A smart door lock is an electronic device that allows you to lock doors without using keys, remotely. Due to this, they can be used as a component of the smart home system. Consider the principle of their work, advantages, the best models presented on the modern market of smart devices.
The principle of operation and features of the electronic door lock
Smart locks are installed on both entrance and interior doors. They can be used as a stand-alone locking device, or work in conjunction with standard locks unlocked with ordinary keys. Their main feature is the ability to remotely control them using various devices – smartphones, tablets, central hubs.
Depending on the specific model, there are different ways to open and close doors equipped with these devices:
- A set of the set password on a stationary panel, usually located directly next to the door.
- Using a plastic card with an electronic chip attached to the reader.
- Key fob that acts as a remote control.
- Devices equipped with biometric sensors are able to read a pattern from the retina or fingerprints.
To control the lock using the Internet, it connects to the central hub of the smart home or directly to the owner’s smartphone or computer. To do this, use a wireless Bluetooth or Wi-Fi connection.
In this case, a special application must be installed on the mobile device, supported by the corresponding platform – iOS Windows, Android. After connecting the smart lock to a remote-control device, you can give commands to it, as well as receive various information:
- Doors are currently open or closed.
- Notifications if someone tries to enter.
- When combining the device with a surveillance camera, it is possible to receive an image on a smartphone and decide whether to give the lock a command to unlock the door or not.
Thanks to the electronic application, it is possible to expand or change the list of persons who have access to the management of the lock. To do this, a plastic card with a chip is activated, or the encoding simply changes from time to time. In addition, the smart lock can be integrated with intercoms, which allows their installation on the entrance doors of the entrances of high-rise buildings. For autonomous operation, the device is supplied with built-in batteries. This makes it independent of the central power supply: in the event of a power outage, the smart lock is not blocked.
Security and hackability
Compared to classic locks, electronic locks provide a higher level of security. This is achieved due to the following factors:
- All information between the user and the smart device is transmitted over a closed channel, with a certain degree of protection against unauthorized leakage.
- A smart door lock equipped with an electronic key in the form of a key fob or a plastic card usually has about 100 billion possible combinations. Therefore, picking up a code for it is a very difficult task even for special hacker programs.
- Additional protection in the form of biometric fingerprint or retinal readers can provide even greater protection against “smart burglars”.
- An exception is the use of tools based on the mechanical effect on the door (crowbar, mount, grinder, sledgehammer). But even in this situation, the smart lock will be able to send a signal about breaking into the home to the owner’s smartphone, or directly to the emergency console.
Due to the presence of an intelligent filling, a smart door lock is able to protect your home much more reliably from the intrusion of uninvited guests. But, it is worth noting that this highly intelligent device does not provide a 100% guarantee against hacking. For example, when testing in the USA, hackers were able to open 2/3 of the electronic locks selected for examination.
What is the advantage of a smart lock?
In addition to providing a higher degree of security, the advantages of such a lock over the classic ones are in the list of its additional features:
- Automated remote control.
- Creation of accounts that display all the information: when the door was opened, which of the residents used the electronic key, etc.
- The ability to remotely control the front door by transferring information from it to a smartphone or tablet.
- Create work scenarios, send password to guests if necessary, set their validity period.
Conclusion
Thus, a smart door lock has a lot of advantages over the usual option. Its only drawback is the higher cost, which, given the presence of intellectual filling, is quite natural. So, choose accordingly.
