How do HID Cards Work?

An HID card utilizes radio frequencies (RFID) or a special microprocessor embedded into an ID card. The cards are encoded upon printing, which is usually done with a special encoder, like a Fargo HDP5000 ID card printer. ID cards with RFID antennas have small radio receivers embedded in an ID card which hold the encoded information. When held close to a reader, the information encoded in the card’s antenna is exchanged with the reader and authenticated. A novel feature of RFID cards is that they do not have to touch the reader in order for information to be exchanged. Smart cards, on the other hand, must come in contact with a reader in order to be verified. Information encoded in smart cards is stored in a small microprocessor which is embedded onto an ID card in a small chip. Proximity cards are verified when the chip is connected with a specialized reader.