Frequently asked questions

Customization and partnering are our competitive advantages. You can buy both customized readers and customized tags from Idesco. We develop our products through intense cooperation with our customers. It is why our product development can react so promptly to your requirements.

As just one example, any Idesco access control reader can be imprinted with your own logo, and if you use credit card-sized transponders, we can also print them to meet your specifications.

All Idesco products are manufactured by either ourselves, at Idesco headquarters in Oulu, Finland, or by our European subcontractors. All Idesco products are designed in Finland – it is why we have been granted the Design from Finland certificate.

Idesco does indeed possess an ISO9001 quality certificate. Additionally, we monitor our operations and quality by other metrics, including regular customer satisfaction surveys.

Our products are almost entirely used in a variety of identification and security systems. If you are an integrator or distributor, please contact our sales for order. If you want for yourself an access control or other kind of identification system – using Idesco readers – we encourage you to contact our sales team. They are happy to assist you further.

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The most powerful way you can enhance your system security is to upgrade to an open standard, Mifare DESFire solution such as 8 CD 2.0 (& Pin), deploying either 3DES or AES ciphers to encrypt communications between readers and fobs or cards. For system data transfer, we strongly recommend the open standard data protocol, OSDPV2.

Idesco also strongly recommends using PIN-codes. PIN code identification is a simple, reliable method to enhance any system’s security. The relative security benefits a PIN code can leverage for you are significant when compared to the method’s simplicity.

Finally, overall security is markedly enhanced by multi-level, interlocking security enhancements. This is because security generally does not depend solely on identification technologies, but can be impacted by other factors. Those factors include perimeter and whole system security, communication protocols between readers and controllers, encryption complexity and human-related factors. This is why multiple, interlocking enhancements can result in a security improvement much greater than the sum of its parts.

A passive tag powers its radio reply to a reader with energy from a reader’s initial query. By contrast, an active tag amplifies its reply to readers using energy from a battery, connected to or more commonly built into the tag. This lets active tags reply at greater distances, but can also leave them less reliable: batteries will wear out or a tag’s circuit can become contaminated and fail from moisture and dust entering through a battery’s egress point. Lastly, the costs of environmentally-unfriendly battery replacement and servicing makes active tags less cost-effective over time than passive tags.

With the exception of metal, low frequency and high frequency (13,56 MHz) tags, can be read through all materials including plastic, wood, drywall, dirt, paint, steam, mud and water. By contrast, UHF tags tend to be a bit more more sensitive to different environments. They don’t, for example, function very well close to organic tissue like humans and animals. In UHF applications, it is recommended to use specially-designed tags to better accommodate them.

The speed of a tag read depends greatly on its operating frequency, the amount of data it stores and transmits, and reader efficiency. Typically, a low frequency Idesco tag with 64 bits of data can be read in 0.01 seconds.

A. Passive low frequency and high frequency, (13,56 MHz) tags and cards are read a maximum of 70 mm from the reader. Distances can also depend greatly on a reader’s antenna size.
B. Ultra high frequency or UHF, (869 MHz) tags and cards can be read at distances out to several meters. Again, distances depend greatly on a reader’s antenna size, but also on the presence or lack of reflective surfaces for that frequency.

Yes, if its protection class is higher than IP44. Most of Idesco’s products are designed to meet IP67: dust tolerance and even temporary immersion in water.

No. The power levels and frequency range of Idesco’s RFID products are far below the limits set by even the most conservative health regulatory agencies and study organizations. Idesco’s products are approved for use without site licenses. In addition, our products have been independently tested and comply with standards.

All Idesco RFID readers have been tested and proved to operate according to regulations and laws set for these devices. Testing has been performed to determine the potential of the interaction between RFID devices in operation and other electrical devices, like pacemakers and other health care devices. The power output of RFID devices is below that which would cause interference with other devices in operation. There is no scenario in which the operation of an RFID device could turn off or shut down for instance a pacemaker.

All Idesco tags are passive. This means that there is no power source or any transmittance from the tag, which would have any effect on the environment.

You can download some technical documents directly from Idesco product pages. Some documents are sent by request. In case you don’t find the information you need, please contact customer support.

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All Idesco smart card readers can be installed even on metal, but the reading distance is normally shorter in metal assembly than in open air. However, Idesco conducted testing leading to the development of the Idesco Installation Plate, which anchors your reader just high enough above metal surfaces to minimize the electromagnetic eddy currents that shorten access control read distances.

As the interfaces of access control systems are not standard and they may vary quite a bit, there is a need for readers to be configurable. Idesco’s readers are very flexible as most of their features are configurable. We have ready-made configurations that are compatible with most of the access control systems. The CONF number consists of information about for example Wiegand bit length, Wiegand timings, keypad and buzzer functionality. For more accurate information, please see our support pages.

Drivers for Idesco USB readers are available in ftdichip.com:

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Security keys are an integral part of MIFARE DESFire technology and other secure card technologies. Readers and transponders recognize each other in mutual authentication process by security keys programmed in them.

Device supplier, system integrator or end-customer can define the security keys. It is essential that all parties are aware of who owns the security keys.

Yes, you can define the security keys you prefer for the readers and cards with Idesco DESCoder programming tool. We also provide security key service and define them for you.

Yes. You can change security keys by re-configuring the reader and if needed, code new access cards.

Depending on the interface technique, the cabling can even be more than 150 meters.

Yes, with Idesco ID service and Idesco ID application you can have access rights to several places in your phone. Phone and reader recognize each other when users are nearby the reader with their phone. The users do not need to select access rights in their phone to different locations.

Reader reads mobile access rights in phone up to 10 meters. The preferred reading distance is defined in the reader settings. You can update reader settings for instance with convenient Mobile Coder phone app.

Learn more about Mobile Coder

The validity time for a mobile ID is defined in the system.

Yes. For example, Idesco Mobile Coder app works with NFC.

Idesco’s long range EPC readers are passive, operating with passive transponders without an internal power source.

Idesco’s EPC readers can read a tag even from a distance of 10 to 15 meters. Idesco’s small EPC Slim “hands-free” access control reader can reach up to four meters.

Optimal deployment of transponders and readers significantly enhances reading distances in UHF applications. Also antenna and reader placement have effect on the reading range. We have developed a useful tutorial of positioning readers and tags in vehicle identification applications.

Download tutorial