Access Control Focus for Paxton

March 25, 2022

Access control and the ease of integration will be the theme at Paxton’s booth at the ISC West trade show. Jane Van Bergen, communications manager US for Paxton Access, says the company’s two access control platforms, Paxton10 and Net2, will be on display as well as the Entry series of intercoms and PaxLock Pro series of locks.

Paxton10

Paxton10 is Paxton’s attempt to provide a single interface to integrate access control and video surveillance and operate the system. It was introduced to the U.S. market in 2021 and requires a Paxton10 server. From a computer or a mobile app, customers can manage access control, lock doors and view video — live or recorded — through the same system, on-site or remotely. They also can do the same for multiple sites through Paxton’s encrypted cloud technology.

Paxton10 can include and manage up to 1,000 doors and 1,000 cameras on a single system by adding Paxton10 door controllers, readers (HID card or fob, Bluetooth mobile or keypad) and cameras. Paxton provides several camera options, including dome or bullet models, but Paxton10 also can incorporate third-party IP cameras into the system by connecting up to four cameras to a single Paxton10 video controller.

Paxton10 integrates with Paxton’s Entry video intercom system and its PaxLock Pro smart locks, in addition to fire and intruder alarms.

The latest feature added to Paxton10, which will be shown on a demo, is multisite management capability. By using Paxton10 Cloud Services, a property manager can manage up to 100 sites from a single server anywhere in the world. This feature came about as a result of feedback from installers and end users, and Van Bergen says the system will continue to expand through user feedback.

“We’ve been getting a lot of good feedback from the people who have installed it,” she says.

Net2

Net2 is Paxton’s longstanding computer-based access control system, and the company expects to show off two of its latest functions with facility safety in mind: Occupancy Management and Checkpoint Control.

Occupancy Management allows facility managers to limit the number of people in any given area of a building. This is accomplished either through barring access to areas where the limit has been exceeded or by alerting the facility manager when space nears capacity. The Net2 software sends alerts via text or email. The feature includes an override that allows selected people to enter an area that’s deemed to be over capacity, such as a first responder.

Checkpoint Control is similar in that manages access, but in this case, it’s access to the facility itself. Building managers designate certain doors as checkpoints that require people to pass through to gain access. A thermal scan from a third-party hardware provider then can be taken of the person to check for elevated body temperature. If everything checks out, the person is granted access. Virtual traffic lights can be used to indicate occupancy levels.

Net2 comes in two software variations, but the two health-related features are accessible only in the Pro version. Net2, like Paxton10, includes integration with Paxton’s Entry intercom and PaxLock Pro smart locks, but the hardware had been tied specifically to one system. In other words, Net2-configured PaxLock Pro locks wouldn’t work on Paxton10 and vice versa. That’s changed, Van Bergen says. The company unified the locks so a single SKU will work on either system, which would simplify ordering.

 
Hardware

As for the PaxLock Pro, this battery-powered lock can be used in stand-alone applications as well as networked wirelessly with either Paxton10 or Net2 systems. It’s aimed at education and healthcare facilities as well as commercial offices. It has a UL 10C fire rating and is compatible in stand-alone mode with HID prox cards or fobs.

The latest version of the PaxLock Pro, which also comes in latch versions, is a mortise lock that has a manual-key override option. The lock goes into sleep mode when not in use to preserve battery life, and facility managers can monitor battery status, as well as events, online, with alerts via email and text if it’s part of a networked system.

The Entry, Paxton’s intercom system, also can be operated as a stand-alone or networked system. The cornerstone is the company’s next-generation Entry Standard monitor. The interior monitor includes improved audio quality, full-duplex voice communication and a clear user interface on a 4.3-inch touchscreen. The monitor can be installed quickly on a wall or desk-mounted with or without a handset.

The Entry Standard video intercom system consists of three components that auto-detect on set-up: the interior monitor, an external panel and a door control unit.

To learn more, visit the Paxton Access booth at ISC West, booth number 13074.