Access Control Reader Covers (Readercovers.com) Tested
Most access readers come in either black or white regardless of where they are installed, but the company Reader Covers aims to change that by giving users a choice of colors, logos, and custom text. But how well do the covers work, and do they present limitations?
IPVM bought and tested three different covers from ReaderCovers.com, examining:
- Do the reader covers impact read range?
- Do reader covers impact operating temps?
- Are mobile credentials impacted?
- What reader models are supported?
- How securely are they held in place?
- Do logos need to be licensed?
- Will regular cleaning chemicals or the sun fade printed logos?
Plus we spoke with both Reader Covers and HID and share our tested results and the manufacturers' feedback inside.
Executive *******
****** *******, ** ********** ************* *** caused ** ****** *** *****. ******* read ******, ********* ************, ** ****** (BLE) *********** *** ********. *** ****** using *** ****** **** *** **** standard **********.
****** ************* ************ ***** ** *** ****** ***** and ****** ** ***** ******* *** ~$35 ****, *** ************ ** ****. However, **** ****** ***** *** *** supported, *** *** ****** *** ** easily ****** ** ******* ** **** do *** **** * ******** ***** to ****** **** ** *** ******.
*** *****-****** **** **** ***** ***** that *** ******** ****** ******** ** the **** **** * ***** *********:
Key *********
- ** **** ***** ** *********** ******: **** ****** ** *** ** adding ****** *** *********** ******** ******* on ****** ***********, *** **** ** not. *** ******* **** ** *** cover ******** ** *** **** ** the ******, *** *** **** ** the ****** **** ****** ***** ******** testing.
- **** ****** ***** & ********: ****** ****** *** ** ********** to ******** ****** *** ******* **** custom ********. ** ****** ***** ********* colors *** ******* *******. *** ****** varied ************* **** *** ***** ***** black ***** ** ******* ******.
- ****-**** *******: ****** * ***** ** * reader ** **** ******** ** **** the **** ** *** ****. ** screwdrivers, ****, ** **** ** ****, and ************ ***** **** **** * seconds.
Key ********
- ** *** ***** ****** *******: ****** ****** ***** *** ***** keypad ******'* *******. *** ******* ***** us **** **** * ********, *** demand *** *** **** ****** ****** to *******.
- **** ** ******: ***** ************ ** ****, ******** and ******** ****** ** **** ** easy, *** ** ******** ****** *** used ** ****** **.
- **** ****** ***** *** *********: ***** ****** ****** *** ******* for *** *****, ****** **, *** 3MillID/LenelS2 *********** *******, ** ***** ****** manufacturer ****** *** ********, ********* ****, STid, *******, *** ****** **** **** developed.
Reader ****** ********
****** ********** ******* ******** **** **** **** place ** ****** *******:
*********/*************/***** ********** *** ***** ****** ** brand ** ****** ***** ***** ****** readers, ** *** *** ****** ** designate ******* ************:
*** ***** ***** ***** *** ****-**** install:
*** ******* **** **** ***** ***** selection ** ******* ** *** ****** SE, *** *****, *** *******/******* *********** models, **** **** **** **** ** 'custom ********' ***** *** *-**** ***** paint ******** **** ***** ****** ******, and **** *** ** ** ****** for ***** ****** ******.
** ***** *****, *** ******* ****** us ******** ***** ******* **** ****** with * *****-***** '****' *******, ** operationally, ********* **** ** ** ******* zones/door *******/*** ******* ****** ******, *** so **.
UV ***** ********
****** ****** **** ** **** ******* logos ** ***** ******* ** **** with ***** '** ***** *******' *** that **** *** ******** *** ********* to ******** ********, *** ******, *** even **** ********* **** ******* *** scratches.
** *** ****, *** ******* **** did *** ***** ** *** ***, and *** ******* ******* *** ****** throughout, ** ******* ********* *** *** show.
Private ******** **** *** ****
****** ****** **** *** ******* ***** and ***** **** ***** **** ***** are *** ******** ******* **** *** for ******* *** **** *** **** not/cannot ******* ******* **** ******** *********.
**** **** ** **** **** ********* has *** **** ** ***** *** them *** **** *** ** *** typical ********* ***** ***** *** *** printed ** ****** ********* ********* ******** and *** *** ***** *********' ******** use ****.
*******
***** *** *** ******* ************** **** *** *******'* *******. ** ******* ***** ** $**.** each. ****** *** *** **** ********** of ****** ****, ****, *****, ***.
*******, *** ******* **** ** ******* to **** ** *** ****************** ******* ***** (******** *******), **** ***** ****** *** ****** messaging (*.*., ****** **** *****) ******* as '**-***** *****.' *******, ********* ****** and ****** ***** *** ******** ********* and ****** *******. ***** **** *** then ****** ** **** ********* ******* custom *******, ******/***** *********, *** *** first ******* ********** *******.
