Verkada Access Reader Tested (AD31)

By Brian Rhodes, Published Jan 11, 2021, 10:38am EST

Verkada is expanding into access control. We tested Verkada's controller and system software a few months ago. Now, Verkada has its first reader model, the AD31.

But how well does it work and how does it compare to incumbents like HID and Allegion?

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We bought and tested the AD31 to see how they stack up against competitors including HID Signo, iClass SE, and Allegion AptiQ.

Inside, we provide:

  • 5 key strengths and 5 key weaknesses
  • Numerous images and videos showing how it looks during use and the distinctive uptilt mounting
  • Why the AD31 LED display is easier to understand than competitors
  • Which physical credential formats work with the unit and which common ones do not
  • How the reader looks when configured in Verkada's interface
  • Clarification on the reader using OSDP v1.0, but not 'Secure Channel'

Key *********

*** **** ***** ******* AD31 ******* **** ******* key *********:

  • **** **** ********:*** **** ******** **** to ********** *** '*' or ***** '****' *****, easier ** ********** **** competitor's **** ******** ** uncommon ******.
  • ********* ******:**********, *** ****'* **** is ******* ****** ****** the ****, ****** ********** a **** **** ******* than ***** ******** ***** with *****.
  • ********** *************:** ** **** ** connected, *******'* ****** ****** automatically ********* ** *** makes ** ******, ****** typical ****** ************* ******.
  • ****, *** *******:*******'* ****** **** ******** OSDP *** *** ****'* Wiegand ***** *** *** active.
  • *** ***** ****** *******:*** **** ** ********** with *** *** *** and **.** *** ****** and ******* *******, ******* that ******** ** *********** 3rd ***** *********** *** be ****.

Key *********

***** *** **** ********* to ********:

  • ***** **** *****: *** **** *** a ***** **** ***** of ~*.*" - *.*" depending **** *******. **** range ** ******* **** most ***** *******, *** example*** ***** **** ** ~3.875" - *.*".****, *** **** **** reads ******** *********** *** does *** ***** ****** or ********* *******.
  • ** ****** *******: ******* ***** **** HID ****** ******* ** not **** **** *** AD31. ***** ****** *** DESFire ******* ****, *** AD31 **** ***** ***/*** reads ****.
  • ************ ****** *****: ** ******* *********, the **** *** *** read ********* ***** ***** after * ****-** ******.
  • ******* ***** *** ******: *** ****'* ***** configuration ** *****, *****, or *** ** ***** and ******* *** *** intensity ** **********.
  • ** ****** ******: ******* **** *** offer * ****** **** an ********** ******.
  • ** ********* ******: ***** ******* ****** control ******** ****** ********* via ** ***, *** Verkada ****** **** *** support ********* ********* ** detecting ****** **** ** HID *****, ******, *** OpenPath **.
  • *** **** ****: *** **** ** full-sized **** ***** ***** only, *** **** ** too ***** ** ******* fit ** **** ******, mullions, *** ********.

Multiple ******** ***** ********

**** ***** * **** during *******, ******* *** product ***** ********* ********* for ******* ******. ***** Verkada **** ******* *** responsive *** ****** ***** for ***** ****, *** presence ** ****, ** production, *** * *******.

*** **** ******* *** was *** ****** ********* multiple ***** ***** ****, which *** ***** ** a *** ***** ** reported.

AD31 **** ******** **** ** **********

**** ********* ***** **** clearer ******** **** **** other *******:

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******* ** ********** ***** return * ~*" *** 'X', ***** *****/******** ***** show * ***** '****'. The ****** **** ***** during *** ******, *** the ****** *** **** are *** **** *** both **********.

***** ***** ******* **** beep *** **** * color ******, *** ***** and ********* ** *** color *** ****, *** the '******' ********* ** the ******** ****** **** an '*' ** '****'.

** ******* ** ***** read ******** ** ***** below:

*** ***/*************/****** *****, ******** a ***** *** ******* whether ****** ** ***** may ** ****** ** understand **** ************ ********** colors ** ***** **** other *******.

Reader ****** **** ***********

******* *********** **** ******* is *** **** ** the ****** ** ******* upward **** ****. **** position ***** ******** ***** downward ** ** **** is **** ******* *** requires **** ***** ******* when ******** ** ***** readers.

*** ****** ******** ** different **** ***** ******* in *** ****** ** are ******** **** **** install ***** **** *** mounting *******.

*** ***** ***** ********* the ******* **** ****** typical *******:

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*** ***** *** *** noticeably ****** ** ******** read ******** *********** *** it *** **** ********** cards **** ***********.

Format *******

** ************ ****** **** with *** ****'* ********* 125 *** *** **.** MHz ********** *******:

  • *** *** *** (** bit *** ** ***)
  • ****** *******
  • ****** ******* *** & EV2

*** **** *** *** read *** ****** ** iClass **** ***********. ************, for *** **.** *** supported, **** ***** **** serial ******* (****) *** read, *** ******* **** sectors *** *** (******** security *** *************).

Read ********

*** ******* ********* **** successfully **** ***% ** the **** ** * range ** **** ***** 1.0". **** *.*" ** 1.5", ***** **** ************ with */* ** ***** being **********.

