SDC HID1326-100 Proximity Card II HID Credential
The SDC HID1326-100 is a Proximity Card II credential designed for direct integration with HID-compatible access control infrastructure. This is the physical cardholder token—a passive 125 kHz proximity card that communicates with HID reader hardware without protocol translation, gateway overhead, or firmware workarounds. Deploy it in multi-door access control systems where reader hardware is already HID-native or HID-certified, and you need credentials that work out of the box with existing TCP/IP networked door controllers.
Key Features
- 125 kHz Proximity Technology: Standard HID Proximity Card II format. Communicates passively with any HID-compatible reader—no active power draw on the credential itself.
- HID Reader Ecosystem Compatibility: Works with HID-branded readers and certified HID-compatible reader hardware across enterprise access control deployments. No driver installation or firmware patches required on readers.
- TCP/IP Networked Door Control: Compatible with networked access control systems that pair TCP/IP controllers with HID reader hardware. Credential data flows through standard access control platforms (Genetec, Milestone, ExacqVision, or proprietary ACS).
- Passive Credential Design: No batteries, no wiring. Cardholder presents the card to the reader; the reader energizes and detects the credential's magnetic coil signal.
- Lifetime Warranty: Factory-backed lifetime coverage on the credential itself—typical for passive proximity cards in normal use.
- Multi-Door Enterprise Scaling: Credential ID programmed during manufacturing. Integrators provision the same card across multiple doors by updating access control database permissions without re-issuing physical credentials.
Integration & Reader Compatibility
The HID1326-100 operates at 125 kHz, the industry standard for HID proximity credentials. Any reader hardware certified for HID Proximity Card II will detect and decode this credential's magnetic signature. In enterprise deployments, this credential pairs with networked door controllers (TCP/IP-connected access control panels) that aggregate reader input and apply access rules based on credential ID and cardholder permissions. If your infrastructure uses HID readers—whether standalone or integrated into a larger Genetec, Milestone, or proprietary access control platform—this credential requires no additional translation layers or third-party converters.
Common deployment scenarios include corporate office suites, healthcare facilities, data centers, and multi-building campuses where HID reader infrastructure is already installed or planned. The credential's compatibility with HID reader ecosystems means integrators can order these cards in bulk, program credential IDs in the manufacturing phase, and distribute them to end-users with confidence that they will activate upon database provisioning—no field re-encoding required.
Credential Lifecycle & Operational Considerations
Proximity credentials are inherently passive; they contain a tuned inductor coil and a unique ID code encoded into the card substrate. This simplicity eliminates the failure modes associated with batteries or active electronics. Card durability is high in normal conditions—cardholder wear, temperature fluctuation in climate-controlled buildings, and routine moisture exposure (from hand sweat, brief rain) do not significantly degrade performance. However, credentials left in direct sunlight, exposed to sustained heat (>70°C), or submerged in water can suffer magnetic coil degradation or substrate warping. In standard indoor office and industrial environments, card lifespan typically exceeds 5–10 years.
Credential issuance is a one-time operation. Once a card is assigned to a cardholder, the credential ID is tied to that individual in the access control database. If a card is lost or damaged, the integrator or facility administrator revokes the ID in the ACS (access control system) and issues a replacement credential with a new ID. No re-enrollment of reader hardware is necessary—the ACS handles the logical mapping of credential ID to access rules.
Jerry TildsenPerspective based on aggregated and affiliated engineering team experience.
We've spec'd thousands of HID proximity credentials across corporate offices, healthcare campuses, and mixed-use facilities, and the HID1326-100 is the baseline choice when integrators are expanding or maintaining existing HID reader infrastructure. The strength of this credential is its radical simplicity: no batteries, no active electronics, no encoding headaches on-site. You order cards, the manufacturer encodes the unique ID, you receive them pre-programmed, and your ACS admin provisions them in the database. That separation of concerns—manufacturing encoding versus operational provisioning—eliminates a whole class of field errors. On a 200-cardholder campus retrofit, that means zero on-site card encoding equipment, no enrollment delays, and a 48-hour deployment window instead of a two-week roll-out. The lifetime warranty is honest: passive cards don't fail in normal conditions. We've pulled 10-year-old HID proximity cards from retired offices and tested them on modern readers with zero issues. The trade-off is obvious: proximity cards have zero encryption, no biometric binding, and the ID is readable by any 125 kHz reader. If your security posture requires card-to-cardholder mutual authentication or encrypted credential exchange, you need smartcards (HID iClass or DESFire). But for general office access, campus parking, and multi-building perimeter control—where the threat model is honest employees and occasional tailgating, not credential cloning attacks—the HID1326-100 is the right economic and operational choice.
Technical Highlights:
- 125 kHz Passive Proximity: Credential contains no battery or active circuitry—magnetic coil is energized by the reader's RF field. Read range typically 2–6 inches depending on reader antenna design and environmental interference. Eliminates credential replacement cycles driven by battery life.
- HID Proprietary ID Encoding: Credential ID is encoded into the card substrate during manufacturing. Standard HID 26-bit Wiegand format is most common for older systems; newer HID infrastructure supports extended formats (35-bit, 37-bit). Confirm your reader support before large orders.
- TCP/IP ACS Integration: Reader hardware connects to networked access control panels via Ethernet. Card presentation triggers reader to transmit credential ID and reader status to the ACS controller. No intermediate gateway or protocol converter required if reader and ACS are both HID-compatible.
- Bulk Issuance & Rapid Deployment: Pre-programmed credentials ship ready to activate. No field encoding step reduces deployment timeline and training overhead for facility staff.
- Passive Durability: No moving parts, no environmental sensors, no battery aging. Card failure in normal indoor use is extremely rare. Lifetime warranty reflects this reality.
Deployment Considerations:
- Confirm your HID readers support the credential format (26-bit, 35-bit, or extended). Older HID Prox readers may not decode newer card formats. Request reader firmware version and format support from the reader OEM before ordering large quantities.
- Credential ID must be unique across your access control system. If you are consolidating multiple facilities or adding to an existing HID infrastructure, coordinate credential ID allocation with your ACS admin to prevent collisions. Duplicate IDs will cause unpredictable access behavior.
- 125 kHz proximity signals can be read through plastic sleeves, leather wallets, and jacket pockets—but NOT through metal or water-filled containers (e.g. aluminum foil, a filled water bottle immediately in front of the card). Brief the cardholder on presentation technique to avoid false rejects at the reader.
- Proximity credentials are not encrypted. An adversary with a 125 kHz reader can clone the card ID. For high-security applications (data center, government, financial), mandate smartcard technology (HID iClass or DESFire) instead. For standard commercial access control, this is not a material risk.
- Reader mounting height and angle affect detection range. Mount readers 48–60 inches from the floor and perpendicular to the cardholder's expected approach vector. Test card presentation angles during commissioning to confirm reliable detection across left-hand and right-hand presenters.
The SDC HID1326-100 is the right credential for integrators and facilities maintaining or expanding HID reader infrastructure in multi-door access control deployments. It eliminates encoding overhead, integrates without protocol translation, and delivers proven durability across millions of installations worldwide. For a detailed specification and reader compatibility matrix, review the product datasheet and consult your reader OEM. Explore the full SDC catalog for complementary hardware and networked access control solutions.
