Security card latches

Has anyone ever installed swipe card locks on their home rather than use traditional lock and key? What about those cards you use in hotels?

Reply to
Eigenvector
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I haven't but I did love the keypad option on my garage door.

However, don't forget to think about what happens in the event of a power failure. That could be a big problem unless you have some battery backup and/or an alternate means of entry.

Reply to
Malcolm Hoar

Running a brothel?

Reply to
AZ Nomad

Yeah I was thinking about that too. It would suck to be locked out of your house for lack of a few volts

Reply to
Eigenvector

But why would that be any more likely than any other power garage door opener? If the swipe pad had no power, neither would the motor.

Reply to
mm

I am a locksmith and perhaps I can give you a little perspective.

The hotels use card locks so they can program the keys not to work past your check-out time so that the guy that rented your room last night cant come in an help himself to your stuff.

You can buy a stand alone card activated lock and use any card in your pocket like your ATM or even your drivers license to unlock your door, but be ready to spend at least $700 and that price could be a lot higher if modification to your door is needed (probable)

For about half that price you can get commercial pushbutton lock, or for 150 to 200 you can probably get a residential grade knob dead bolt set up that will allow you to go keyless.

When ever I had this discussion before, the price has always been the determining factor. Key locks are cheap.

Why do you desire something else?

Reply to
Roger Shoaf

So? If the garage door won't open, is that your only way into the house? If you answer "yes", then you need to revise your thinking a bit.

Reply to
JoeSpareBedroom

For every 5 times I stay in a hotel, there's at least one incident where the card doesn't work and I have to go to the front desk for a new one. Where are you gonna go when your card doesn't work and you can't get into your house?

Reply to
JoeSpareBedroom

I have been keyless since 1971. I use the Simplex mechanical pushbutton lock. (dead bolt) That provides a sufficient level of security, particularly when you realize anyone can break a window.

Reply to
gfretwell

I didn't say that and I didn't say it was a problem. But iiuc Malcolm and Eigenvector thought it was more of a problem with a security card than with a standard remote transimitter. I'm asking why it would be worse with one than the other.

Reply to
mm

Sorry. Even though it doesn't say so, this is what got me thinking me think the thread was about the garage door and not the front door.

One would have to carry a key for the same lock, or bury one somewhere on the property. Not such a big problem to carry because they don't weigh much and there is already a key or fob for the car (unless one doesn't always drive).

Reply to
mm

mm wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@4ax.com:

when thieves break into cars,they also take the remote control xmtrs,and your auto registration,with your home address on it. then they visit your home when you aren't there,and enter thru the garage. with the garage door closed,they have plenty of time and privacy to batter down the connecting door to the main house.

Reply to
Jim Yanik

The point is... it's pretty normal to have an electrically operated garage door. If the power is out, you typically have access to the house via other entrances. And even if you need to get the car out of the garage, you can normally crank the garage door manually. It's rarely a serious problem because there's almost always another mechanically operated entrance (i.e. front door).

However, if you have an electrically operated front door lock, a power failure would lock you out of the house completely UNLESS you have some battery backup or an alternate (mechaniclly operated) entrance.

Reply to
Malcolm Hoar

For the sake of argument:

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That's one reason.

Personally, I like having at least one entrance that doesn't require a key, in case I forget the key, or am somehow separated from it, but in that instance, a key-card system is the worst of both worlds. OTOH, once you've got an electric key-pad lock, adding a card-reader isn't that big a marginal cost, and it solves the problem of people who either can't remember a combination, or can't be trusted not to share it.

FWIW, it's axiomatic that anyone who really wants to get into your house can.

The ultimate goal of any security system can only be to make them work at it, slow them down, and detect them.

--Goedjn

Reply to
Goedjn

Yup, the hotel type of system is quite inappropriate for a residence I think. The swipe card systems used in many office buildings are quite a bit more reliable but certainly not immune to problems.

In my experience, the keypad systems give the least trouble, in part because there's no keycard to loose or damage.

I once owned a condo in a complex of 100. The outer security system (card key swipe system) cost $40K and gave a lot of trouble. I think it was a bad system -- I've worked in offices where the cardkey access control worked just fine. Nevertheless, at the condo, the keypad on the garage entrance never failed to work, to the best of my recollection.

Reply to
Malcolm Hoar

Good point. My wife is a frequent business traveller, and this has happened to her many times. She usually uses a house phone to call the front desk and raises hell until they agree to send someone up with a new keycard.

Reply to
Bill

swipe card systems are inferior to RFID based proximity systems. many high tech buildings use them in place of the swipe cards. they're recognizable by a rectangular or square surface, usually with a red LED that will flash green (accompanied by a beep perhaps) to acknowledge your card was picked up the antenna.

the systems do require a host computer and the associated installation expertise (UPS backup, etc recommended). if you really want to go all out, get a biometric scanner to grant/deny access.

of course, there's a point of diminishing returns. if i can just smash in your living room window, it's pointless to even consider anything beyond a simple deadbolt

Reply to
AntiSkidKidd

There are kits to release your garage door from the opener from the outside with a key. No problem.

Reply to
Steve Barker

AND...... There's always the back door you could have a key to.

Reply to
Steve Barker

Well to answer the question, and I'm sure a lot of people are wondering why I care that much.

Really I was just curious, that's all (pretty anti-climactic ain't it?).

But as to the larger issue, I understand that it's simpler to smash a window - although putting bars on the windows will prevent that. Kicking the door in or something similar works too I guess. The point of my question wasn't to burglar-proof my house so much as to provide other options that are available. I use a proximity badge at work, but I wouldn't put something so computer and electricity dependent in my house - unless I decide to install a house brain.

As for hotel card keys, I was more referring to the older style cards with holes in them. I really on saw those for a couple years before they went to credit card style. I wouldn't want a credit card style in my house either.

On the keypad locks, don't know about that. How many digits do they allow you on your lock combo. Seems like a three digit would be a trifle too easy. A 4 digit would thwart pretty much anyone. A 5 digit and no one is gonna crack it - not unless they stand there on the front porch for 30 hours.

But again, this wasn't meant as an exercise in paranoia so much as just a question about options.

Reply to
Eigenvector

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