Remote management of rental garages

[Bazza]

I'm looking at setting up a battery of 10 rental garages on a vacant site. The site has a solid stone wall perimeter with a single gateway. Problem it's 100 miles away and I want to find a system for controlled access and remote management. I looked at ANPR but that was too expensive.

The second thought was a token/fob system to control a rising barrier to the site. This would need to accept 10 different fobs. Key fobs would be issued against a deposit and be reprogrammable by me at the end of each lease. Security for each individual would be by secure garage lock with padlock key provided against a deposit.

Is there a cost effective way of achieving this or is there a better way?

[Owain Lastname]

Fairly standard door entry / access control system linked to a barrier. Many can have fobs added/deleted remotely through a GSM data or SMS link. Having a remote audio/video entry facility could be useful for customers, or passers-by who want to contact 'security'.

is the sort of thing, but an access control business would be able to sort this out.

Owain

[alan_m]

A raising barrier will only stop access to those who are already law abiding. The criminal fraternity would just trash it to gain entry. CCTV in operation signs would be just as effective.

[alan_m]

That kind of system was used when friends were renting a storage container on a secure site. To gain one off access they had to phone up to get a code which was then keyed in at the entrance. That code was only valid for the day they stated that they wanted access.

[Jethro_uk]

My last employer had an app-controlled system that registered mobile numbers. A registered number called a mobile and the gate opened. An unregistered number got a network error.

Messing around with fobs is - as I pointed out to the disgust of my lads letting agent - so 1990s.

[Andy Burns]

fobs don't have batteries which can go flat.

fobs don't rely on mobile signal.

(barring cloning) a fob shows it is actually at the gate, not getting someone else to remotely phone-in.

[Robin]

One issue with a barrier is what plans you have for when the barrier fails to open - especially when it fails to open to let people out. Firms like NCP have staff available to attend such cases and IIRC aim to let people out within an hour.

[alan_m]

Most barriers are not that substantial, often for safety reasons for when they close on a pedestrian, biker or even a (open top) car.

[williamwright]

Lots of gated communities have that system. It's pretty standard. There's one near here where the code for the (back up) keypad in 2,5,8, enter. Straight down the middle!

Bill

[williamwright]

It needs substantial steel gates.

Bill

[williamwright]

They do.

Bill

[Jethro_uk]

In what way ? A complete turnkey system, or (looks at name of newsgroup) a homebrew DIY solution ?

[Andy Burns]

Not if they're RFID they don't (as all the access fobs/cards I have are)

[williamwright]

Aren't the passive ones very limited in range? I've only ever seen ones that that need 2032 button cells. I was under the impression that the passive ones had to be held near the rx/tx thingy.

Bill

[Andy Burns]

Yes, you practically need to touch the reader, like a contactless bank card.

[JNugent]

The one I have on my key-ring certainly could not accommodate a 2032.

It's about 25mm long, elliptical in profile and only about 10mm at its widest point.

If it contains a battery it's a very long-lasting one. I was given the fob about three years ago and there is no sign )yet) of malfunction.

It does only work in very close proximity to the receiver.

[Bob Eager]

The place where I have a storage unit works like that. It works well.

[Owain Lastname]

The Videx GSM ones I linked to can do that as well.

Owain

[ARW]

But damage to a barrier (even a flimsy one) would be grounds to evict pikeys.

[alan_m]

The pikeys wouldn't be the clients - just opportunist thieves.