Keys have three problems. They get copied, they walk out the door with ex-employees, and they never tell you who used them. Access control fixes all three: every person gets their own credential, you can turn it off in seconds, and every door keeps a log of who came in and when.
In short
- Access control replaces keys with credentials you can add, remove and log one person at a time.
- Old 125 kHz proximity cards send an unencrypted number and can be copied cheaply. Upgrade them.
- Every locked door must still let people out freely, and electrified locks have specific code rules.
What an access control system is made of
- A reader at the door — keypad, card or fob reader, or a phone reader.
- A controller that decides yes or no and keeps the log.
- Electrified lock hardware that actually holds or releases the door.
- Software or an app where you add people, set schedules and read the history.
Get all four right and the system disappears into the background. Get the lock hardware or the wiring wrong and you have an expensive door that sticks.
Keypads, fobs or phones — compared
Keypad codes
Cheap to run and nothing to hand out. The weakness is human: codes get shared, written on the wall and watched over a shoulder. Keypads work best as a second factor next to a card or phone, or on low-risk interior doors.
Cards and key fobs
The workhorse. One tap, a personal credential, easy to revoke. But not all cards are equal. Many buildings still run older 125 kHz proximity cards, which send a short, unencrypted number. Inexpensive copiers sold online can read and duplicate them, and some readers can grab the number from a few feet away, even through a wallet. The access system cannot tell the copy from the original. Modern encrypted smart cards and fobs close that gap.
If your building is still on old prox cards, you don't have to rip everything out in a weekend. Many current readers can read both old and new credentials during a changeover, so you can swap people over in batches.
Phone credentials
The phone becomes the key, opened with a tap or a wave. People rarely lend their phone the way they lend a fob, you can issue and revoke access from anywhere, and there is no plastic to buy or collect. Keep a few cards on hand for staff who would rather not use their own phone.
Video intercoms
For visitors, deliveries and tenants' guests. Someone presses the button, you see and talk to them on your phone or a lobby screen, and you let them in. In apartment buildings and offices with a front desk, it is often the piece people use most.
The lock hardware decides how the door behaves
- Electric strikes replace the strike plate in the frame and work with ordinary door hardware.
- Electrified locks and exit devices build the electronics into the lever or the push bar.
- Magnetic locks hold the door with a powered magnet and release when power is cut.
Each one is either fail-safe (unlocks when power is lost) or fail-secure (stays locked when power is lost, while still letting people out from inside). Which one belongs on which door depends on the door, the building and the code — not on what happened to be in the van.
The fire-code part nobody can skip
Whatever you install, people inside must always be able to get out — without a key, a card, a code or any special knowledge. Magnetic locks get extra scrutiny because they hold the whole door closed. Under the model codes (the International Building Code and NFPA 101), a typical maglock on an egress door needs:
- A sensor on the inside that releases the door as someone approaches.
- A clearly labeled "Push to Exit" button near the door that cuts power to the lock directly, independent of the access control system, and keeps it released for at least 30 seconds.
- Release when the fire alarm or sprinkler system activates, and when power is lost.
Local building departments and fire marshals have the final word, and the details change by building type, so check with them before you buy. We plan every door with these rules in mind and coordinate with your locksmith or electrician when a door needs it.
Better with cameras
An access log tells you a credential was used. A camera tells you who was holding it. When the two are planned together, every door event lines up with video of the person walking through, and a borrowed fob stops being a mystery. We plan both on one layout and run the cable once — see security cameras.
Small features that make a big difference
- Schedules: the front door unlocks at opening and locks at close
- Holiday calendars, so nobody forgets
- Instant removal when someone leaves
- Alerts for a door forced or propped open
- Temporary access for contractors and cleaners
- Battery backup for the controller and locks
How we install access control
Piets Technology Solutions installs keypads, fob and card readers, phone credentials and video intercoms for offices, storefronts and multi-family buildings across Long Island, NYC and the Hudson Valley. We start with a free walkthrough or video demo, plan the doors and the cameras together, and show your staff how to add and remove people before we leave. Every job is quoted to the site.
Call or text 631-871-5957. Questions? We're here 24/7.
Common questions
Can I unlock the door from my phone?
Yes, on systems with app control and phone credentials. You can let in a delivery, a cleaner or an employee who forgot their fob from anywhere.
Are my old proximity cards a security risk?
If they are 125 kHz prox cards, yes: they send an unencrypted number that cheap copiers can duplicate. Modern encrypted cards, fobs and phone credentials are the fix, and many readers can handle both during the switch.
Will the door unlock in a fire or power outage?
Every egress door must always let people out from the inside. Whether the outside stays locked on power loss depends on the hardware chosen for that door and on local code.
Does access control work with my security cameras?
Yes. When they are planned together, every door event lines up with video of who walked through.
Piets Technology Solutions
Low-voltage tech for homes and small businesses — cameras, Wi-Fi, cabling, POS, phones and 24/7 support across Long Island, NYC, the Hudson Valley and the Capital Region. Wi-Fi, Wires, Whatever — Piet Makes It Better