This page is designed to help you to identify the best product for your application. If you need help with any of the information on the page, just click the ‘ Ask Nortech ' button and send us your question. We will be happy to provide the information you need.
Choosing the right reader for your application depends on a number of factors:
- Whether or not you want to read existing cards or key fobs and, if so, whether you want to obtain more cards or key fobs that are compatible with the chosen reader
- For new installations, the level of security you require
- The price you are prepared to pay
- Where the reader is to be deployed
- The access control system it is to be used with
If you are not sure about the comparative advantages of each of the card technologies available, read ‘Card Technologies Explained’.
New Systems
The main choice that you face for new systems is between the higher security 13.56MHz smart card systems and the lower priced 125kHz proximity readers. The performance of the readers are very similar for reading cards and key fobs with the smart card reading range slightly better than that of proximity cards. However, if your application requires a high level of security, we suggest that you consider using a smart card system, such as LEGIC or iCLASS. Also, if you intend to use the cards for more functions than just access control, then you should take care to investigate which technology will best support future functionality.
Contact our Technical Support Team if you need technical advice on smart card functionality.
If you simply want reasonably priced cards and readers that offer higher security than magstripe cards, then we recommend our standard EM cards and readers.
Using Existing Credentials
Nortech’s reader family is capable of reading most types of proximity card. If you know which technology is used and it is a low frequency (125kHz) technology, then go to our proximity card section and select the appropriate reader. If the exact variant is not available, then you can contact our sales department to find out if we can support it. If we don’t currently support the variant, we can develop a special version provided that the size of the order justifies the work. We can also offer dual technology readers that support standard EM*** credentials as well as the technology that you already have.
If in any doubt about the type of card or key fob that you are currently using, ask your installer to send us two samples together with their numbers for evaluation.
For reading Mifare Classic card sectors or for reading the unique serial number of any 13.56MHz (ISO15693 and ISO 14443A standards) credentials see our smart card section. If you need iCLASS or LEGIC readers, you will also find information on these products in our smart card section.
All of the Nortech reader models offer multiple interface options for working with other manufacturers’ access control systems and, as you would expect, they are all compatible with our own access controllers.
We currently offer a choice of 4 housings with our readers. Availability is subject to the reader technology (see below).
Below is a quick reference to the features and capabilities of the Nortech readers.
Technology |
Supports |
Housings |
Output Format |
'EM' 125kHz |
EM*** variants and derivatives |
Mullion-Mount
Slimline
Panel-Mount
Vandal-Resistant |
Reader selectable 26-Bit Wiegand or 10-digit Clock & Data plus RS232 (10 digits at 9600 bauds) |
Hitag 1 |
Typically Technogym 125kHz fobs |
Mullion-Mount
Slimline
Panel-Mount
Vandal-Resistant |
Reader selectable 26-Bit Wiegand or 10-digit Clock & Data plus RS232 (10 digits at 9600 bauds) |
Hitag 2 |
Typically Paxton cards and fobs plus EM variants |
Mullion-Mount
Slimline
Panel-Mount
Vandal-Resistant |
Reader selectable 26-Bit Wiegand or 10-digit Clock & Data plus RS232 (10 digits at 9600 bauds) |
DualProx |
Old style PAC fobs, new 125kHz type PAC cards and fobs plus EM variants. |
Mullion-Mount
Slimline
Panel-Mount
Vandal-Resistant |
Reader selectable 26-Bit or 44-Bit Wiegand plus PAC compatible serial data |
Multi-ISO |
Serial numbers of 13.56MHz (ISO15693 and ISO 14443A standards) technologies including LEGIC advant®, Mifare, iCLASS, ICODE and Tag-it 2. |
Mullion-Mount
|
Reader selectable 32-Bit Wiegand or 10-digit Clock & Data
|
Mifare |
Secure sector from a 13.56MHz Mifare proximity card. |
Mullion-Mount |
Pass-through (format stored on card) |
LEGIC
|
Secure segment from a 13.56MHz LEGIC Prime or LEGIC advant® Smart Card |
Mullion-Mount
Vandal-Resistant |
Pass-through (format stored on card) |