Prox vs. iClass Explained

Author: Brian Rhodes, Published on Jul 12, 2013

The differences between 'contactless' proximity credential formats are significant, yet the details are not well understood. Most access designers and users are familiar with 'Prox', but replacing them with 'iClass' has no real benefit... or does it? In this note, we contrast Prox versus iClass formats, and examine the key differences between both. Should you upgrade you Prox system to iClass? We answer that question in this report.

Key Pros and Cons

*** *** ********** ** **** ***** ***:

  • *** ****:*** **** ****** ** (**********) **** ***** ********** ** ***** prices ******** ** ******.
  • "**** ******" ********: ***** ********** ** "********", **** **** ** ********** ********* and **** ***** *** *********** **** ****'* "******** ******* *********".

** ********, *** *** ********** ** ****** ***:

  • ********* ********:****** ****, ****** **** * *** ** ***** ****** ********** of **** ****, *** **** * ****** ****** *** ****** the ******, ******* ** ** ****** * '*****-*****' **********.
  • **** ********: ****** ******** **** ****, *** ************ **** *******, **** Prox. ***** ** ****** **** ** ** ****** **** ** store **** *********** *** * ****** ** ********* ******* ***** from **** ***

Prox ** (*****) ****

******* ***** ********* ** ****** ** '**** ********** *********', *** majority ** *** ****** ******* ********* ********* ***** *** '**** II' ****** ***********. ** * ****** ***** ****** ************ **********, ~75% ** ********* ********* **** ***, ******, ** ******* *** systems **** *** *** *** **** ***********. ***** **** ********* and *** ***** *** ***** ** ***** '***********' ********** *******, many *** ******* ** *** ********** *********** ******* *** *** and ****** ******** ** *** *** **** ****** **** *** familiar ****.

************

* **** **** ** ******'* **** ****** ** * ****** of *** ******* ** ********* **** ********** ** *** *** user *** ****** ***. **** ******* *** '***********' *********** ********* used ** ****** * ****, ***, ** ***** ** ***** proximity ** ** ******. ** **** *******, ** **** ** the *** ******* **** *** ****** ******* ****** *******:

  • **** ******
  • **** *****

**** ******:* **** **** *** ** ****** **** '****' ********* ** an ****** ******* ******. ***** *** **** ******* ** *** credential ** ********* *********** ** *** ****, *** ****** ****** the **** ******* ** ***** *** **** ****** ** *** access ******* **** ***.

**** *****:**** * ********* ***********, ****** ******* ******* ********* **** ****, however ** ******* *** ****** *** **** ***** ** ****. Because ** **** '***********' *********** *** ********* ******* ** *** reader, *** ***** **** ** ***** ** *** ****** ** order ** ****. **** *********** ****** **** **** ****** *** typically ******* *.**" - *.*", ******* ********* ******* **.*" - 24.0" *** ******** **** ****** (******* *******) ***********.

***********

*******, ******* *** ******* *** ******* ** ***-*****, ***** *** many ********* *********** ******* *** ******* *********:

  • *********
  • **********
  • *******
  • ****

*********:*** ****** ******* ********** ******* *** *** *********** ** ************ radio *********, ***** **** ** * *** ********* *** *** and ****** ** **** ********* ** **.** ***. *** ****** frequency ****** ****** ************ ****** *** ******* *********, **** '****' of *********** *** **** ** ** ********* ******* **** *** reader ** * ********* ******* ****** ** ****.

**** *********** ***********, * ***** ** **** ********** ***********. *** kHz ** ******* **** ***** ** ************* **.** ***, *** *** ********* ** **** *** * credential ** **** ** * **** **** ** *******. ******** longer ******* ** * **** ***** ** ********** ** *****, so **** *********** *** ******* ** *** **** ****** ** information **** ********. ** * ******, *** ******* ****** ** bits *** **** ** ********* ** *** ******** ** ****, well ******* *** *** ***, *** *** ** ******* *********** afforded ** *** ****** ********.

*** ****** ********* **** ******** * **** '*****' ***** ****. In **** ************, ********** **********,******* **** ******* ******** ********** ************ ** ******* *** *** ******* **** being ********. ****** ********* ****** ********* ******* ***** ********.

