Embedded in each proximity card is an antenna which transmitts information encoded as a radio signal. (Anther name for ID badges of this kind is "Radio Frequency Identification", or RFID cards.) A proximity card reader positioned between 2.5 and 20 inches (depending on the model chosen) receives this signal and grants or denies access accordingly. Unlike contactless smart cards, proximity cards do not have the ability to have new information written onto them.

Many organizations need to restrict entry into particular places within their facilities. Proximity cards provide ID card security while allowing fast, easy access to areas an organization otherwise proscribes.

Proximity cards often work hand in hand with ID card software. Information about the person who has been given this ID card, stored on a microchip and transmitted in a radio wave, appears on a computer screen to verify the cardholder's identity. The entrances and exits of the proximity card holder can then be logged into a computer database, providing a digital record of who was in a given area at any given time.

Some software immediately notifies the company security station if an attempt is made to enter an area with an unauthorized proximity access card; other versions protect your computer network by detecting invasions from unauthorized computer databases.

Uses for Proximity Cards

Proximity cards are often found useful by people working in government buildings, military bases, hospitals, banks, credit card companies, insurance companies - in fact all businesses and institutions that work with sensitive information or significant sums of money. Proximity cards may also be a suitable choice when selecting ID cards for students or school employees.

HID iCLASS Contactless Smart Cards

HID, a leader in the proximity card industry, has developed a line of powerful and versatile contactless smart cards know as iCLASS. HID's iCLASS 13.56 MHz contactless smart cards enhance security with mutual authentication, and support a wide range of functions, including access control and contactless payments. Learn more about HID iCLASS.