Your Complete Guide to HID Cards

HID cards offer a high-tech option for your security needs. Whatever type of secure smart card IDs you need, HID has the perfect solution. But with so many choices, finding the right card may seem confusing. The following is a complete guide to HID cards to help you choose the right security solution for your needs and your budget.

What is an HID card?

HID cards are proximity and smart cards manufactured by the HID Global Corporation, an international leader in access control. Like other brands of proximity and smart cards, an HID card can use smart, proximity, or both technologies in a single solution. HID cards are an excellent choice for access control, validating credentials, and a host of other functions like employee IDs, membership cards, transportation cards, and more.

How do HID cards work?

Depending on which card type you choose, proximity or smart, the outcomes are very similar. Their processes are different thanks to different technologies. Here's a look at smart and proximity cards and how they work.

• Smart cards. Smart cards have a small microprocessor embedded in a chip on the card that can store a host of information. Besides identifying and authenticating, you can encode a smart card chip with personal information and values, much like your credit or debit card. You can also program smart cards with multiple credentials, adding layers of security. Special encoder modules encode smart cards at printing, and the card must come in contact with a reader to access the information.
• Proximity cards. Proximity cards, also called prox cards, have one simple task: They use an identification number and/or a site facility code to verify someone's access privileges. They do this through an antenna and radio receiver embedded in the ID card that activate when they're within range of a card reader. These HID cards are commonly used for door access.
• Combined prox/smart cards. These cards offer the best of both words. You get one unit with proximity card access control capabilities—useful for legacy systems—and a smart card with extra functionality.

HID cards use a wide range of technology to give you options when creating your secure card or access solution. You can get non-technology ID cards, single, multi-technology, and contact smart cards with chips.

How to choose the right HID card

HID cards come in a variety of options to help you provide ID credentials, access control, and other functionality, depending on your business and security needs. Companies need ID cards for a variety of reasons:

• Identify and segment people between employees, vendors, contractors, temps, visitors, and others.
• Restrict or allow access to different parts of your building.
• Restrict or allow use of specific office equipment.
• Track employees', students', and others' time and attendance.

Before you choose a card type, determine what type of ID solution best meets your security and budget requirements. Do you have a combination of reasons for an ID card? Or just a single solution? These answers will help guide you to choosing the right option.

Final thoughts

Determining the right HID card for your business can be overwhelming thanks to the many options available. While you can learn more about HID cards from this article and others like it, nothing can replace the guidance of a security expert from Idesco. He or she is highly trained and vendor agnostic, meaning you get the perfect solution regardless of who the manufacturer is.

Call our friendly and experienced security experts at 1-800-336-1383 for a professional consultation or visit our state-of-the-art showroom. You'll soon realize why Idesco is the leading expert in security solutions.