**********:**** *** ************ ** ********* *** *****, ****** ****** ********** against '***-**-***-******' ******* ******* ***** ** ******** *********** *** *** ***********. HID ****** **** *********** ** *********** ******* *******:

"*** ************* ******* ** ****** ****** *** **** ** ********* using ** *********. *** *********** ******* *** **** *** ****** cannot ** “*******” *** ******** ** * ******. *** ********** protocol **** ****** **-*** **** ****** ******* *** ****** **** and ****** **************. (**, **** **** ***** ** *** ****/******)"

* ********** ******** ******* *** *** ******* ** ***** *****. With ****, *** ************ ** ***********. *******, **** ******, *** transmission ** ********* *** **** *** ** ********* ** *** reader **** * ******** '***' ** ****** ** *** **********:

****, **** ***** ***** ******'* *************** *** '***********' ******* ****** ********** *** ******:

*** ********** ******* "****" (**** ** *** "*********" ** *** chart *****) ** * ******* *** ******** **** ****. ****** therefore ******** ** ******** *** '******** ****' ******** ******* ************ ** **** ********* *********** ******** ******** *******.

*******:*** ******* **** ***** *** ********* ** *** **********; ** other *****, ****** ***** ****** ** **** ** **** ******* and **** *****. * **** ****** ****** ******* **** **** to ****** *********** ******* **** ********* ***** ******. *** **** of ** ****** ****** ** ********* **** ********* **** ** Prox ******, *** ******* ***** ***** ***** **% ******.

*******, *** ***** *** **** ********* *** *** **** *** both *******, *** *********** ********* *** * ***** ******* ** installing *** ****** ****** ** *** **** ***** ** *** removed ****. *** *** ****** **** ******* *** **** *** available ** ****** ********, *** ********* ******* *** **** ** 'bolthole-to-bolthole' *******.

******* ******* *** ******** ** ********** *********** **************. ** **** **** **** *********** ******** ******* *** *********, but ****** ********** ********** ** ****** **** **** - ****** than ******* ******** ** ** ****** * *** **** ** once, *** ****** ********* ******* ** **** ******* **** ******* can ** ********.

****:******* * ***** ********** ************* **** **** ****, ****** ********* costs ****. ******* ** *** ********* **********, *** *** *********** need **** **** **** ***** **** **.** *** ** ******* the ***** ********* *****. ****** *********** *** **** ********* ********** than ****, *** ******* ****** ******, *** **** ** *********** is *****. ** ******** *****, *** ******* ******* *** ****** formats ** **** *** **** ******, ******** ** ****** ***** iClass ** ********* ****** ******. *** ***** ***** ***** ******* internet ******* ** ******** *****:

Average ********* **** **********

Prox ********
*****$*.**$*.**
*******$***.**$***.**

Should * *******?

**** ****** *** ******** ** "**** ** ******?" ******, *** stick **** *** **** ********* *** ******** **** ******. ***********, millions ** ********** ****** ******* ******* *** *** ****** ***** day **** ************ ******, ******* ****** ** ***** * ******** risk. *** *********** ** ****, ***** **** *** ********** ****** share, ** *** ** *** ******** ************ **** *** ***.

*******, ** **** ** *** ******** '****** ***', **** ****** has **** *********** ********** *** ******** *********. *** ****-******** ***********, or ***** ***** ***** ** * **** ****** ** ***** identity ******* ******* ** *** ********** (*** ******* ** *****-****** use) *** ****** *** ******** *** ********** ***** ** ****** is *****.

Comments (9)

John Grocke

| 07/12/13 07:45pm

********* *******. * ***'* ******** *** **** **** * **** a *** *** ****** ***** **** ***** ** *******. **'** been ******* ****** *** ******* ***** *** *** ********. *** clientele ** ********* **** ******** ******** **** **** *** ** don't ** * *** ** *** *** **** ****.

** **** ********* **** *** *** ****** ******* ****** ***** into *** ****** **** *** ********** *** ***** ********* **** as ******* **** ***** **'* ***** ** *** ****** ******* of ******** ****** * ********.

** *********, *** "**********" ******* *** ***** *** ******* ********* migrate **********.

Wassim Abu-Zent

IPVMU Certified | 07/16/13 08:33pm

** *** ******* "********* *.*. *********** ************ *******", * ** curious ** ** **** **** ****** ** ******* ******* *** door/wall. ** **** *******, **** ** **** ******** *********?

John Minster

IPVMU Certified | 07/23/13 01:34pm

***** ******* ***** ***** ***.

**** ** * ******* * ****** **** ****** ** * regular *****. ** *** *** *** *** ** ***, ********** and ********* **** ****** **** *** **** ******* **** ******, prox ***** *** ****** * *** ****** ** *** ****** you ***. ** ** *** ****** ** ******** **** ** is ** "*****". ***** ****** **** ** **** * *** deal *** ** **** ***** *** ***'* ****** **** *** or ***.

