1. Blue Access Technologies
Can you install an Access Control System yourself?
This presentation is intended to help you make that decision without overwhelming you with detail
At the end of the presentation…
You will understand the number of steps involved
You will have a feel for the skillsets required for each step
And you will hopefully identify which steps you will do and which ones you will contract out
First, you have to watch the other presentations, there’s just no way around it
Then you need to understand the 3 phases of installing an Access Control System…
Purchasing
Physical installation, wiring, cutting, drilling
Logical installation, software configuration
Blue Access Technologies

2. Blue Access Technologies
Purchasing
You need…
Readers
Credentials
Pig tails
CAT5 cables
Network PoE power
Locks
And Software
You can buy everything from our Store except CAT5 cable
Blue Access Technologies

3. Blue Access Technologies
Overview of Physical installation
Here are the steps in the order we suggest they get accomplished…
1. Install the locks
2. Run a CAT5 cable from your network PoE device to each door
3. Drill and cutout holes for the reader
4. Fish the CAT5 cable to the reader
5. Fish the wires from the lock to the reader
6. Connect the lock wires to the Pigtail
7. Plug in the CAT5 cable to the reader
Sounds easy enough, right?
Let’s examine each step a little closer
Blue Access Technologies

4. Blue Access Technologies
Installing locks involves…
Drilling
Routing and close precision cutting
May require push bar installation
Getting the lock wires to the reader’s pigtail (fishing)
If you’re good with all of that, then you are good with the highest skillset steps
If you have reservations about these steps, then purchase the locks and hire a locksmith to install them
Blue Access Technologies

5. Blue Access Technologies
Pulling CAT5 involves…
Buying a prebuilt or building your own CAT5 cable
Pulling the cable from your network all the way to the reader
May require ladders, drilling and swearing
If you can’t get a prebuilt cable at the right length, then..
You need to buy RJ45 connectors
You need to buy a role of CAT5
You need to buy/rent a CAT5 a tool for attaching the connectors
You need to buy/rent a CAT5 tester kit
You need to follow the “straight through” wiring instructions like you can find at
Blue Access Technologies

6. Blue Access Technologies
Drilling the holes for the reader, two methods…
Method 1 utilizes a standard electrical junction box (J-box)…
Install the J-box
Pull the CAT5 and Pigtail through the back of the J-box
Mount an ISONAS Mullion Trim Kit onto the J-box
Screw the reader onto the Trim Kit
For exterior doors, use the ISONAS Weatherproofing Kit
Blue Access Technologies

7. Blue Access Technologies
Method 2 just attaches the reader to a surface…
Pull the back cover off of the reader (it’s okay, it is just on with reusable tape)
Using the back cover as a template…
Drill the top and bottom holes
Cut out the square Pigtail and network area
Replace the back cover onto the reader
Pull the CAT5 and Pigtail out through the square cutout
Plug the cables into the reader
Screw the reader to the surface
If this is an exterior surface, put a bead of clear silicon around the reader
Blue Access Technologies

8. Blue Access Technologies
Fishing the CAT5 cable to the reader involves…
Getting a CAT5 cable down the interior of a wall (fishing)
Or getting a CAT5 through the door frame itself
Getting the CAT5 cable to the outside of the door where you can plug it into the reader
These steps are often not as easy as it sounds…
Walls have blocking braces
Door frames have blocking baffles (thin metal plates)
Drilling a hole from the inside to the outside can require special drills and bits
There are many helpful
videos to watch
Professionals can make easy work of this step, it’s just a thought
Blue Access Technologies

9. Blue Access Technologies
Fishing the Pigtail cable to the reader involves…
Drilling through the doorframe into the adjacent wall
Drilling a hole in the wall or doorframe
Using a metal hanger or fishing tool to get the wire from the lock out through the hole
If you hire a locksmith to install the lock…
Before they arrive, make sure you mark the spot where the reader is going, ask them to get the wires out the hole
Be leery, locksmiths may not be experts at fishing cable and so the results may not be pretty
Blue Access Technologies

10. Blue Access Technologies
Connecting the Pigtail to the Lock involves…
3 wires from the Pigtail
2 wires from the lock
Understanding the jumpers on the back of the reader
FYI, default jumper positions are perfect for lock strikes
Following the wiring diagrams supplied on the ISONAS web site
This step is generally simple, but…
Make sure you follow the correct wiring diagram for your selected lock
Use good quality wire nuts
Do not pull wires across sharp surfaces
Install the ISONAS Back-EMF-Kit for electric strikes, or In-rush Kit for magnetic locks
There is one possible complication for exterior doors…
ISONAS recommends using their Exterior Door Kit (EDK) on all exterior doors to prevent wire tampering
The EDK is not mandatory, but it’s helpful and yes harder to install
Blue Access Technologies

11. Blue Access Technologies
Plugging the CAT5 into the reader involves…
Inserting the RJ45 into the back of the reader
Waiting to hear if the reader beeps and front LEDs light up
Troubleshooting the CAT5 cable, RJ45 connections and PoE gear if the reader does not power on
Once you’ve completed the physical installation, the only thing left is the software setup
Configuring the software involves…
Getting a login URL with the username and password
Verifying that your readers are communicating with the software
Setting up your security profile
Obviously the software step has been greatly simplified, that’s because it is a topic onto itself
For now, the only thing to remember is that after the physical installation, there is software configuration
Blue Access Technologies

12. Blue Access Technologies
So, can you do it yourself?
Usually the answer is, with a little help from professionals or friends because…
The locks require some skill, but if you’re handy, you can do it
Fishing cables is physical and requires thoughtfulness and patience
Wiring the reader to the locks is easiest with strikes, a little harder with magnetics and then more difficult with Exterior Door Kits
Configuring the software requires planning and general computer skills
Blue Access Technologies

13. Blue Access Technologies
The End
Blue Access Technologies