How Do Fobs Work?
Fobs emit a numbered access code that is assigned to your unit in your building to grant access to amenities.
How Do Fobs Work?
With different digital numbers & access.
Key Fobs Are Assigned Hexadecimal Access Codes
How fobs work: by using authorized numbers for each of the tenants, security team, board members, cleaners, etc. with different access for rooms, amenities, employee-only sectors. As an example, your security department team have access to certain areas, and higher authority & access than other members such as tenants.
Furthermore, tenants of the building have access to certain floors for their respective units using a security fob key. The more secure the building security system is, the less access granted for different floors (i.e. they can’t access floor 9, if they live on floor 7).
Lobby Access As Well as Floor Access in Condos
In addition, everyone in the building can access the main doors at the lobby, as well as the elevator to access any floor since that’s considered a ‘lower’ level of access. The lobby is a basic area that everybody has access to.
This allows security fob keys to allow only residents to access their units.
How Fobs Work is Encoded Data
Key fobs have a unique identifier based on their manufacturer. Each type or manufacturer uses its’ encoding method making it digitally different from fobs in that building, and other buildings, despite being supplied by the same manufacturer. The security office authorizes codes for their building.
RFID Fob key readings depend on the numerical digits.
‘Bits’ to Be Converted for Encoding
Namely the types of digits have conversions from Bits (or binary digits) > Hex (or hexadecimals) > ASCII (American Standard Code for Information Interchange).
These numbers above are based on the type of fob such as HID (or Indala), AWID, Paradox, GProx, Pyramid, Mifare & more and differ in how each contain the data.
Hexadecimal RFID Data Assignment
The numerical fob code is made up of values based on hexadecimal formatted data authorized by management and encrypted by the manufacturer.
The most common form of storing data is the hexadecimal system using 16 character types such as the letters A-F and numbers 0-9.
Each hexadecimal character represents a string of four bits and below is the same string of 96-bits above, represented in hex.
Both of the lines below mean the same thing in hexadecimal format:
Exhibit A
0100 1111 0100 0010 0010 0010 0111 0101 0011 0011 0100 1000 0011 0101 0100 0010 0011 1111
Exhibit B
4 F 4 2 2 2 7 5 3 3 4 8 3 5 4 2 3 F
Summary: Bits -> Hex -> User Identification + Facility Code
How the key fobs work is with a User Identification (UID) and the Facility Code (FC) issued by the building management for the key fob. This grants access for you as a tenant, security member, or master access member.
Got more questions? Text us up at 416-931-0225 and we’ll answer you in the next hour.
Max in 1 working business day! Or just visit us too to inquire.
Infographic: How RFID Works
Further reading on how fobs work from an RFID perspective
Book Appointment or Visit
Ready? Set? Save!
Now that you know you’re compatible, you’re ready to start the journey to come visit us at our location.
Before Next Steps.
More Details:
We do our best with being up to date with the list of key fob types we can copy on our website, but most of them are do-able based on your selection.
There may some exceptions, but condo key fob types for the main door plus elevator are 100% compatible. Garage remotes are 100% compatible with our standard key fob tag, but not all garage door opener remote buttons are compatible for copying.
Pricing varies for the type of service you’d like to purchase. Lifetime warranty is included to make sure your fob key is working as it should (excluding physical damage, battery replacements of remotes, code changes by management).
We are located Downtown and Uptown:
Visit our new Downtown storefront located at 47 Charles St W Bay Charles. We are open 10 to 7 pm Monday to Saturday (11 to 6 on Sundays). Walk-ins welcome.
We also now have an office in North York at 5 Spring Garden Avenue Yonge Sheppard. Appointment only at 6-8 pm weekdays and noon weekends.
Please come by and ask us any questions you may have on how fobs work. We’re more than happy to answer any questions and help you see that getting a new fob copied externally is a move worth considering. Condo management can charge up to $400 to copy your fob with a 2 week turnaround time on average.
We’re open daily Monday to Sunday, and open for holidays. See you soon!
