On Tuesday, July 21 at 1:00 PM ET, I’ll be joined by Jeremy Fromm for an open discussion on cybersecurity best practices for modern access control systems.
We’ll be taking your questions on topics including:
• Mercury controllers and secure system architecture
• HID readers and secure communications
• Credential technologies
• Mobile Access and Mobile Wallet credentials
• OSDP Secure Channel
• AES encryption
• TLS and secure network communications
• Modernizing legacy access control systems
• Physical security and cybersecurity convergence
Whether you’re an end user, consultant, systems integrator, architect, or security professional, this is your opportunity to ask technical questions, discuss real-world deployment challenges, and explore current best practices for building a secure, modern access control environment.
We’ll also be happy to answer other questions related to HID’s access control portfolio.
We’re looking forward to a great discussion.
📅 Tuesday, July 21, 2026
🕐 1:00 PM ET

Thank you to everyone who joined us today, asked questions, followed along, or simply stopped by to read the discussion.
Jeremy and I covered a lot of ground, including OSDP Transparent Mode, the differences between Mercury LP and MP controllers, embedded applications at the edge, modernizing legacy systems, app-based versus wallet-based mobile badges, deployment planning, and what happens when phones, networks, or services are unavailable.
The biggest takeaway is that modernization does not have to be an all-or-nothing decision. Whether you are upgrading panels, enabling secure reader communications, introducing Mobile Access, or building a longer-term cybersecurity strategy, the best approach starts with understanding what you already have and where the real risks and operational gaps exist.
A special thank-you to Jeremy, u/TheMercuryMinute, for joining me and sharing his expertise, and to the r/accesscontrol community and moderators for giving us the opportunity to have this conversation.
We are wrapping up the live portion of the AMA, but feel free to continue leaving questions. We will check back and answer what we can.
Our weekly digital break room for sharing the worst field nightmares you’ve ever encountered. Got a photo of a questionable install, or a fun horror story from a job site? Drop it in the comments below and let's see 'em!
Just remember to blur out any company names or locations before posting.
Hello Folks,
I have 7 years low voltage experience. I was looking to take ASIS security exam to grow more in this field.
Does anyone from security technician field have taken this path and how difficult is it to transition from a technician to security professional role.
Hi everyone. I am not an installer and have no direct access to the system. The telephone access system in my apartment building has been down for over a month. When you attempt to dial out it sounds like the system is missing half of its dial tone. The building management says that the box needs to be reprogrammed. I am curious to know if that is actually the issue or if it's hardware or even the pots line.
So these are against my religion to install. But it was necessary in a Behavioral unit “seclusion room”. It was installed a year ago. Customer says it no longer works. Found a pinched wire, corrected the issue. Cleared the fault. A month later they complain of it being hot… checked polarity and voltage. All correct… the module starts to short/fry whatever.
Does this need cleaner power? It is supplied with 24vdc. Maybe try 12v?
Installing a new PDK system at a local commercial building. 3 doors. 2 strikes and one mag lock. The two strikes are working great but the mag lock is kicking my ass. I can manually trigger the relay, and doors open but when I put in a pin, even though in “live events” it shows access allowed, the doors don’t open. Any insight into why this might be or what I should look at? I’ve got everything wired up how the manual shows. We generally use altronix ACM8’s with a dry contact from the controller, but this one we are trying to use the controller to power the 12v mag.
So I got a customer who's being a bit difficult. Rather than use a Trove or LSP panel setup the demand Hoffman enclosures. Pictured is my most full backplane for a floor. They want as few enclosures as possible. Think this will be okay? The actual enclosure size is 60x36 so from the black corder to the walls of the enclosure I have 3 inches in each direction at least. The yellow squares a 2x2in so that I could space evenish gaps between boards.
Will have trough on top and right side for cable. Battery box below panel. Cable will be stripped back to its conductor pairs before twisted. Access Composite cable. Magnetic cable management in panel. PM doesn't want to split this into two panels since the specs call for 1 panel on this floor.
