For the last 40 years, the standard protocol used to enable the hardware within an access control system to communicate back and forth has been Wiegand. Even today, Weigand can be found running the access control systems of facilities ranging from the Federal Reserve’s Eccles Building to Netflix’s corporate headquarters. However, the unfortunate reality is that Wiegand is an outdated protocol language with many weak points. A simple Google search for a term such as “breaking into Wiegand” will produce countless strategies and guides for getting past the protocol’s dated security features.
If you want to build an access control system that is truly modern and secure, it is essential to make use of the latest and most secure protocol language. At one time, Wiegand fit this description. Today, though, there are other protocols that offer far more robust security. If it’s too expensive for you to rip out the wiegand wiring out your walls and replace it with ethernet cabling- don’t fret. Some access control manufacturers
(the good ones) create a encoder like device weigand in / ethernet out, essencially converting your legacy cable to a more secure protocol.