Card, mobile credential, payment and security
Keeping campuses safe is a top priority for colleges and universities, and securing student rooms, classrooms, labs, offices and storage areas is central to that mission. Institutions can choose from traditional mechanical locks, wired electronic access, periodic Wi-Fi locks, or real-time connected locks as part of an electronic access control system that combines hardware with electronic credentials.
There are plenty of misconceptions about real-time connected electronic locks, such as cost, battery life and what happens when network links fail. Modern online systems deliver many advantages – strong, flexible security, fast incident response, streamlined operations, and actionable usage data that help facilities and security teams make smarter decisions. When evaluated thoughtfully, real-time electronic access control can make campuses safer, more responsive and easier to manage.
Truth: Student room doors are a key point of security on any higher ed campus, and electronic locks bring benefits that go beyond what traditional mechanical locks can offer in certain settings. For one, electronic locks provide advanced control over who can access each room. While mechanical locks and electronic locks are similar in that access is granted to a student residing in their respective rooms, traditional brass keys can be misplaced, swapped, borrowed or stolen, potentially allowing access to anyone who holds it and requiring costly rekeying.
Credential Options: With electronic locks, credentials can be issued in the form of campus ID cards or digital (mobile) credentials tied to a student’s phone that are approved and issued by the campus. Students are much less likely to misplace or lend their phones to friends. If a student does lose their phone, various features allow them to quickly locate and disable their phone.
Reducing Lockouts: Other benefits of digital, phone-based credentials are reduced lockouts. While students may be prone to temporarily or permanently losing brass keys or campus ID cards, students are much more attune and responsible with their phones.
“These lockouts can range from several instances per night to 1-2 per month when using keys and traditional locks,” said Olivia Renaud, Allegion group product manager, credentials. “By using electronic locks and mobile credentials, the frequency of lockouts can be significantly reduced, minimizing disruptions and reducing the workload on housing services."
Cost of Keys: While electronic locks require a higher upfront cost, mechanical and brass key solutions may come with year-over-year costs and work that many college or university personnel wish to avoid. The distribution and recollection of brass keys to students, summer campers, and conference guests is a constant battle for labor-tilled housing staff. The avoidance of lost building or campus master keys by staff members can easily help provide justification to fund the move from mechanical to electronic access-controlled student rooms.
Truth: It’s easy to think periodic connectivity is good enough – but campuses often discover real-time communication matters once they need quick, actionable information. In an always‑connected world, the ability to get immediate status updates from student room doors becomes important for things like wellness checks, reports of forced doors, use of mechanical override keys or low/critical battery warnings. Waiting for a lock to check in at its next scheduled interval can delay responses which may impact security and maintenance risks.
Real‑time connected solutions maintain a constant, direct connection to the campus network, giving security teams and facilities managers live visibility and control. Locks that stay online let you immediately enable or revoke access, check door status, and monitor critical alerts. That immediate stream of information enables fast, proactive responses. For higher education campuses where safety and operational efficiency rely on timely information and rapid response, real-time connectivity can provide significant advantages.
Periodic Wi‑Fi systems require less infrastructure (no access panels or transceivers) than real-time connected solutions by putting the device into a mode where it only wakes on a set schedule – between four to six times per day – to upload access logs, receive configuration changes or update permissions. This intermittent communication introduces delays in transmitting data. Because the lock is offline between intervals, security teams cannot receive real-time alerts or make instant access changes, which may limit responsiveness in urgent situations.
Truth: The cost difference between periodic and real-time connected locks is often less than many expect. While real-time locks may involve a modest increase in upfront investment, the operational benefits bridge the gap in this additional expense, making them a worthwhile consideration for many campuses. For one, installation time and complexity are comparable between periodic and real-time locks, so campuses should not see much difference in labor costs at setup.
Optimized Power Management: Many manufacturers of real-time connected locks design their devices with energy-efficient components and advanced firmware enabling short-range data transfer with minimal energy consumption, even when maintaining a constant connection to ensure that the locks remain responsive without unnecessarily consuming power.
Predictive Battery Alerts: Real-time connected locks include features that monitor battery life and send alerts when battery levels fall below a certain threshold. With efficient power management and predictive alerts, battery replacements can be scheduled less frequently and on an as-needed basis instead of all on the same interval, reducing maintenance labor and battery costs.
Increased Operational Efficiency: Because real-time connected locks can be monitored and managed remotely, they reduce the need for in-person lock checks, troubleshooting visits and manual data collection. This remote capability translates into labor time savings and the ability for facilities staff to allocate more time to other tasks and faster issue resolution, which can offset the modest upfront costs over time.
Put together, the modest extra upfront investment in real-time locks is often offset by fewer in-person service calls, better resource allocation, fewer emergency lockouts and fewer surprise battery failures – making them a cost-effective choice for many campuses.
Truth: Real-time connected locks are designed to operate securely even when the campus network experiences temporary outages. Each lock stores a local database of authorized users and access credentials, allowing them to continue functioning independently of network connectivity. When the network is restored, these locks automatically synchronize their stored data with the central management system, helping ensure that all information remains current and accurate.
Offline Access Capability: Real-time connected locks authenticate users locally using stored credentials, so users with authorized credentials can still gain access without interruption. Even without network access, they verify user credentials and enforce permissions, helping ensure security is not compromised during outages.
Data Synchronization: When connectivity is restored after an outage, the lock seamlessly synchronizes its data with the central system. This process updates access logs, permissions, and other relevant information that may have changed during the outage, ensuring that the system remains accurate and up to date. This synchronization also helps ensure all activity is properly recorded for audit and compliance purposes.
Emergency Protocol: The ability to operate securely offline helps ensure continuous access control during network failures, power interruptions, or other disruptions. This feature not only enhances security but also supports operational continuity, giving campus administrators peace of mind knowing that their access control system can still operate under unforeseen issues.
Truth: While technology does move fast, modern access control solutions are built to evolve rather than be replaced. Manufacturers and systems integrators design with open standards, modular hardware, and remote update capabilities so locks can adapt to new credentials and communication methods without a full hardware swap, and older physical cards and newer mobile credentials can coexist along the way.
Hardware that allows for diverse choices of software partners means greater flexibility in future-proofing investments. Firmware and security updates that can happen locally or pushed remotely let vendors address vulnerabilities, add new features and maintain compatibility as standards evolve or offer end-of-life policies so campuses can plan phased migrations rather than costly urgent replacements. Cloud or centralized management platforms streamline this process, so locks stay secure and functional throughout their expected lifecycle.
Real-time connected electronic locks represent a significant innovation in campus security, operational management and the student experience. While some myths might make them seem expensive or tricky to maintain, they can also offer a higher level of control, fast response times, and reliable performance, even if the network goes offline temporarily. For higher education institutions committed to safeguarding their communities, increasing operational efficiency, and improving the student experience, embracing real-time connectivity may be a worthwhile consideration.
We live in a world where real-time connectivity and feedback are expected when we check a financial account balance, the shipping status of a purchase, or a score and stats of a sporting event. Real-time electronic locks offer the ability to enjoy such features within campus access control systems.
See how real-time connected locks can safeguard your campus. Connect with Jeff Koziol for a focused discussion tailored to your needs. Explore more case studies, expert articles, and campus-ready solutions here.
