Multi-Housing Solutions

LONG-RANGE TRANSMITTERS KEY TO UNLOCKING ACCESS CONTROL OPPORTUNITIES IN MULTI-HOUSING

By Rich Whitlock
Western Regional Sales Manager, Farpointe Data

Multi-housing is one of the most talked about opportunities in electronic access control. And justifiably so, as multi-housing complexes range from affordable to luxurious, and from high-rise to mixed-use, work/live developments. An often-cited example is Google’s Middlefield Park Master Plan, with more than a million square feet of office space and nearly 2,000 new homes. What’s common here is for the multi-housing complexes to require access to gates, units, individual garages, common areas and amenities throughout the development. Indeed multi-housing is offering companies focused on access control a thriving vertical to serve.

However, with sometimes hundreds of tenants and a wide variety of access applications, selecting an identification credential for a multi-housing development can be challenging. It’s not uncommon for on-site management to revert to what may be perceived as simple solutions. However, these key or card options can often be copied—think of the popular KeyMe kiosks—and then shared with family and friends. Both 125-kHz proximity and 13.56-MHz MIFARE® Classic have been compromised. For security-relevant applications, biometrics is a common reflexive fallback. However, is an iris scanner really the most appropriate solution for entering a pool area?

A practical line-up of credentials finding their place with multi-housing are long-range transmitters. Paired with long-range receivers, these credentials make easy work of automating tenant access to gates and garages—all without having to roll down a vehicle window. Transmitters can also be configured to activate garage lighting or call an elevator. Further, with a built-in contactless smartcard module, transmitters can be used with supporting readers for a range of typical card-presentation applications, such as secure access to an individual’s unit or the gym. Smartcards—such as those based upon NXP Semiconductors’ MIFARE® DESFire® EV3 technology—are some of the most secure credentials available, meeting today’s most demanding access control identification challenges.

Transmitters provide two-in-one convenience, from long-range, push-button access to traditional presentation identification. Long-range operation is up to 200 feet (61m), adjustable directly on the Receiver, with even longer ranges available via a separate antenna. They are IP67 tested and ETL certified to the UL294 standard. Transmitters are extremely reliable, being powered by a replaceable CR2032 coin cell battery and tested to exceed 250,000 button presses.

To learn more about access control identification for multi-housing applications, call Farpointe Data at +1-408-731-8700, or email .

Rich Whitlock, Western Regional Sales ManagerRich Whitlock

Sales Manager North America