as well to communicate with the electronic device, but the cards can hold more information. The additional information held on the card can be for security purposes such as a photograph of the employee and the records for how many times the card has been used each day.
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