HOW RFID WORKS FOR ACCESS CONTROL Most access control systems now use a technology called Radio Frequency Identification or RFID. RFID technology is combined into contactless smart cards which people use to identify themselves, and determine whether they should be able to access a building (or not). Some of the benefits which RFID offers over the older technologies, such as magnetic stripe cards, is that there is no contact required between the reader and the card. This significantly reduces wear and tear on both the card and reader, requiring much less frequent replacement of card reader hardware. However, cards still need to be protected ideally placing them in a plastic badge holder like the picture below to ensure that the card is not bent and damaged. This article will focus on Passive RFID systems where there is no battery source within the card or credential, as these are more commonly used for access control systems. HOW DOES IT WORK? In an access control instal