HID ******** *** ******** ** ***** ***
** ***** *** ** ***** * cover ******/*******/**** ***'* ******** ****** **********, and **** **** **, *** *** covers ****** ** ******** *** ******:
*** *** ** ********* **** ************.***, have ****** ***** ******** *** **** passed * ****** ******. * ******* (HID *** ****** ******) **** *** this ************ *** ***** **** **** due ** *** *** ***** **** they *** **** *** ****** ** readers.
********, *** **** **** ***** *** apply ***** ** ******** ** ***** reader, *** ****** **** ****** ******, customers *** *** **** ** ******* warranties:
********** ********* *** **** ** ********* the **** ** ***** ****** ** they *** ***. *** **** ****** be ******* ** *** ******* *** warranty ******.
No ***** ****** *******
* ********* *********** **** *** ***** covers ** ****** ** **** *** reader's ********** ********** ****** ******* *** just ******* **** *** *** ** longer ** **** ** ****** *** installed:
*** ***** **** **** ** *** case **** **** ** ***'* ***** keypad ******, *** ****-***** *** (*****) and *** ******* ******* ***.
****** ****** ********* **** ** **, saying **** ***** *** ***** ***** blocks *****'* ********** ****** *******, **** have * ******** ******* ******** *** ready ** ***********. *******, ****** *** keypad ***** ****** *** *** **** strong ****** ** ******* ******* ***** to **** ******* ****.
*** ******* **** ****'** *** '* few *******' ********* ********, *** *** cost ** *** ********* ******* *** is ********* ** *******, *** ****** for ****** ****** ***** ** **** before *** ********** ** *** *******.
Insignificant ***** *******
*** ** *** ******* ******** ** how/if * ****** ***** **** ****** read ****** ** ******** *** ****** credentials.
** ****** **** ***** *** ***** the ***** **** *** ****** *** range. ********* *** **** ****** ** used ******** ******* **** **** ***** ******** 2023 - ***, ********, ****, *******, Alta, *****, *******, ***, *******, ** *********** **** **** ****** for ******** *********** **** *** **** regardless ** *** ***** *** ********* or ***.
** **** ******* ****** ********** ****** strength *** ********* ****** ******* ******* and ***** *** ********** ********** ****** the ****** ********** ********* ** *** BLE ****** ****** *** *** ******** by *** *****:
Covers *** *** **** ******** ** ****** ** ******
****** ****** **** **** ******* ***** covers *** *********-****** **** *** **** plastic ********* **** ** ****** ** readers, **** ** *** ********** ***** covers ** ****** **** ***** ***********.
*** ******* **** *** ***** ******** is * ***** ** *** *** polyethylene ******* ********** ** ***** ** impact ** *** ** ******* ******* by *** ******.
Insignificant **** ******
** ******* ****** ********* ************ ****** and ***** *** ****** **** *********, but ***** *********** ******* **** **** than * ******* * *** ******* to *** *********** ********** ** *** temp *** ** ******** ****.
*** ******* ***** ****** ***** ***** should *** ****** ******** *********** ** their *******, *********** ********* ***********. *** company **** **** **** **** ******** in ***** ******* ****-*********** ********.
Easy ** ****-*** / *****
***** ********** ******, ******** **** ** or ****** **** *** ** ****; the **** ** **** ***** ****** or ****** ** **** ** ** tamper ** ******** ****** *** **** to **** *** ****** ** *****, and *** ****** ******** ****** *** not **** *** *** ******. *** example, *** ****** ***** **** *** Signo ******** ** *** **** ** the *****:
** ***** ****** ****** *** ******** on **** ****, *** **** **** us, '**** *** *** **** * problem *** *** *********'.
***** *** ****** *****. * *** see ** ********* ***** ***** *** over ***** *** *** *****-**** *******. Quality *** **** * *** ***** as **** *** ******* ** ***** rooms, *** *****, ****** *****, *******/********, and ********** *****. * *** **** of *************.
*) ******* ** ********/*********** ** **** a **** ** **** ** "******" like ** * ****** ** **** office ********.
*) ******* **** *** ****** ***** be **** ** *** **; ***** it?.
*) ********* **** *** ****** **** loction/direction ** ******* *********.
*) ****** ************ ***** ** ****** onto ** ******* ** ** *** wall.
*) * **** ** ****/****** ***** be ******** ** ****/***** ******* *** at **** *****.
*) ** ** ****** **** **** placing * ******* ** **.
** **** ***** ******** ** ******* for ****. ****** * *******, ** doesn’t ******, **** ** ** ** crooked. *** ****** * ******* *****, you ***’* ***** ** ***.
****: ******* ***** **** ******** ** be************, ***** ********* ***** **** **** and********* ****** ******** “*****” ********** ** ****+ ******* **** *** accessories *** **** ** ** ******* interest ** ***********.