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UTC - Card Readers | GE Transition Series Readers | Question

UE
Undisclosed End User #1
Jun 12, 2018

Hi All,

I have a legacy facility commander system installed at a facility where multiple T-500SW are field deployed. The access card technology currently in used is "IDENTIV". We are trying to standardized this location to a new standard with HID C1K format with IClass Seos +proxy cards, however, it appears the HID card will not work with on these type of readers.

1.- What is the best way to determine if the 125khz of the reader is turned on?, any idea why the HID dual technology we are using is not recognize by the reader/system?

2.- Is there anyway to determine if this GE transition readers have an F2F output?

3.- Any experience from anyone installing F2F -Weingand converter?

Appreciate the comments

SD
Shannon Davis
Jun 12, 2018
IPVMU Certified

The weigand converter is if you are using an HID reader on your GE system. One thing to think about is the T-500 readers are at end of life as also with the GE system as well. I know it is really hard to get new GE boards and if you do they are probably used. Hopefully your integrator has put together a plan to upgrade your system to the new Mercury boards. There are many software options out there that will do this. Not sure why it isn't reading the prox portion though. There should be a flash card that will determine the output of the reader. F2F, F2F supervised and Weigand.

(1)
UE
Undisclosed End User #1
Jun 12, 2018

Hi Shannon, thanks!..we are aware of the end of life of this  technology and currently working migration plan. The card you mentioned is the "Configuration Card"?, it shows Mode 1: F/2F 2-State Supervision, Mode2: F/2F- 4 State supervision and Mode3: Wiegand Output Only.

SD
Shannon Davis
Jun 12, 2018
IPVMU Certified

Yes that's the card, but that won't necessarily make the reader read the HID prox. It may be due to the other technologies in the card. If the reader can read any of those then it may not see the prox technology. You might try just an HID prox card to see if it reads that. In my experience when having multi-technology cards they don't seem to play as nice as single technology.

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Daniel S-T
Jun 12, 2018

My experience with F/2F was HID Readers on a Weigand to F/2F converter, sending it to a Facility Commander System.

Trying to upgrade to Lenel, we found the F/2F converter was not spitting out the card number like a normal weigand card. We had to input special cardformats to sort of translate it, and leave the customer the ability to add just the five digit card number for new users.

According to the T-500SW datasheet, these are the compatible card formats;

With a little more information further in the datasheet about one specific type not being supported;

This manual shows how to change configuration, but my understanding is that has more to do with the output of the reader (how it hooks up to the panel) not the credential type. Meaning if you change it to weigand mode, your access panel needs to accept it as Weigand, not F/2F.

This other manual I found shows a little more information, about the different types of weigand format. And this is part of the issue I ran into with switching to Lenel, and using the F/2F format. The card number doesn't get spit out like it would if it was transmitting over Weigand format. 

That doesn't mean you can't use HID 125kHZ cards, you may need to do some tweaking within the software to get it to read and show properly.

Does the reader acknowledge that a card has been presented when you present an HID card?

(1)
UE
Undisclosed End User #1
Jun 13, 2018

Hi Daniel, thanks for the detailed feedback. much appreciated!

When we scan the HID iclass seaos + proxy card on the existing readers which are currently connected to facility commander, 1 out of 10 the system will not work it will provide a total different card number. We are currently transitioning out to S2 system and the readers that have been cut over do not work at all. We have the card format properly configured in the system but for some reason the reader and the system is not reading the card at all, always showing "unknown" error messages.

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Daniel S-T
Jun 13, 2018

But does the reader itself always acknowledge that a card has been presented? Whether accepted or not, as long as the reader acknowledges that a card is there, that's one step.

Now I will admit, it's been some time since I got to work on anything other than ProWatch (change of job two years ago) in lenel and other systems I previously worked on, I could enter a special mode that would show me, more or less, the "raw data" have you been able to view that at all? Or is that where you are seeing the totally different card number?

I am not familiar with S2 systems, are you still using F/2F format with that system? Or straight weigand?

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