Your staff tap their key fobs and nothing happens. Or the reader beeps but the door stays locked. Or one door works and the other doesn't. When a key fob door lock or keycard entry system stops working, the whole office ends up waiting at the door, or someone props it open, which is worse.
The good news: most failures come from a short list of causes. Some you can check in five minutes. Others need a technician with a meter and access to the system. Here's how to tell the difference.
How a key fob door system works (the 30-second version)
Every key fob or card reader system has the same basic parts:
- The reader on the wall by the door, where people tap their fob or card.
- The controller, usually in a closet or utility room, which decides who gets in and when.
- The door hardware that actually locks and unlocks, such as an electric strike in the frame or electrified panic hardware on the door.
- Power supplies that run all of it, often with backup batteries.
- The software or app where someone adds and removes users and sets schedules.
When the door won't open, the problem lives in one of those five places. The trick is figuring out which.
1. The fob or card itself
Start simple. Does the problem follow one person, or the door? If one employee's fob fails everywhere but everyone else gets in, the fob may be damaged, or that user may have been deactivated or put on the wrong schedule by accident. Check the user in your software before calling anyone.
2. A schedule or setting change
Many systems lock doors by time of day. If the door works at 9am but not at 7am, or stopped working after a daylight saving change or a holiday, look at the door schedule. A setting change made by someone else in the office is one of the most common "broken" system calls.
3. Power problems
If the reader has no lights at all, or several doors went down at once, think power. Power supplies and backup batteries wear out over time, and a tripped breaker or unplugged transformer can take a whole system down. This is also why we label our equipment: on the panels we install, you'll find B&B service stickers with our number so whoever opens the closet knows who to call.
4. The controller lost its connection
Cloud-based systems like PDK (ProdataKey) and Verkada need a network connection to sync users and settings. If your internet went down, a network switch was unplugged during an office move, or IT changed the firewall, the controller may stop talking to the cloud. Doors often keep working with their last settings, but new users, deleted users and schedule changes won't take effect until the connection is back.
5. Wiring and the reader
Readers live outdoors or in high-traffic spots, and the wires run through door frames and walls. Water, a remodel, a cable pinched by a contractor or a reader knocked loose by a cart can all break the signal. If the reader lights up but doesn't respond, or works on and off, wiring is a likely suspect. This is low voltage work, and tracing it is where a technician earns their keep.
6. The door hardware is out of line
Sometimes the access control system is doing its job and the door is the problem. If you hear the click but the door won't pull open, the electric strike may be out of alignment with the latch, or the door may have sagged so the latch binds. Magnetic locks can lose holding force if the plate on the door works loose. A door closer that slams or drags puts extra strain on all of it.
7. Old or unsupported equipment
Some systems were installed by a company that's gone, run on software that's no longer updated, or use readers that aren't made anymore. Repairs get harder each year. In that case a repair may still buy time, but it's worth asking about an upgrade path that reuses what you can, such as existing wiring and door hardware.
What to check before you call
- Does the problem affect one person or everyone?
- One door or every door?
- Are the reader's lights on?
- Did anything change recently: an internet outage, an office move, a remodel, a new IT vendor, a power outage?
- Who installed the system, and do you have the admin login?
Have those answers ready and the repair visit goes faster.
What not to do
Don't prop the door open for days, and don't disconnect the lock to "bypass" the system. Many electrified doors are tied to fire and life safety rules about how people get out of the building. A quick fix that changes how the door locks or releases can create a bigger problem.
Access control repair in Contra Costa County
B&B Locksmith & Security is a C-28 licensed, bonded and insured locksmith based in Walnut Creek, serving the Bay Area since 2011. We repair and service key fob, card reader, keypad and mobile credential systems, including PDK, Verkada, DoorBird and CDVI, along with the electric strikes, panic hardware, magnetic locks and exit buttons that go with them. We work with offices, medical and dental practices, retail stores, restaurants and property managers in Walnut Creek, Concord, Pleasant Hill, Lafayette, Martinez, Danville, San Ramon, Dublin and Benicia.
If we didn't install your system, that's fine. We'll look at what you have and tell you plainly whether it makes sense to repair it.
Book a free on-site assessment
If your key fob door lock or keycard reader is acting up, or you're tired of nursing an old system along, book a free on-site assessment. We'll check the readers, controller, power and door hardware and tell you what's wrong.
Call 415-423-0182 or text 925-266-3393. More on our access control installation and repair.
FAQ
Can you repair an access control system someone else installed? Yes. We service systems we didn't install. Having the admin login and any paperwork from the original installer helps.
Why does my door unlock but not open? Usually the door hardware is out of line, such as an electric strike that doesn't line up with the latch or a door that has sagged. The access control part may be fine.
Our internet went down. Will the doors still work? Many cloud-based systems keep working with their last saved settings, but changes like adding or removing users won't sync until the connection is back. It depends on the system.
One employee's fob stopped working. Is the system broken? Probably not. Check whether that user was deactivated or put on the wrong schedule, and try a different fob. If the fob is damaged, it can be replaced.
Do you work on keypads and buzzers too? Yes. We repair door keypads, intercoms and buzzer systems as well as key fob and card reader systems.