No one really stops and thinks about the many ways there are to open a door. People typically just think “I need some key/credential, then I'm in”, but has anyone stopped and thought which was the best? Well, there is no single “best” way to open a door, but there are certainly benefits to certain credentials that are better used on some openings than others. Currently, I have 3 main credential options in mind that dominate: “Tap and go” access (MIFARE and Bluetooth), PIN codes, and a good ol’ fashioned key.
Card or Phone: 2 Ways to Tap to Go
“Tap and go” access comes in 2 primary forms, an RFID credential, like a fob or keycard, and a mobile key used through a mobile device like a smartphone. Many modern electronic locks support both.
An RFID card or fob is the simpler of the two. Each credential carries a unique ID on its embedded chip, which draws power from the reader’s field the moment it’s tapped. The ID gets checked against a list of authorized credentials. Where that list lives ultimately depends on the size of the property - for smaller properties, it’s in the lock’s own memory, but on larger properties, it lives on a central system that manages every door at once.
This comes down to the volume of the locks. Let's look at a large property like a hotel for example - Having to deal with hundreds upon hundreds upon hundreds of locks requires a system that can host all of the locks' data and allow fast issuing and revoking of credentials. When dozens of people are checking in and checking out, it’s nice to have a system that can issue credentials on a whim. And if someone doesn’t turn in their credential? You can revoke their access in an instant. You might be thinking “Well if this system is so great, why don’t individuals or smaller properties use it too?” And the answer to that is simple: It costs money. Hosting a system like this requires a server which ultimately costs money, and if you’re dealing with a small volume, ultimately it’s easier to just program it at the lock.
Bluetooth mobile credentials work a little differently. Rather than a card or fob, the resident’s phone becomes the credential, typically paired through a companion app. Once paired, the phone and lock communicate directly over Bluetooth: the app sends an encrypted signal unique to that device and the lock verifies it. Most systems encrypt that signal and generate a new one for each exchange, so it can't be copied and replayed by someone nearby. A phone as one’s credential has a step up on RFID in one particular way: It doesn’t add anything extra to carry. People rarely leave the house without thefir phones and wouldn’t have to worry about carrying their card, fob, or key.
However, a phone as a credential isn’t entirely perfect. Relying on your phone as your key means that it has to be kept charged. A phone dying essentially means that you’re losing a key until you can get it back up and running again. Battery isn’t the only tradeoff. Having to deal with an app means you have to unlock your phone and open the app, and have Bluetooth turned on if you want to open your door (In many cases, a Wi-Fi connection is also required). This could be an issue for an elderly resident who isn’t the most tech savvy, or someone who lost their phone and is awaiting a new one, which is another issue in itself. A phone isn’t as easily replaced as a key or fob, so losing it means losing your phone and your access at once - a double whammy.
PIN: A Credential You Remember
A Personal Identification Number, otherwise known as a PIN, stands out as it isn’t a physical access method, but rather one the user must remember. Nothing to charge, carry, or misplace. Simply punch in a code and you’re in.
Where this credential really stands out is the ability (depending on the lock model you have) to assign temporary PIN codes. A contractor coming for one afternoon, a dog walker stopping by every day at the same time for 2 weeks, a friend checking on the house a few times while you’re away on vacation - all of that gets handled with a code that expires on its own. No major hardware changes and nothing that needs to be collected afterwards.
The tradeoff of this is the other side of the same coin: A PIN code has to be remembered, and it can be shared or guessed in a way that a physical credential generally can’t. For some people, it’s not a big deal, but it can be for others.
Mechanical Keys: The Good Ol’ Fashioned Way
Finally, we have the credential that most people know their way around, regardless of where they came from. A classic key has been around for ages now, and doesn’t care if your power’s out, network is down, or phone has died - it works in nearly every scenario. That reliability is hard to argue with.
The tradeoff that comes with a classic key is the lack of abilities it has compared to its electronic counterparts. It doesn’t have any logs of who uses it and when, and it can’t be revoked remotely. If a key goes missing, the solution involves either rekeying the cylinder or replacing the lock. Copies of keys are also relatively easy to make, as anyone who has a key can get a duplicate cut. These usability and security gaps are what caused many properties to switch over to electronic credentials in the first place.
What's Right For You
Each of these credentials serves its purpose, and what’s right for your property depends on what features you want and how you want to control access. A resident who wants speed and a property owner who wants audit trails will lean towards RFID or Bluetooth credentials through electronic locks. Someone who's often on the move and would rather not carry a physical key would probably lean towards a PIN option. A key is going to stick around regardless, because it’s the one method that’s guaranteed to work.
At TownSteel, we offer a variety of levels of access control, ranging from our 2000 to our 7000 series. Older series, such as our 2000 and 3000, use exclusively PIN codes, while newer options such as our 6000 and 7000 series offer RFID, Bluetooth, and PIN access. If you’re trying to figure out which mix of credentials makes sense for your residents, reach out and we’ll walk you through our options.