How to find the right Commercial Access Cards AI guide
Written by an AI model from its trained knowledge.
What the AI looks for in Commercial Access Cards
- Technology match
- Card technology must match the reader: 125 kHz prox, iCLASS, Seos, MIFARE Classic, DESFire EV2/EV3 and others are not interchangeable Cards that look identical can be electronically incompatible.
- Format and facility code
- Order in the exact bit format and facility code used by your system, with a card number range that does not overlap existing cards Duplicate or out-of-range numbers are rejected or collide with current users.
- Security level
- Prefer DESFire EV2/EV3 or Seos for new systems; treat 125 kHz prox and MIFARE Classic as clonable Low-security cards can be copied in seconds.
- Physical type
- ISO-thin CR80 PVC for photo-ID printing; clamshell for durability without printing; key fobs for ring carry Clamshell cards will not feed through ID card printers.
Brands that matter
- HID: Prox, iCLASS and Seos credentials; ordered by format and facility code.
- Farpointe Data: Credentials compatible with many HID-format systems.
- Kantech: ioProx credentials for Kantech systems.
- AWID: Prox credentials widely used in parking and legacy systems.
- Keri Systems: Credentials for Keri access systems.
What to avoid
- Generic writable or cloned cards on commercial systems.
- Ordering without your system's facility code and format.
- Choosing MIFARE Classic or 125 kHz prox for a new deployment.
Questions
Why does a card from the same brand not work?
Brand alone is not enough: the technology, bit format, facility code and number range must all match what your panel is programmed to accept.