For a new access control system or for a system upgrade, the most suitable means of checking the credentials of an authorised user would be depend on the degree of security required and the budget available. The degree of security is usually proportional to the cost of the ID device and credentials. The illustration below can be used as a general guide to the relative level of security for each technology.
Where it is not practical to issue cards or fobs to authorised users, keypads may be the best option. They are also very useful for allowing temporary access to visitors as long as the PIN codes are changed frequently.
card readers
Choosing the right reader for your application depends on a number of factors:
- Whether or not you want to read existing cards or key fobs and, if so, whether you want to obtain more cards or key fobs that are compatible with the chosen reader
- For new installations, the level of security you require
- The available budget
- Where the reader is to be deployed
- The access control system that will be used with it
the choice
The main choice that you face for new systems is between the higher security 13.56MHz smart card systems and the lower priced 125kHz proximity readers. The performance of the readers are very similar for reading cards and key fobs with the smart card reading range slightly better than that of proximity cards. However, if your application requires a high level of security, we suggest that you consider using a smart card system, such as LEGIC Advant or Mifare. Also, if you intend to use the cards for more functions than just access control, then you should take care to investigate which technology will best support future functionality.
Contact our Technical Support Team if you need technical advice on smart card functionality.
If you don’t think that smart cards and readers are necessary for your application but require a good level of security, then we recommend our standard EM cards and readers.
See the full range of supported technologies and reader options below.
Nortech’s reader family is capable of reading most types of proximity card. If you know which technology is used and it is a low frequency (125kHz) technology, then go to our proximity card section and select the appropriate reader. If the exact variant is not available, then you can contact our sales department to find out if we can support it. If we don’t currently support the variant, we may be able to develop a special version provided that the size of the order justifies the bespoke development required. We may also be able to offer dual technology readers that support our standard EM credentials as well as the technology that you already have.
If in any doubt about the type of card or key fob that you are currently using, ask your installer to send us two samples together with the numbers to be read, so that we can evaluate them.
For reading Mifare Classic card sectors or for reading the unique serial number of any 13.56MHz (ISO15693 and ISO14443A standards) credentials refer to our smart card section. If you need iCLASS or LEGIC readers, you will also find information on these products in our smart card section.
All of the Nortech reader models offer multiple interface options for working with other manufacturers’ access control systems and, as you would expect, they are all compatible with our own access controllers.
We offer a choice of housings with our readers. Availability is subject to the reader technology that you require (see below).
| Technology | Reader Model | Reads | Housing Options | Data Output Formats | |
| EM41** | EM(EM1) | Nortech proximity cards plus similar open standard proximity cards, which include those used by most leading access control and security companies. Also reads Paxton cards and fobs. |
Mullion Mount (MP1) Wall Switch (WP1) Flush Mount (WP2) Slimline (SP1) Panel Mount (PP1) Vandal Resistant (VP1) |
Reader selectable 26-Bit Wiegand or 10-digit Clock & Data plus RS232 (10 digits at 9600 bauds) | |
| DualProx (DP1) | Old style PAC fobs, new 125kHz type PAC cards and fobs plus EM variants. | Reader selectable 26-Bit or 44-Bit Wiegand plus PAC compatible serial data | |||
| Paxton | EM(EM1) | Nortech proximity cards plus similar open standard proximity cards, which include those used by most leading access control and security companies. Also reads Paxton cards and fobs | Reader selectable 26-Bit Wiegand or 10-digit Clock & Data plus RS232 (10 digits at 9600 bauds) | ||
| PAC | DualProx (DP1) | Old style PAC fobs, new 125kHz type PAC cards and fobs plus EM variants. | Reader selectable 26-Bit or 44-Bit Wiegand plus PAC compatible serial data | ||
| LEGIC Advant Mifare DESFire iClass ICODE Tag-it 2 |
Multi-ISO (ISO) Serial number reading (CSN/UID) |
Serial numbers of 13.56MHz (ISO15693 and ISO 14443A standards) technologies. | Mullion Mount (MP1) Wall Switch (WP1) |
Reader selectable 32-Bit Wiegand or 10-digit Clock & Data plus RS232 (10 digits at 9600 bauds) | |
| LEGIC Multi-ISO (LEG) | Serial numbers of 13.56MHz (ISO15693 and ISO 14443A standards) technologies plus LEGIC Prime | Reader selectable 34-Bit Wiegand or 10-digit Clock & Data plus RS232 (10 digits at 9600 bauds) | |||
| LEGIC Prime | Serial number reading | Serial numbers of 13.56MHz (ISO15693 and ISO 14443A standards) technologies plus LEGIC Prime | Reader selectable 34-Bit Wiegand or 10-digit Clock & Data plus RS232 (10 digits at 9600 bauds) | ||
| Mifare | Mifare (MIF) Sector reading (customer specific) |
Customer specific data from a secure sector fr a 13.56MHz Mifare proximity card. | Customer specific | ||
| LEGIC Advant LEGIC Prime |
LEGIC (LEG) | Customer specific data from a secure segment on a 13.56MHz LEGIC Prime or LEGIC Advant Smart Card | |||
