The Advantages of Door Key Fobs
Key fobs are an integral part of many modern security systems. They provide a number of advantages, including remote deactivation for lost or stolen devices and the ability to grant location permissions and monitoring.
Fobs are great for apartment complexes and gated communities, allowing residents to easily give access to cleaning crews and dog walkers without worrying about a breach in security.
Enhanced Security
Using a key fob, you can arm and disarm your home security system with just one button. It’s especially convenient for seniors or people with mobility issues. Placing a wireless key fob on your nightstand allows you to arm the system before going to bed each night, ensuring that you and your family are protected while you sleep.
Fobs offer more advanced security than traditional metal keys, as they have a built-in microchip that can store up to 1 trillion different codes. When your fob comes into contact with a reader, the copper coil on both sides of the key fob and the microchip within it energize to create a short-range radio frequency field that can be detected by the reader. This identifies the code stored in your fob, and lets the reader know that you are the authorized user.
Fobs can also help with tracking building personnel, as they provide a reliable audit trail that allows admins to see who has entered and when. This is a crucial feature for business owners who need to ensure that all staff members are in the right place at the right time, while preventing access by unauthorized individuals. Fob systems can be integrated with other building security features, such as video surveillance cameras, to further increase protection. A fob can even work with a system that requires biometric authentication, which uses an individual’s unique biological characteristics to verify identity, such as fingerprint sensors, iris scanners or voice recognition.
Convenience
A key fob allows users to open all doors in a building without having to carry a heavy ring of metal keys or use the keypad at the door. They can also work with cameras and other security systems to monitor entrances and exits. In some cases, this can be helpful for law enforcement to track criminal activity.
Most key fobs operate on RFID, or radio frequency identification. The key fob sends a signal Door Key Fob to the reader when it’s pressed against the lock, and the system recognizes this frequency and signals that the door should be opened. This is much easier and faster than waving a key around at the door to get it to unlock.
Fobs are often preferred by businesses because they offer more security than traditional keys. They can be programmed to allow access only for certain employees during designated shifts, which is great for warehouses that hold inventory. Fobs can also be cancelled immediately if an employee leaves the company, which can help prevent internal theft.
Fobs are more durable than traditional keys, too. They’re much less likely to get jammed or broken, and they can’t be copied like a standard metal key. Fobs are also much cheaper than changing locks on dozens of entry doors, and they’re more convenient for tenants because they don’t have to worry about a broken keychain.
Versatility
With security, convenience, and adaptability tightly knit into a pocket-sized package, key fob systems provide an ideal solution for businesses in search of a reliable access control system. These small remote control devices use RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) technology to allow users to open doors in commercial and industrial facilities.
A key fob’s RFID chip transmits a signal to an RFID reader device when the device is presented at a door. If the RFID information in the tag matches that programmed into the door lock system, the reader will send a signal to release the latch or electric strike mechanism.
Some key fob systems come with features that offer additional protections for business use, such as a system that instantly blocks a stolen or lost fob and/or a system that uses rolling codes to ensure the fob’s signal is unique every time it is used. These additional security features are designed to thwart code-grabbing attacks, which can be used by bad actors looking for a way into your building or other secure locations to steal data or cause damage.
For a full, comprehensive security solution, some key fob systems also work well alongside other building security systems, such as video surveillance and security sensors. Some also integrate into a cloud-based access management platform to provide centralized control.
Maintenance
Fobs do not work forever and, sadly, even the best-cared-for ones are not immune to failure. The most common issue that can occur is a dead fob battery, which does not allow it to transmit the signal needed to unlock doors or start the car. This is a simple problem to remedy, and it may even be able to be done at home.
If you find that your key fob is no longer working properly, it’s worth trying to fix it yourself before calling a locksmith or taking it to the dealer for replacement. Genesky suggests opening the fob up and examining it carefully, looking for signs of damage like cracked circuit boards, teeny electronic components not completely attached to the board, and loose or out-of-place buttons. Newbega RFID Card Also, take a look at the wiring to see if any of it is broken or disconnected.
If you don’t have the time or skill to repair your key fob, you might be able to call your landlord for help. If you live in an apartment, most property managers have a master key that can be used to open all the locks in your building, including the door lock that is linked to the fob. Some also have their own keys that they can use to access the key fob data and re-program it.