** ****** **** **** 200 ***** ***** ***** formats:

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****** (*.*., *** *** or **.** ***) *** not ****** *** **** range ********.

Verkada: *** *** ***** ******* *** ****-***** ***********

******* **** ** *** 3rd ***** ******* (**** as ****** ******** ********** ***) ** ****** **** read ********* ****** *** vehicle *****, ******* *******, or **** *********.

Intermittent ****** *****

** *******, *** **** sometimes *** *** ******** card ***** **** *********. In **** *****, *** unit *** ******* ****** 'cold' ***** ***** *** unit *** *** **** used *** ******* ******* beforehand.

** *******, *** ****** attempts **** **** ** 5 ** *** ********, or * ~*.*% ******* read ****.

******* **** *** '****-**' period ** *** ******* and ***** ****** ****** immediately. **** ****** * tech ******* ***** ** examine ******** *** ** expect * ****** ******** release ** *** ****.

AD31 ******** ** *****, ***** & ****** **

*** ******* **** ***** compared ** ***** ****-***** wall ***** ******* *** a ******* ******** ****. Like *** ******, ***** mount ** ******** ********** junction ***** *** **** 12 *** ***** **** from * **********, ********** ****.

*** ********** ***** **** the **** (*** ****) next ** ****-**** *****, Allegion *****, *** ** older ****** *******:

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*** **** ** **** rated *** ****** ** outdoor ********* **** *** backside ***** **** ****** by ******. *** ****** is **** ********* **** a **** ******* ******* attached ****** **** * socketed ******* ****** ********* from *** ** ******** and ***** *******.

*** ******** ***** ******** readers *** ****, ****** is ********* *** *** tested ****** ******** ************. While ****** *************** *** retrofit ****** ********, *** having * ******** ******* option *** **** *** AD31 * ************ ** bid *** *** ************ projects.

Physical ******** *****

** ******* *** ***** quality ** *** **** versus *** ***** ** and ***** **** ****-**** readers ** *** ***** below:

*******

*******'* **** *** *** AD31 ****** ** $***. Other ****** ********** ***** are ********* ****** ******* or ***** (*.*., ****** prices *** *** ***** 40 ** $***, ****** SE ** $***, ******** AptiQ ** $***).

Uses **** **.*, ** ******* *******

*** ** *** ***** weakness ****** ********** ****** ******* ******* **** **** *** not **** ******* ************. *******, **** ******** has **** ********* ********* as *** **** ******** only ***** **** *********** to *** **** **********.

*******, ** ******** '****** Channel' **** (**.*.*) ** not ***** ****, *** an ***** **.* ************** (not ********* ** '****** Channel' *************) ** ***** used. *** ****** **** version ************ ******** ****** data ** *** **********. The ******* **** **** may ******* ******* **** high-security ** ********** ****.

******* ********* **** ** IPVM:

*********, ** *** ***** OSDP **.*. ** **** built *** **** **.* support ***** *** ** enabled ** * ***-******** basis *****. ** **** be ******* **** *** in * ****** ****** to *** *******.

******* ************ ********* **** connecting *** ****** *** Wiegand ** *** ** option ******* **** ****** is ********:

*** ******* ***** ** the **** *** *** active. ** *** *** only ******* *** **** to *** **** *** OSDP.

No ****** ** ********* *******

*** **** **** *** offer * ****** *** biometric ****** ******* *** is ****/*** ****. ********** for*****-****** **************************, *** **** **** not ** * *** and * *** ***** will **** ** ** used.

** ********, *** ***** options ******* *********** *** ****** *** a *********** ********* *****.

*** **********, *******'* **** controller ** ********** **** Wiegand ********* ******* ********* available **** ***, ******, Suprema, ******, *** ******.

Verkada ******* **** *************

******* ***** *** **** is ************* ******** ** Verkada's ********** ********. **** in *** ***** ***** that *** **** '******* Reader' ** ***** '******' with ** ****** ********* or ************* ********:

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Enrollment ** ****** ****

***** *** ***** ***** the **** ******* ** 3rd ***** ******* *******, where ** ******** **** is ********* ** *** AD31 *** **** **** scan ** ********** **** a ******** ****:

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********** ** **** ******* than ***** ******* **** use ******** ********** ******* or *********** *** ***** that ******* ** *******. Instead, ********* ***** *** be ******** *** *** purpose.

Verkada ******** **** ****** ******

*** ****-**** **** **** likely ** *** ***** for **** ******* ***** applications **** **** ******. However, ******* **** ** they **** ** ******* more ****** ****** ** the ******, *** ******* no ******* ****:

***** **** ** ********** reader **** ******* ** the ******. *******, ***** are ** ********** *** for ****.

Comments (1)

Jack Pestaner

01/12/21 02:17pm

********* ****** ** *****. Two ******** ** *******:

*. ******* ****** ** at ***** ** ******. On ********* ******* * CMU ****, * **** put *** *-*** ** the ****** *** ****** there, *** ******* ***** way *** ***** ** make ** ******* ** 8 **** ***** ****.

*. * **** *** idea ** * ***** bracket *** ****** ** stainless *** ******* ***. Hawaii/Texas/Florida ******* **** *** up **** ***** ******* in ** ****.

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