Thumbnail pp 5

Brian Rhodes

IPVMU Certified / IPVM Admin | 07/23/13 02:08pm

*****, ******:

*** ******* ***** * '*******' ******** **** *******. *** *** is **** ** *** **** ***** ****, *** **'* **** than **** ********. *******, ** *** *** **** ** ******* a ********* *** ***** **** **** **** ****, *** ****** illustrate *** ******* ** ********** **********.

****** *** *******!

Andrew Lee

| 07/23/13 06:45pm

* **** **** ******** *'* **** ** ******* ** **** topic. ****** **** **** ** *** **** **** ****** *****.

*** ******** ******* *** *** ****** **************, *** ** ******** different **** *********. (****** ** ***** ******** **** ******** ******* additional *********)

*** **** ***** **** *** ******** ***********, **** *** **** of *** *** ************** ****** **** *** ****** **** ** easily ******, **** *** ***** ****** *** ** ******* ***. They *** *** ** ****** ** * *** ******** **** (or **** *** **** * ******** **** ******'*). *** *** MiFare ******* *** ******/****** *** *** ** ****** ****** ** new *****.

**** ***** *** ********** ** ******* *** ** ***** **** is ********* **** *** **** *** *****'* ******* *** ** do ** ****** * **** **** ******* **** * ***** reader ** ***** ** *** ******** *******. *** **** **** greater ******** **** *** ** ***** *** * ****** **** than * **.***** **** ******** *** ** ************** **** *** prox **** ** ******* *********. *** ********** ****** ***** **** be **** ** ****** *** ** ****** ** *** ******.

**** ****** **** ***** ************* ********* *** * ******** **** Serial ****** (*****/*****) ****** **** **** **** ******* ******* ** this ** * *** *** ************** ****** *** ********* *****'* allow ****** ** *** *********** *****. *** *** ****** **** the **** **** ****** ****** **** *** ****** ** **** a **** ****. (** *** **** ** *** *********** ***** and ***** *** ***** ********** *** *** **** ** ********** to ********* * **** ****** ****** ** ***** ********* *** will ******** ** ***** * **-*** ************* ****** **** ** encrypted ************** **** ******** *** ******** ******). ****** ** ****** from ******* ** ******** ** *** ***** ** *** ****.

*** ******** ** * ******* ***** ****** ****** ** *** ability ** **** *** ******* ******* ******. * ***** **** any ****** **** ***** * ******* ****** *** **** *** CSN *** **** **** * ****** **** *** ****** **** same *** **** * ******* ******. **** ** ****** ******** physical ****** ** *** **** * *** **** * ****** to **** **** ****** **** *** ****. ** *** ** tamper ********** ****** ** **** ** *** ******* **** **** a ******* ********* ** ***** ** * ****** ** ***** be ********** ******** ** * ******.

John Minster

IPVMU Certified | 07/23/13 06:57pm

***** ****** ******. **** ****** ** ** ***** **** *** being ****** *** ******* ** ** ** ****** * ***** out **** ****** ********* ***** **** ****** *******. *** ***** needing **** ******** ****** *** **** *** ** *****.

Undisclosed 1 Integrator

| 07/24/13 08:00am

***** **** ** *** * ******* ********** ******* ****** *** DesFire

François Brouillet

| 10/11/13 02:45pm

** *** **.** *** ***** ***** *** ********* ********* ********. In ** ** ****** *** *** *** ****** *** *** new ****** ****** **, ** ****** ** ** *** ******* Mifare *** *** **** ******** ******* ******* *** **** ** popular *** ** ***** ** ** *** **** ******. **** we **** ** *** *** *****, ****** ** *** ****** and ******* ******* ** *** ****** ** ******** **** *** "compliant" **** *** **** *** ******** *** *** *** ***** interoperable. ********* *** *** ****** ****** **** **** **** *** CSN (**** ****** ******) ** * ****** ** ******* **** not ***** **** ** **** *** ****** ****** ******* *** credential ***********

Adams Dauda

| 01/21/15 04:58pm

**** ** **** ********** *******, ** ** *********** ** ********** requirement ** ********* *********** *** ******* ***** * ******** *** use ***/*** **** ***** **** ** ***** ******* **** ****** the ******* ***** ** ***** *** ***********. *** *** ********** requires ********** ** ******** *********** ** ***** ** * **** to *** **** *** **** ***** ******.

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