The ultimate guide to access control cards
By James Kelly on December 17th, 2019
Access control cards can be complicated, which makes choosing the right products for your business a little daunting, particularly if you’re completely new to the topic. So, as the experts in all-things access control, we’ve had an in-depth look at the main options to help you out.
This guide will explain what they are, their pros and cons, the different card technology options on offer and the benefits and drawbacks of each. We’ve also taken a look at some of the alternatives to the cards themselves, and given you some pointers as to which cards would be best for you depending on your security needs.
1. What are access control cards?
An access control card is a card that works in conjunction with an access control system to act as a key, granting and restricting access as required. Most access control cards are the same size as a debit card or driving licence.
The term “access control card” can be considered a catch-all for several varieties of card. We’re sure you’ll have heard of, or used some of them: magnetic-stripe cards, proximity cards, smart cards, RFID cards, key cards.
They all look largely the same, but they actually vary considerably in how they are read by card readers and the level of security they offer.
Before we look at the different technologies, let’s start with the basics: The cards work alongside access control systems and readers to provide secure entry to a building, organisation or workplace.
They can be considered the 21st century alternative to the lock and key and are used to secure thousands of organisations, businesses and facilities across pretty much every sector.
Smartcard Store’s customers include universities, hospitals, public sector bodies, hotel chains and large corporations. In short, access control cards are the easy, secure way to control entry.
As well as permitting entry though, lots of access control cards have other capabilities too. They can carry personal data relating to the card holder, record clocking in/out information for employees and students and be activated or deactivated at the moment’s notice via an access control system. So let’s have a more in-depth look at their benefits.
2. What are the benefits of using access control cards?
The most obvious benefit to using cards for access control is that they provide so much more security than a lock and key. Encrypted technology makes them difficult to duplicate (some are more difficult to duplicate than others, as we’ll discuss later).
In the event that a card is lost or stolen, it can also be deactivated by the administrator of the access control system too. This means that even if a card is picked up by an unauthorised person, they will not be able to use it to gain access.
As we touched on above, access control cards have the ability to store personal data. The amount of data they can store depends entirely on the type of card in question, but even the most basic barcode systems are capable of recording a certain amount of info.
It’s this data that allows them to function as an access control key, but they can also store information that relates to the cardholder themselves including date of birth and other key data.
Another distinct advantage of access control cards is their ability to limit access to certain areas.
This is useful for large organisations that need to limit employees’ access to restricted areas of a building or during certain times of a day. Access control cards can even be programmed to allow a certain number of ‘unlocks’ before expiring.
3. What are the different card technologies?
Now you know what access control cards are along with their benefits, it’s time to look at the different kinds of technology available.
Contactless cards and proximity cards for access control
For most people, contactless smart cards will offer the optimal solution to their access control needs. You might have heard them referred to as proximity cards, key cards or simply contact cards.
These are cards that contain internal technology that allows them to store up to 100 times more data than a magstripe card and, because the technology is internalised, they are more durable too.
The technology we’re referring to is RFID (Radio Frequency ID). Cards with RFID technology feature a tiny microchip and antenna internally.
The microchip contains encoded data which relates to the card holder, and when used in conjunction with a reader, grants access. It can do this by transmitting the data via the antenna.
RFID smart cards are the increasingly dominant form of access control cards for a number of reasons. They are much more durable than magnetic stripe cards and are extremely convenient to use.
26-bit is the industry standard, with 125kHz and more recently 13.56MHz being the most secure and commonly used frequencies. Thanks to their higher frequency proximity cards are considered the most secure access control card option by many – including ourselves. They are made by companies such as HID and Paxton. We’ve put together a guide explaining the different types of HID cards.
While ID card printers are available with a smart card encoding module, if you’re a smaller organisation you’ll most likely have to send away for your HID cards to be encoded. This is because the cards will be unique to your access control system, which again boosts security. If you need to order more in the future, you’ll need to know some key details including the card format, facility code and card sequence.
Magnetic stripe cards for access control
Magnetic stripe cards, also known as magstripe, have been a popular way of providing access control for years. While RFID smart cards are the best option for most, magstripe cards are still a popular choice. It’s worth bearing in mind you can order your cards with multiple technologies: great if you have some form of pre-existing system in place but need to upgrade.
The magnetic stripe on the rear of the card contains iron particles that can be encoded by magnetising them as either positive or negative. There are three separate tracks of particles on magnetic stripe cards, and each can hold a certain amount of data.
Two distinct types of magnetic stripe cards are available: Low-Coercivity(LoCo) and High-Coercivity (HiCo).
