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?

IPVM Image

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 *******:

IPVM Image

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

IPVM Image

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

IPVM Image

****** (*.*., *** *** 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 ****** *******:

IPVM Image

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

IPVM Image

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

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

IPVM Image

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

Login to read this IPVM report.
Why do I need to log in?
IPVM conducts unique testing and research funded by member's payments enabling us to offer the most independent, accurate and in-depth information.
Loading Related Reports