Commercial Keyless Entry System: A Straightforward Guide

What a Commercial Keyless Entry System Includes

Keyless entry is not one gadget - it is a small system built around the door, and each part matters.

• Reader or keypad outside the door, where users present a code, fob, card, or phone.
• Electrified locking hardware - an electric strike in the frame, a magnetic lock (maglock) at the head of the door, or an electrified lever or mortise lock.
• Controller that decides who gets in and when.
• Request-to-exit (REX) device - a motion sensor or button that releases the lock from inside.
• Door position switch that reports whether the door actually closed.
• Power supply with battery backup for hardwired systems.

Standalone battery-powered keypad locks pack most of this into one unit, which is why they suit single doors so well.

Codes, Fobs, Cards, or Phone: Choosing Credentials

The credential is what your people carry, and each type trades convenience against control.

• PIN codes cost nothing to issue, but codes get shared. Pick a keypad that supports an individual code per person, never one shared code.
• Fobs and cards are fast, but older 125 kHz proximity credentials can be cloned by cheap copiers. Newer 13.56 MHz smart cards, such as the DESFire family, add encryption that resists cloning.
• Mobile credentials use Bluetooth or NFC from a phone - hard to share, simple to revoke.

Whatever you choose, issue one credential per person. That lets you cut off a single user in seconds and, on networked systems, keeps an audit trail of who opened which door and when.

Fail-Safe, Fail-Secure, and the Exit Rules That Matter

Electrified hardware does one of two things when power drops. Fail-safe hardware unlocks - a maglock is inherently fail-safe because the magnet only holds while energized. Fail-secure hardware stays locked - most electric strikes are ordered this way, and the door's mechanical latch keeps holding with no power at all.

Fire and building codes add a hard rule: people inside must always be able to leave in one motion, without a key, code, or special knowledge. That is why a maglock door needs a REX sensor and a marked exit button, and often ties into the fire alarm so it releases automatically. Doors that require panic hardware keep the panic bar - keyless control comes from an electrified latch-retraction kit or an electric strike, never a maglock bolted over the top.

Standalone or Networked: Planning the Right Install

For one or two doors, a standalone ANSI/BHMA Grade 1 keypad or fob lock programmed at the door is often enough. Past that, a networked or cloud system earns its keep: schedules that unlock the front door during business hours, instant revocation from software, and an audit trail across every opening.

Door construction decides much of the job. A narrow-stile aluminum storefront door needs different hardware than a hollow metal or wood door, and hardwired systems need a clean wiring path to the power supply. Keep a mechanical key override where the hardware allows it. A locksmith can assess your doors, staff turnover, and traffic and recommend a fit before anything is ordered. Call (916) 913-5080, describe your doors and what you want to control, and confirm whether the service can help before any technician is scheduled.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between an electric strike and a magnetic lock?

An electric strike replaces the strike plate in the frame and releases the door's existing latch when a valid credential is presented; because the mechanical lock still latches, a fail-secure strike keeps the door locked with no power. A magnetic lock is an electromagnet on the frame gripping a steel plate on the door - it holds only while powered and always needs exit-release devices.

Do keyless entry locks still need a mechanical key?

Most standalone keypad and fob locks include a mechanical key override cylinder, and keeping it is smart: batteries die, keypads wear, and electronics fail. Treat the override key like a master key - keep it somewhere controlled and know who holds copies. The cylinder can be rekeyed or upgraded like any other lock if a key ever goes missing.

What happens to a keyless door during a power outage?

It depends on the hardware. Fail-secure strikes and electrified locks stay latched, so the door stays secure; fail-safe hardware, including every maglock, releases and the door unlocks. Hardwired systems normally run on a power supply with battery backup that rides through short outages, and standalone keypad locks run on their own batteries with a low-battery warning. In a code-compliant installation, people inside can always exit freely.

Call (916) 913-5080 about commercial keyless entry system.