RFID Keyfobs for gated community

[buellwinkle]

We have a gated community of over 300 houses. We currently have different access methods and I want to unify with RFID key fobs for pool area entry, tennis court entry, pedestrian gate access. All together about 11 pedestrian entry gates.

What I need is software to manage the key fobs, who can enter what were and when. For example.

1. allow access based on age, for example, kids under 10 can't use the pool area after 7PM without an adult, stuff like that
2. allow access based on scheduled time for tennis courts, so you schedule a person to use the court between 4-5 pm, key doesn't work any other time. This can be self service through a web portal, or manual via a phone all to the management company that logs into the system and sets the date/time.

[HotelSecurity]

My 500 room downtown hotel switched to RFID locks & card readers last May. We have them on all the room doors, pool, business centers & elevators to restrict access tp the executive floors. The locks are stand alone, battery operated. The ones on the business center & in the elevator are hard wired. All can be audited. (They save the last 300 enteries). As can the key fobs. (Last 100 entries). Time zones can be set up so that they will only work at certain times of the day. In our case we simply pass a "lock-out" key when the pool closes & open it again in the morning.

Check with Kaba Lodging located here in Montreal. Look into their 790 series locks.

[FireRanger]

If Hotel's idea doesn't workout any access control system (the two I am most familiar with are C*Cure and Continuum) should be able to provide that information. There is a decent amount of hardware and resources that are required though. The keyfobs, a computer to operate the access control system on, RFID readers and then running power and communications lines out to the readers and locks. Also do you want in/out readers, anti passback. I would suggest that you get a list of 4 or 5 strong systems (to include if it will work Hotel's idea) and then meet with a couple integrators or consultants and ask them for their opinion. Without actually seeing your physical layout or knowing the temperature/weather extremes involved its hard to give a solid one systems answer. If you choose the right system you can control access and facilities equipment (HVAC) as well as tie in alarms (fire and security) to everything. You can even use RFID readers in some programs not as access points but guard tour systems if you have security patrols.