It's a common situation: maybe the person who usually orders your access control cards has left, is away temporarily, or you've been asked to source some new door entry fobs and have no idea where to start.
Tenant in a shared building and need another keyfob?
You will need to speak to your landlord or building owner. We only sell access control fobs and cards off-the-shelf, in multipacks. These will need to be programmed to work on your individual system by the person who manages your access requirements.
We don't offer fob cloning
We are unable to do keyfob cloning, we only sell the cards and door entry fobs for you to program onto systems yourselves, and don't offer a keyfob copy service.
Don't forget you'll need to enroll your cards before you can use them
Access control fobs or cards won't work with your system until you 'tell' them to. This is done by enrolling them into your access control software. If you don't have access to this, it will usually fall to a Facilities Manager, IT Department, or a Building Superintendent if you're a tenant.
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Some tips on finding the right manufacturer and part number
To ensure you're ordering the right door entry fobs or access cards for your system, you'll need to know the manufacturer and ideally the part number.
Here are some tips on finding the right information:
- Check the box or packaging your existing cards or access control fob came in.
This will usually have the manufacturer details on it, plus the part number, and if appropriate the range numbers and codes. You can enter this into our search box on our website.
- No box left? Look for a logo or number on the card or fob itself.
e.g. Fobs for Paxton Access Systems will have the Paxton logo etched on them, you can then visually look for the fob or card that matches what you have.
- Check the Reader on the wall.
Look at the reader on the wall/area that you tap your card or fob against. This should have the name of the manufacturer on it - this will help.
- Do you have an old invoice, purchase order or email?
This should have details of the product code.
- Can you contact your access control installer or IT supplier?
Whoever installed your access control system will have details of exactly what system it is, and what fobs, cards or tokens are required.
Some door entry fobs are distinctive visually as no other fobs share the same design. e.g. Paxton Net2 Fobs are easily identifiable by their bullet shape and have a blue band around them. PAC fobs have another unique shape. Vanderbilt fobs (formerly ACT) are clearly labelled with their logo and card number.
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RFID Cards / Contactless Cards
Finding the correct RFID cards or contactless cards can be a little trickier as the cards are usually completely blank, with no identifying features.
An RFID card is a card that has a chip embedded within it that communicates with the reader - most contactless cards are RFID cards.
What is an RFID card and how does it work? 🔎
If you have no luck by following the guidance above (there's no invoice to refer to and the readers aren't giving anything away), we can help you identify the technology.
Questions we'll ask you:
- Do you 'tap' your card against a reader for entry or do you 'swipe'?
- What do you use the card for?
To help us identify it, we'll also ask you to:
- Send us a photo of the card or fob plus a photo of the reader.
If we're still unable to locate the right card, we'll ask you to send us one in the post. Please get in touch with us to arrange it.
We can also send you out a sample card to test in most cases, before you commit to an order.
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Still not sure which door entry fobs or access control cards to order?
We're here to help.
Take a photo of the card or fob (front and back), and ideally the reader you hold it up against, and send it to us. The fastest way is to Start a Chat with us, or fill out our Contact Form.
