ᐅ Access to House and Garage: Keys vs Keypads vs Fingerprint Readers
Created on: 13 Jun 2022 12:18
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Samantheus
Hello everyone,
We are currently considering which technology to use for access control to our home, and since I haven’t found any polls in this forum regarding the popularity or user experience with the different systems, I wanted to ask the group.
Our front door supplier recommends a fingerprint system. You don’t have to carry anything, it can’t be skimmed, you can’t forget it, and it supposedly works well even for children. They offer the eKey dLine system. However, the additional cost for the motorized lock and fingerprint reader is quite high.
Our garage door supplier recommends a code keypad. You don’t have to carry anything, it always works, and a code can be shared without being physically present. They advise against fingerprint systems because they are significantly more expensive and many don’t work very well. The finger must be dry and clean. They say you might have trouble getting back in after rain, sweating from jogging, or with dirty hands from gardening. For this reason, they have discontinued most fingerprint systems and recommend the code keypad.
As an alternative, there is of course the classic key with all its pros and cons.
I’m interested in what you have decided on or would choose, and what your experiences are. Do you have any security concerns about the code keypad, especially with children? Does fingerprint access work for you even in the rain?
Do you use the same system for your garage and front door, or do you have different solutions?
Best regards,
Sam
We are currently considering which technology to use for access control to our home, and since I haven’t found any polls in this forum regarding the popularity or user experience with the different systems, I wanted to ask the group.
Our front door supplier recommends a fingerprint system. You don’t have to carry anything, it can’t be skimmed, you can’t forget it, and it supposedly works well even for children. They offer the eKey dLine system. However, the additional cost for the motorized lock and fingerprint reader is quite high.
Our garage door supplier recommends a code keypad. You don’t have to carry anything, it always works, and a code can be shared without being physically present. They advise against fingerprint systems because they are significantly more expensive and many don’t work very well. The finger must be dry and clean. They say you might have trouble getting back in after rain, sweating from jogging, or with dirty hands from gardening. For this reason, they have discontinued most fingerprint systems and recommend the code keypad.
As an alternative, there is of course the classic key with all its pros and cons.
I’m interested in what you have decided on or would choose, and what your experiences are. Do you have any security concerns about the code keypad, especially with children? Does fingerprint access work for you even in the rain?
Do you use the same system for your garage and front door, or do you have different solutions?
Best regards,
Sam
C
Costruttrice13 Jun 2022 13:27We had a fingerprint scanner on the front door and a code keypad at the garage for over 10 years. Honestly, the code keypad failed much more often (even with the correct input) than the fingerprint scanner. The service technician was never able to determine the cause.
The fingerprint scanner worked fine in the rain but was installed under a canopy, so it didn’t get wet. For the children, it only worked reliably from around the age of 7 or 8. It only failed when the kids had been in the pool for a long time and their fingertips were wrinkled.
The technology has surely improved a lot since then.
Our neighbors had a house entrance code that everyone knew. Either because the children’s friends had seen it being entered or because one of the kids had trusted their best friend with the code… Eventually, the code access was disabled.
The clear advantage of the fingerprint scanner for me is that you don’t forget, lose, or share your finger. We were happy with it, don’t want to miss the convenience, and will use fingerprint access again.
The fingerprint scanner worked fine in the rain but was installed under a canopy, so it didn’t get wet. For the children, it only worked reliably from around the age of 7 or 8. It only failed when the kids had been in the pool for a long time and their fingertips were wrinkled.
The technology has surely improved a lot since then.
Our neighbors had a house entrance code that everyone knew. Either because the children’s friends had seen it being entered or because one of the kids had trusted their best friend with the code… Eventually, the code access was disabled.
The clear advantage of the fingerprint scanner for me is that you don’t forget, lose, or share your finger. We were happy with it, don’t want to miss the convenience, and will use fingerprint access again.
W
WilderSueden13 Jun 2022 13:40I am not a fan of fingerprint readers. They are convenient, but often unreliable. After bouldering, for example, I can forget about using the fingerprint for around 12 hours because the fingertips are worn and won’t be recognized. It is also completely unclear to me what kind of false positives are possible (e.g., someone else’s fingerprint unlocking the door). With closed software and unknown trained models working in the background, I have only limited trust that it actually provides security.
On top of that, there is the problem that you leave your fingerprints everywhere, and a fingerprint can be forged with moderate effort. Therefore, I consider the security of a fingerprint reader to be more perceived than real. At least with a key, you are aware of the risks and don’t leave it lying around in large numbers. Also, a break-in attempt by lockpicking always leaves some trace.
On top of that, there is the problem that you leave your fingerprints everywhere, and a fingerprint can be forged with moderate effort. Therefore, I consider the security of a fingerprint reader to be more perceived than real. At least with a key, you are aware of the risks and don’t leave it lying around in large numbers. Also, a break-in attempt by lockpicking always leaves some trace.