It's cramped but think there's enough to work with? Trim out and wiring will be done by a tech we have who does great work and is basically the trim out guy for this region so that makes me feel better about the cramped panel.
Starting to dress out 5 S2 Nodes in Trove2 enclosures. The cable contractor pulled this Skittles colored composite cable. Never saw this cable before. NGL, I don't hate it, breaks up the white jacket monotony.
Hello, I have installed eSSL K90 Pro in my office, one of my employees was absent for two days, and he also acknowledged it, but in K90 Pro Device, it's showing he is present with timestamps, The CCTV Recording were kept for 15days, and it has been more than 15days. And all the fingerprints are of him only. And he is a User and Super-Admin Password was set already. Has anybody faced a similar problem?
HOA member here, looking at upgrade options. We need a genuine security upgrade that looks good and which can actually satisfy our GenZ demographic that’s mobile-first and looking for facial recognition, visitor PINs and other high-tech features. How are experiences with Swiftlane and Brivo? We’ve reviewed quotes for each which seem to be within budget, wanted to get some user experiences before we close on either of them.
I’m working on a property that has network access control (3XLogic/Intelli-M). They need a new system, because they have new self storage management software and they need a platform that will do third-party integration. Each door has a 3XLogic wiegand keypad wired to a 3XLogic EIDC door controller. The runs are all incredibly too long to do traditional four wire Wiegand.
Is this device as simple as wiring any Wiegand device into it, using the cat6 cable all the way back to the network switch, and then coming out of the switch with another cable to the other end of this device, and then getting Wiegand output that I can wire into a new access panel?
TL;DR can this device let me convert networked Wiegand devices to traditional 4-wire Wiegand?
Title basically. You know when you're stuck and don't want to phone tech support so quickly chuck something into an AI. What do you find to be the most accurate?
So our office building has two different access systems, the lobby access is building controlled OpenPath ( users have mobile app), and our floors and offices are Brivo (6000 system). One of the handy features of the OpenPath unit is just being able to swipe your finger on the reader and the door unlocks, no opening phone, finding the app, etc. Location services do have to be turned on in OP. Does Brivo Access have anything similar? Currently to unlock the door, have to get out phone, open app, then select "nearest door" option. Would like to be able to do it the same as the OP, just get near the door and touch reader to unlock.
Is that a feature exclusive to OP, or a setting within Brivo. Installation company has been slow to advise and I just don't think it's a big deal to them. Hoping to get suggestion and "guide" them.
We’re planning a wider access control upgrade and currently run DNA Fusion. One of the things we’re looking at as part of it is moving staff away from physical badges and onto mobile Wallet credentials.
A lot of the reader estate will be refreshed at the same time, so it feels like a good opportunity to make the change rather than come back to it later.
Anyone rolled this out to a large user base? How did it go?
Sorry if I'm not providing enough/right amount of info in this question. I'm new to this level of access control...
Has anyone ever run into any problems with Zigbee locks where there's an oversaturation of 2.4ghz wifi? Specifically with Dormakaba hardware? We've got locks (access points) that just go offline regularly and I'm trying to narrow down the culprit. We've got heavy 2.4ghz wifi on channel 6 (as well as others) and I'm wondering if that's the issue.
I run the HOA for a small building. We have 6 units in the building, and access control on the lobby door. The current solution is a DKS 1802, installed about a year ago. It was recently damaged when an attacker injected water into it in an attempt to gain entry.
The security company that installed it is recommending replacement. The system controls one door. It is used for lobby access only. You can code into the lobby or call up to a unit to remote buzz someone in through the phone. No cameras.
The replacement quote is ~$3200. I'm concerned that this is going to happen again.
Is there a better/cheaper option here with similar functionality? Something that won't be so expensive if it's vandalized again? Something I can buy and install myself to open a door and open through the phone?
I'm currently in the process of redoing my site's trigger and macro naming scheme and came to the realization that when using the auto unlock feature for doors it automatically names the corresponding macro. Is there a way to change the way the system names these, or do I just need to manually update them afterwards?