In recent years, with the advancement of technology, there has been a growing demand for fast and automatic identification methods. Today, many organizations use applications such as employee card reading, digital wallets, and access to various computer systems using smart cards and chips.
In addition, efficient and secure management of access and movement control within an organization’s premises, as well as employee attendance tracking, requires a control system deployed at the entrance gates and throughout the company’s space. This system consists of readers located at each entrance and exit door of different areas in the building and management software that manages and controls the process.
All that remains is to understand what kind of technology we are interested in. Therefore, when choosing a card reader, it is important to make sure we have answers to all the necessary questions, such as:
What is the required communication protocol?
Since the card reader needs to read your employee cards, it is important to know that there are various protocols for reading and transferring data from the ID card.
There are protocol types designed for magnetic stripe cards that are compatible with a magnetic stripe reader. There are also protocols that allow reading a smart chip in a contact interface located physically on the card or a contactless interface located between the card layers. However, there are card readers designed to read a combination of technologies together.
Low frequency or high frequency?
When choosing a proximity card reader, we want to understand whether the system requires a low frequency or high frequency card reader. These frequencies refer to the amount and intensity of radio waves emitted by the reader to read data from the card.
Therefore, there must be a match between the type of card itself and the reader required to read it. Sometimes, it is possible to combine both types of frequencies in one card. For example, if two different sites of the organization have different control systems. In this way, an employee who travels between several sites of the same company does not need to carry several different cards.
In general, low-frequency readers will be significantly cheaper than high-frequency card readers, as the use of low-frequency identification technology typically does not provide a high level of security compared to high-frequency card readers, which usually allow for the use of more secure technology.
What is the required security level?
If you are concerned about a high level of security when it comes to card reading – when it comes to entering the organization, preventing physical or technological breaches, information security, and protection against physical theft or organizational information, you should pay attention to the security level and encryption capability between the identification device and the reader.
There are new technologies that allow for a higher level of security and encryption than usual. For example, systems in which the card reader or chip has the ability to store encryption keys, which ensures the highest level of security and encryption of confidential or personal information at a high level of confidentiality.
What is the required application for the reader?
There are many applications when it comes to a card reader, and it depends on your specific organizational needs. Are you interested in a card reader for employee access control? Attendance tracking? Identification in front of a computer? Or maybe for customer clubs and promotions? Validation when traveling on public transportation? And so on. There are many applications for magnetic or smart cards with chips, and it depends entirely on the organization’s needs. There are cards that are designed for a specific purpose, and there are cards that can meet several needs.
Correctly defining this need will allow for the correct matching of the required reader and the cards intended for it. Therefore, this is an important question whose answer will provide an important direction when adapting the technology to the needs of the organization.
How do I know which card reader is right for my organization?
Computer Guard markets a wide range of readers in many and varied technologies, at high or low frequency levels, with high or regular security, and for all types of businesses and customer needs. We invite you to consult with our experts, who will understand all the needs of your organization and will match you with the exact card reader technology that will meet all your requirements.