WilderSueden schrieb:
I’m not a fan of fingerprint readers. They are convenient but often don’t work reliably. After bouldering, for about 12 hours I can forget using the fingerprint sensor because the fingertips are worn down and won’t be recognized. For me, it’s also completely unclear and hard to assess what false positive rates are possible (i.e., whether someone else’s fingerprint can open the door). These closed systems with unknown trained models running in the background... I only partially trust my profession when it comes to the actual security they provide. Plus, there is the problem that you leave your fingerprints everywhere, and a fingerprint can be forged with moderate effort. I consider the security of a fingerprint reader to be more perceived than real. At least with a key, you’re aware of the risks and don’t leave copies all over the place. Also, an attempted break-in by lockpicking always leaves traces. I generally agree with you about fingerprint readers. False positives have to be accepted statistically to some extent. Presumably, the risk is manageable (very low), since they are installed in vast numbers. But who can you really trust? (Professionally, I also trust only a few; however, if fully implemented, life becomes generally very uncomfortable).
To my knowledge, good lockpicking attempts (successful or not) usually become invisible again after the first normal locking operation.
RFID combined with a motorized lock is “approved” for insurance purposes, so it should be secure enough — right?
W
WilderSueden13 Jun 2022 14:06i_b_n_a_n schrieb:
False positives will always have to be accepted to some extent in statistics. The risk is probably manageable (very low) since these systems are widely installed. That’s where it starts. How many false positives do we actually have? How much does the risk increase when comparing a finger from one person to fingers from several people (one finger could also be covered by a bandage...)? This is absolutely impossible to assess because it’s often kept secret what really happens. The only clear point is that fingerprints are not always the same — they can be moist, dirty, etc., and the finger itself might be positioned differently — so the system must allow for quite a bit of variation.
Additionally, a valid fingerprint is probably already on the door handle since someone has to touch it somehow.
i_b_n_a_n schrieb:
To my knowledge, lockpicking attempts (whether successful or not) usually become invisible after the first regular locking operation. As far as I know, the scratches on the pins are different. Also, the tension wrench leaves marks, at least on my practice lock, which do not come from keys and don’t disappear. Of course, these are only visible if the lock is examined closely, which is probably the crucial point.
i_b_n_a_n schrieb:
RFID + motorized lock is "approved from an insurance perspective," so it should be secure enough — right? By RFID, do you mean the badges you hold up to the reader? That should be towards the more secure end of the spectrum if properly implemented. The more wireless communication is involved (think keyless entry in cars), the larger the attack surface becomes.
At some point, you have to draw the line. How secure is a physical key in comparison?
S
Samantheus15 Jun 2022 09:02i_b_n_a_n schrieb:
Currently, I only use RFID (it’s the fastest and simplest)
Did you forget RFID in your survey?I kind of forgot. I had read about it but mostly associated it with commercial use and didn’t realize it was also used privately. What I still don’t understand: Where do you see the advantages of this system? I would have thought it combines the downsides of keys (having to carry something that can be forgotten) with the downsides of fingerprint/code systems (requires a motorized lock/significantly more expensive). So what are the advantages compared to a normal key?I would never give up the fingerprint lock again...
So far, everything is working perfectly for us – although we also have an awning, which helps keep moisture from being a big issue.
If it ever doesn’t work, I just quickly wipe it with my shirt, hold my finger up again, and it works right away. This has only happened twice out of well over 100 openings.
If there are extreme problems and you absolutely can’t get into the house because the fingerprint scanner isn’t working, I just use the key hidden somewhere around the house to unlock the door 😀
In my opinion, it’s an incredibly convenient feature, and I wouldn’t want to be without it anymore.
Of course, there are also “cheap systems” or lower-quality options out there, which is why some people might be dissatisfied.
We have an Inotherm door with the fingerprint system from this manufacturer – I’m impressed.
There are also various reports and statistics that clearly demonstrate the security of fingerprint systems and support their use.
In my view, this is definitely the future! These systems have now become very advanced.
So far, everything is working perfectly for us – although we also have an awning, which helps keep moisture from being a big issue.
If it ever doesn’t work, I just quickly wipe it with my shirt, hold my finger up again, and it works right away. This has only happened twice out of well over 100 openings.
If there are extreme problems and you absolutely can’t get into the house because the fingerprint scanner isn’t working, I just use the key hidden somewhere around the house to unlock the door 😀
In my opinion, it’s an incredibly convenient feature, and I wouldn’t want to be without it anymore.
Of course, there are also “cheap systems” or lower-quality options out there, which is why some people might be dissatisfied.
We have an Inotherm door with the fingerprint system from this manufacturer – I’m impressed.
There are also various reports and statistics that clearly demonstrate the security of fingerprint systems and support their use.
In my view, this is definitely the future! These systems have now become very advanced.
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