Magnetic Card Access Control Systems

There are many different access control systems using several different technologies. One of the most common and most economical uses magnetic cards.

You have likely seen these in most hotels. They are cards that work in a similar way to a credit card, being swiped on or near the door to disengage the lock and allow entrance. The cards have a magnetic strip which is read by the door’s access control mechanism. If the information matches the allowed access for that room, the door is unlocked so that the person may enter.

The economical aspect not only comes with the lower cost of installation these often have, but also their ability to be changed without purchasing or making costly changes to equipment or infrastructure. The Magnetic card itself can be swiped through a master reader, erased, and reprogrammed with new information. Alternatively, the card can be deactivated centrally or security allowances can be changed without the card needing to be present or reprogrammed. This allows for great flexibility, simpler on-site security, and better control of the NYC security system as a whole.

If you would like to discuss installing or upgrading your current system to an electronic access control system in New York, give us a call – (212) 780-0111

Here at Lineup Security NYC, we have experts who can come out to give an on-site consultation, free of charge, and show you how affordable an access control system can be for your New York area building.

Access Control Advantages

There are many advantages to most access control systems, especially when compared to standard lock and key systems.

The two greatest advantages are increased security and simpler management. The increased security comes from your ability to record who is granted access, and when, coupled with the ability to remove or suspend that access at any time, temporarily or permanently. The simpler management comes from no longer having to have keys cut or track who has which key. All of that management is done via computer: easily, quickly, and in real-time.

In addition to those advantages, the NYC access control system can usually be installed on the same doors, using the same locks as the standard lock-and-key systems can. Over time, these systems usually have fewer maintenance issues than most common NYC locks using keys.

Example

A building with a lot of traffic and changes in occupants, such as an apartment complex or a business in an office suite, will find an access control system to be much more convenient and cost-effective than keys and standard locks. Magnetic cards can be activated and deactivated without the card being present.

This means that if tenants suddenly leave, employees quit, or for some other reason you need to change access to the building or individual rooms in it, you can do so by just changing their card’s access rights.

Compared to re-keying all of the doors, getting copies and redistributing keys, and manually tracking who has which key, that is definitely much easier. Further, those changes can be made remotely, even if you’re at a meeting in Tokyo and find out that your New York office has terminated an employee.

Many businesses which have strict access controls will make it standard practice, because of how simple it is to do, to deactivate cards of those employees on vacation or leave and reactivate the card when they return to work. This ads an additional level of security.