How a Hotel Key Card Works

How Does A Hotel Key Card Work? Virtually all major hotels in the United States utilize some form of guest management system involving the use of key cards. You may have even used a hotel key card at some point in order to gain access to a hotel room, and you also may have a few questions of your own in regards to how the cards themselves work, as well as exactly how secure they are. Oftentimes, many people typically think that hotel doors are always highly secure; however, the truth is that the technology designed to secure them is more than likely out of date and need to be more modernized.

Austin Hotels

Hotel key cards are equipped with a magnetic strip that contains a total of three tracks within the strip itself. There is specific system data on one or more of these tracks once a guest checks in to a hotel, and the information contained on it includes what your hotel room number is and how long you will be staying as a guest. When you locate the room and swipe the key card, the reader within the lock then cross-checks all of the data with the information that is contained within the guest system. From there, you will hear a click and be able to access the room.

Even though there are different types of hotel key cards, the fact is that all of them work on a similar type of principle. This includes the following:

*A token will be placed in either a fob or plastic key card. This token has a special hotel key card encoder, such as an electronic access control device.

*Hotel key cards are equipped with various digital credentials that are represented in electronic codes.

*The data itself is either transferred or stored via a Wiegand wire, RFID microchip, or magnetic strip.

*Whenever the card itself is swiped or located on the actual reader, the code will be read in order to share data with the controller.

*The controller will then move forward with comparing all of the credentials that concern the database in order to transfer the signal with the electronic lock based on the specific match type.

*Access will be granted by unlocking the door if a positive match is determined.

It’s important to note that this technology can vary depending on the type of hotel key card that is being used.

Hotel Key Card Door Entry Systems Austin

How Does A Hotel Key Card Work? These types of key cards also come with their fair share of benefits, such as the following:

*They’re extremely handy

*They’re incredibly efficient

*They’re more economical

*They’re great devices in terms of brand marketing and advertising

*They’re extremely difficult to hack or copy

*They are able to be personalized and programmed

*The cards themselves are anonymous

*The cards are deactivated conveniently once they are turned in