Gate access control systems have become essential for on-site security at many commercial and organizational properties, including gated communities, business campuses, warehouses, and commercial parking.
Electronic gate systems use electronic signal technology to restrict access to property perimeters while granting passage to authorized employees, residents, and visitors. Plus, they collect arrival and exit data on users every time a credential is presented.
Access control systems use credentials, credential readers, and control panels in an electronic process that authenticates identities and checks for access authorizations before allowing entry.
Credential options for identification include PIN codes, cards, fobs, smartphones, and even physical characteristics like fingerprints and faces.
When users present their credentials at access control door readers, they are authenticated and cross-checked against site permissions in the control panel's ACL (Access Control List).
Only if a match between the credential and site authorizations is found will the control panel transmit an electronic signal to cause a temporary unlock.
Gate access control systems function similarly to door access systems, but they have specialized features to resist weather and make the access process convenient for people in vehicles.
Gate systems like door access control systems use credentials, credential readers, and control panels to limit entry. But gate systems also include gate openers and gates with electronic locks.
If a gate system finds a match between a presented credential and entry privileges, an electronic signal will trigger gate locks to deactivate and the gate opener to initiate.
Gate access control systems can also use license plates as credentials to gain access when connected with license plate recognition (LPR) cameras. With LPR cameras, gates open automatically as whitelisted vehicles approach.
The best gate access control systems include intercoms so that visitors can communicate with people, such as residents or office staff, who can grant access remotely.
Gate access control provides employers with reliable perimeter security that doesn't back up traffic during heavy-traffic times, such as the half-hour periods before and after shifts.
By using credentials like proximity cards and whitelisted license plates, employees are able to enter and exit properties seamlessly. The results are improved workplace satisfaction and employee productivity.
Commercial properties that cater to customers and guests are strongly advised to invest in video intercoms at their access gates. Intercoms let visitors without assigned credentials contact reception personnel for access.
Residents appreciate and are willing to pay significantly more for the safety of an access control gate. Not only are threats like burglary less likely, but parents are also more comfortable letting their kids play in communities where all entering vehicles have been documented and intentionally granted access.
Residential properties can use license plate recognition cameras at gates to create watchlists for specific vehicles. LPR cameras instantly recognize watchlisted vehicles, and notifications are instantly triggered. This is an especially attractive feature for residents who have had to file restraining orders.
Access control technology provides excellent security for gated driveways, but different credentials may be required at gate doors for pedestrian use. For example, license plate reading cameras aren't useful at pedestrian openings.
Gate intercoms are a wise investment because they make it easy for guests without credentials to request site access. They're especially useful for delivery drivers and other temporary visitors.
The best gate entry systems use video intercoms so that staff or residents can see the person and vehicle they are asked to open a gate for.
Rather than requiring the presentation of physical credentials, keypad access control systems grant access to anyone who knows the site's passcode or has a PIN (Personal Identification Number). A person pulls up to the driveway's keypad and presses buttons to initiate an unlock and gate opening.
Unfortunately, keypads aren't the most secure method for gate access control. For one thing, codes are shared with numerous visitors, including nephews, nieces, and food app delivery drivers. PINs and passcodes spread so far and wide that they are often compromised.
In RFID gate access systems, tiny antennas inside key cards, fobs, and even time-clock badges broadcast identifying electromagnetic radio waves to tiny antennas inside gate readers.
Credential methods that require users to stop at gates, such as keypad entries and card swipes, often result in traffic backups (and annoyance for all involved). But proximity cards are a hands-free alternative for credential authentication. Gate readers automatically communicate with proximity cards to allow seamless passage when in range.
Access control systems that use license plate recognition cameras provide frictionless entry to vehicles with whitelisted license plates.
During busy times, gates may stay open, allowing approved vehicles to move quickly through the gate. And if an unauthorized car is in the queue, the gate will close before it can pass.
A popular form of frictionless access control uses Bluetooth signals from smartphone devices to communicate with gate readers. Employees or residents download the mobile phone app to their smartphones and enable Bluetooth. At that point, associated gates will open automatically as they approach.
Both residential and business tenants appreciate gate access control. In fact, multifamily property managers often invest in gate access control systems to increase the value of their rental units.
Site security is also one of the leading concerns of business tenants when seeking a location. They value gate access control because it reduces vandalism, theft, and major security breaches. Hackers can cause the most damage when they sneak on-site to steal hardware with sensitive data or copy data to USB drives.
An additional benefit to an automated gate access control system is operational efficiency. Gate access control systems allow a network of multiple gates to be remotely monitored and managed by fewer guards. Meanwhile, gates without access control require attentive security guards stationed at all gates at all times.
There are several different types of gate access control, and they all require different credentials and offer different features that must be carefully considered before selecting a system administrator.
Reach out to the friendly access control professionals on the Mammoth Security team to make sure you have the right access control system properly installed to meet your property's security and management needs.
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