ACT 4000 pro door access controls.

[binky]

a school I do work for has an ACT pro 400 door access control unit controlling 5 doors via swipe cards. Not sure when it was installed, but I think about 5 years ago. Front door has a comelit panel, the other doors have proximity sensors ACTpro 100 I think, as per 2nd picture. Now, the school has run out of swipe cards due to being lost etc etc, so I purchased a pack of 10 ACT cards and programmed these into the main control panel after downloading the manual. Now the new cards will open the front door, but none of the others, the prox reader beeps, changes led from red to green but doesn't release the door. I've checked group settings and card settings, old and new are set to do every door / 24 hours. However, before doing anything I noticed the main panel was showing 'doors offline' and 'comms offline' so I'm guessing the main control panel isn't talking to all the doors.?  Also 3 of the doors seem to be conected via IOM modules which also show as being 'offline or no comms' on the main panel. So I'm wondering if anyone here knows how to overcome the lack of 'comms' to the doors?  Comms might refer to no server link? 

I've read and re-read the manual many times and can't find a way of doing this. I have also tried downloading the installation software and directly connecting to my laptop via RJ45 patch lead direct to the main panel which has an RJ45 socket internally, but can't get the my laptop to talk to the panel.  So if anyone knows how to do that it would be helpful?  I have also pinged a question to ACT technical help, but response seems to be slow! (4 days and counting).

 

[Andy™]

not used ACT stuff, but if its anything like paxton, then it has a data link, either network or RS485. you need to find the fault thats stopping the data or you wont get anywhere

 

[phil d]

have you tried ringing them?

ACT Tech Dept Tel No: 02036955680

 

[Evans Electric]

I have also pinged a question to ACT technical help, but response seems to be slow! (4 days and counting).

Thats not good enough for a door entry  ,  as Phil says try telephone Tech dept.   

 

[binky]

I did try the 'low rate' UK number, but it doesn't seem to work - didn't fancy phoning Ireland on a mobile.

 

[Sharpend]

0203 is London or at least it is for my daughter! 

 

[binky]

I've had a good poke around the system today, the little white box you can see the corner of beside the main control panel contains a sim card and is wired to the 'doors' comm controls in the main unit. There's actually 3 of these boxes to link to 3 different parts of the building, with no hard wiring exept to the one door that works with the new cards, so I'm guessing no one's paid the phone bill for the sim cards or renewed the contract.

Out of interest, does anyone know of a company that does sim cards only for this sort of application? 

 

[Andy™]

i use these for data sims

https://www.aa.net.uk/

would be easier hard wired though? bit dd to have mobile data links

 

[binky]

thanks Andy. Hard wiring would be a royal pita. To be honest the system is overkill for what they use it for, so I'm trying to persuade them to ditch it in favour of 'standalone' door controls, programming cards is slow, but at least it would be simple!  The GSM links have no brand names on them either, so finding an installation manual will be very difficult, and I doubt just chucking new sims in will work!  :^O

 

[Andy™]

id expect the gsm units to be the same manufacturer as the rest of the system. either way, if it is just data loss though no mobile data, then a new sim card should fix it. if you want stand alone look at paxton compact / switch2. easy to use, easy to program / delete fobs / cards, easy to change codes etc

 

[binky]

I've been trying to find the units on the ACT website / interent search, but to no avail. I'm not too keen on getting involved with GSM, it's not something I've had much experience with. Paxton I've fitted before, the standalone unit I fitted last year was Controlsoft, which was simple enough and nicely made. Rexel do a  own brand unit, which I've been getting info on, combined keypad / card reader - like the price, but I'm a bit dubious cos it's cheap!  Seems well made though - I had a look at one in my local Wilts branch earlier today. 

 

[Andy™]

I've been trying to find the units on the ACT website / interent search, but to no avail. I'm not too keen on getting involved with GSM, it's not something I've had much experience with. Paxton I've fitted before, the standalone unit I fitted last year was Controlsoft, which was simple enough and nicely made. Rexel do a  own brand unit, which I've been getting info on, combined keypad / card reader - like the price, but I'm a bit dubious cos it's cheap!  Seems well made though - I had a look at one in my local Wilts branch earlier today. 

availability or pards etc and ongoing support to me would take over price / own brands. fit a decent manufacturer and youll get cards for years. fit an own brand then going cards could be awkward then end up replacing it with something else because of it

 

[phil d]

If they have sim cards in, are they PAYG, and if so have they been topped up and used? I know they are only being used for data, and quite possibly connecting through the WiFI, but over the years I've had quite a lot to do with PAYG and a lot of them require a call to be made every 6 or 12 months, or they drop of the network. Worth checking because a lot of people don't realise this and use them in inappropriate places.

 

[binky]

the sims will be data only, usually on a monthly contract of sorts. You don't have to make any phone calls  :^O .  I've inserted such things in leccy meters for remote monitoring solar systems, but that was easy as it was all set up by a third party and all I had to do was stick the sim card in and make a phone call.