We have a couple locks on campus that use 802.15.4. I think it is a Stanley product. I was told by the engineer who was trying to sell us on the product campus wide, that it would cause no interference. (haha!) I can confirm co-channel interference, but no user reported problems wifi problems that i could specifically say were caused by that equipment. So that statement was inaccurate, as I knew it would be, but only in a boastful way. It also took a couple of visits an i want to say a couple of months to get it to work. (I don't remember exactly) I have expressed to our access staff that I do not like the deployment, and if I was the deciding vote, I would say no to a proposal to deploy more like it.
I was initially skeptical of the ASSA ABBLOY locks we have on campus, but they have been great. For a purely network standpoint they are my choice. Our access staff likes them as well. The only problem I have had is that my older wireless plans didn't really plan for coverage of outside doors. In one or two places that has been an issue we have had to overcome, but that wasn't the lockset's fault. *TLDR:* I would be uneasy about 802.15.4 locks. Your access folks should get competing quotes for locks that use 802.11g/n over your existing infrastructure. If you do decide on an 802.11g/n based product, check for adequate coverage. Greg Briggs Network Manger Pacific Lutheran University On Mon, Nov 6, 2017 at 12:24 PM, Matthew Ballard <mball...@otis.edu> wrote: > Note that there two different types of locks that don’t require individual > cabling, usually referred to wireless or wi-fi. > > > > These comments are related to Wi-Fi vs Wireless: > > Advantages: > > 1. Cheaper installation (due to being able to use the existing Wi-Fi > network instead of installing access control specific infrastructure). > > 2. Lower probability of interference – but note that the locks > transmit very little data (and the Wi-Fi ones generally only come on > periodically, often only once a day). > > Disadvantages: > > 1. The locks are offline most of the time (they come online on a > periodic basis). That means that updates are slower (as the locks only > update periodically), so you can’t do lock-downs with them, lost card > updates don’t take effect right away, etc. > > 2. It’s harder to diagnose certain types of lock problems (since > it’s offline most of the time, you don’t see updates right away, and > checking whether the lock is online or offline doesn’t matter since it’s > offline most of the time). > > 3. Battery life is often worse (especially if you turn up the update > frequency to deal with the other problems). > > > > Wi-Fi locks can be great for locks that don’t need updates very often and > where you don’t need lockdown functionality. > > > > I would personally recommend going with wireless over wi-fi whenever > possible, but there are times Wi-Fi is absolutely more practical. > > > > If you have specific questions on the above feel free to ask (I manage the > electronic access control locks at Otis College as well as the Wi-Fi > network). > > > > Matthew Ballard > > Director of Technology Infrasture > > Otis College of Art and Design > > mball...@otis.edu > > > > *CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE*: This electronic message transmission contains > information from Otis College of Art and Design, which may be confidential. > If you are not the intedned recipient, be aware that any disclosure, > copying, distribution or use of the content of this information is > prohibited. If you have received this communication in error, please notify > us immediately by e-mail an delete the original message any any attachment > without reading or saving in any manner. > > > > > > > > *From:* The EDUCAUSE Wireless Issues Constituent Group Listserv [mailto: > WIRELESS-LAN@LISTSERV.EDUCAUSE.EDU] *On Behalf Of *Chuck Enfield > *Sent:* Monday, November 6, 2017 6:47 AM > > *To:* WIRELESS-LAN@LISTSERV.EDUCAUSE.EDU > *Subject:* Re: [WIRELESS-LAN] Wireless Door Locks? > > > > Hi Greg, > > > > Locks tend to have a very low network duty-cycle, so interference between > the 802.15.4 network and 2.4GHz Wi-Fi will be minimal. That said, it may > be worth considering Wi-Fi locks instead. That will ensure that they play > well with other Wi-Fi devices and will spare the institution the cost of > installing and managing a separate network for locks. > > > > On the down side of using Wi-Fi locks, the refresh cycle for Wi-Fi is > shorter than for locks. If you have a bunch of locks reliant on outdated > features it could hamper Wi-Fi performance down the road. The refresh > cycle would have to be discussed with your facilities management, and/or > security people. > > > > To the group, can you think of any other advantages/disadvantages of > putting the locks on Wi-Fi? > > > > Chuck > > > > *From:* The EDUCAUSE Wireless Issues Constituent Group Listserv [ > mailto:WIRELESS-LAN@LISTSERV.EDUCAUSE.EDU > <WIRELESS-LAN@LISTSERV.EDUCAUSE.EDU>] *On Behalf Of *Lee H Badman > *Sent:* Monday, November 6, 2017 9:09 AM > *To:* WIRELESS-LAN@LISTSERV.EDUCAUSE.EDU > *Subject:* Re: [WIRELESS-LAN] Wireless Door Locks? > > > > It’s not what you’re asking, but we are using ASSA-ABLOY .11n locks. > Fairly easy to support. > > Lee Badman (mobile) > > > On Nov 6, 2017, at 8:32 AM, Gregory Fuller <gregory.ful...@oswego.edu> > wrote: > > Haven't seen any recent discussion here about wireless door locks. Our > physical access team is looking to install some wireless door locks in an > administrative building. I can see it growing past this building pretty > rapidly and want to make sure they aren't putting in something that is > going to cause us headaches. > > > > They are looking to install Aperio "HUB's" as they call them: > > > > https://vo-general.s3.amazonaws.com/53aee5c6-9690-4c74-a82a-09f1d0f1ec68/ > d0vBYdO5QWWKURZqvp0w_AA%20Aperio%20Family%20Brochure.pdf?AWSAccessKeyId= > AKIAJ3YBR5GY2XF7YLGQ&Expires=1582662909&response-content- > disposition=inline%3B%20filename%3DAA%20Aperio%20Family%20Brochure.pdf& > response-content-type=application%2Fpdf&Signature= > 920fJFxmRxXi9vkJ7zrIVHZao9o%3D > > > > > > This appears to be using some variant of 802.15.4, which has the ability > to run between our 802.11g/n 2.4Ghz channels, but will cause co-channel > interference. I'm a bit concerned that there will be some impact to our > 2.4Ghz clients (we have a ton of them out there still). > > > > Anyone else out there have these or something similar and can speak for > how they work and if there are any issues in your environment? > > > > --greg > > > > > > Gregory A. Fuller - CCNP R&S, CCNP Security, CCNA Wireless > > Network Manager > > State University of New York at Oswego > > Phone: (315) 312-5750 > > http://www.oswego.edu/~gfuller > > _____________________________________________________ > > Campus Technology Services will never ask you to email us sensitive > personal information such as a password. Please contact us if you are > unsure if an email is genuine. (h...@oswego.edu) > > ********** Participation and subscription information for this EDUCAUSE > Constituent Group discussion list can be found at http://www.educause.edu/ > discuss. > > ********** Participation and subscription information for this EDUCAUSE > Constituent Group discussion list can be found at http://www.educause.edu/ > discuss. > > ********** Participation and subscription information for this EDUCAUSE > Constituent Group discussion list can be found at http://www.educause.edu/ > discuss. > ********** Participation and subscription information for this EDUCAUSE > Constituent Group discussion list can be found at http://www.educause.edu/ > discuss. > > ********** Participation and subscription information for this EDUCAUSE Constituent Group discussion list can be found at http://www.educause.edu/discuss.