Both have their benefits and drawbacks, but the main difference is the measurement of Oersteads (Oe). This essentially means how high their magnetic field polarities are.
Loco cards are the easiest to encode and are typically used for gift cards, membership cards and reward cards, but can also be used for access control and are often used in situations where access is required for a set amount of time, such as in the hotel industry.
They operate between 0 and 300 Oe and won’t last as long as HiCo cards. This is because their lower magnetic force is more susceptible to interference and damage from certain metals. If you’ve ever had your smartphone and hotel key card in the same pocket, you’ll know what we mean.
HiCo cards on the other hand, can be swiped far more frequently and last much longer. Their stronger magnetic force make them more suited for frequent use and are a better bet than LoCo cards for providing long-term access control.
Unlike LoCo cards though, they cannot easily be re-encoded. ID card printers are capable of encoding LoCo and HiCo magstripe cards, but you’ll have to select it as an optional extra before purchase.
If you’ve already got an ID card printer, it may be possible to upgrade it to encode magstripe access control cards. Get in touch with us directly for more information on encoding upgrade options.
Barcodes for access control
It’s worth remembering that you don’t necessarily need a magnetic stripe card or smart card. Barcodes are well-known for their use in the retail sector, but they are used for lots of other things too – including access control.
When a barcode is scanned by a reader, an access control system is capable of reading the data stored on the barcode and granting access.
Because they can be printed on to blank plastic cards using an ID card printer, they are an exceptionally cost-effective form of providing access control, particularly in an environment that requires a high-volume of cards.
However, they aren’t the most secure or durable. They are visible for a start, meaning they’re susceptible to being copied. They can only store basic data too, and depending on the quality of the print, might start to rub off if the card is not well protected.
4. What else can you do with access control cards?
Access control cards can do more than control who can enter a building. Let’s start with the most obvious point: Access control cards can double up as photographic ID. It’s imperative for large organisations to issue ID cards to employees.
Many businesses choose to produce their ID cards in-house as and when required by using an ID card printer. The majority of printers can be ordered with encoding options that allow the card administrator to create access control cards. There are several different types of encoding available depending on the technology you require.
It’s important to remember that you must use a retransfer ID card printer if you’re encoding smart cards. This is because they often have raised surfaces because they contain a microchip and antenna. If you use a direct-to-card printer, you run the risk of damaging your print head, and could even void your warranty.
5. Alternatives to access control cards
Compared to an old fashioned lock and key, access control cards are much more secure, cost-effective and, once your access control system is in place, very difficult to beat.
But there are some alternatives to the cards themselves. These include RFID key fobs. You can attach them to a bunch of keys on a key ring or clip them to lanyards.
If you require an access control solution but have already issued ID cards, RFID stickers are another option to consider. These can be stuck into place on existing cards and are ideal if you need to add access control on an adhoc basis.
There are also RFID wristbands too. These harness the same technology you’ll find in smart cards and fobs, but are an original, easy-to-use alternative that are great for events, festivals and exhibitions.
Companies such as HID are now offering mobile credential technologies. Part of the iClass range, HID’s Seos is a cutting-edge alternative (or addition) to your card issuance system.
6. So which access control card option is best for you?
The type of access control card you end up with will depend on numerous factors. There’s no one-size fits all solution. You should take into consideration whether you consider your business or organisation to be “high-risk” or “low-risk” as well as your business needs for the future.
Barcodes are a cost-effective way of creating access control by adding them to identity cards, and they can be printed with the vast majority of ID card printers. However, they don’t offer as much protection as other technologies, and are far inferior to smart cards and proximity cards offered by manufacturers such as HID.
Magnetic stripe cards have been used for access control for decades and are still a popular choice for many. LoCo cards are easily re-encoded and are a great way of providing security when access control is only needed for a short period of time. This is why magnetic stripe cards are often used in hotels.
HiCo cards are more durable as a long-term option, mainly because their higher frequency ensures they are less liable to become demagnetised. That said, both LoCo and HiCo cards can become easily damaged by scratches and marks.
These days, for security and convenience, we’d recommend RFID smart card products above all else. They offer the best protection because unless you’re a large organisation with in-house encoding, you’ll have to purchase them pre-encoded for your system. While this means you’ll have a wait for them to be delivered, it reduces the risk of them being copied.
RFID technology also means you don’t necessarily have to stick to cards. If key fobs or token are more convenient, they can provide equally secure access control.
You can read more about access control cards and find helpful support articles in our hub, or alternatively you can give our helpful staff a call on the number below.
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