Getting Started
- 23 May 2023
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Getting Started
- Updated on 23 May 2023
- 2 Minutes to read
- Print
- DarkLight
Article Summary
UniFi Access (UA) is a POE-powered door access control system that supports your electric bolts and strikes, magnetic locks, motion sensors, push buttons, alarms, and other 12V access accessories. With your UniFi Access application, you can also conveniently manage users, visitors, schedules, and access policies.
Main Elements
- UniFi Access Application: The control center for your Access system, hosted on the UniFi Host (UDM Pro, UDM SE, CKP). Your Access application is easily upgradable and offers a host of features that simplify access policymaking as well as personnel, space, and device management.
- UA Hub: A secure I/O hub that authenticates inputs registered by your Access readers (UA Pro & UA Lite), push buttons, and sensors. Your UA-Hub can also control door locks, alarms, and motorized door openers.
- UA Pro and UA Lite: The Access system's card or motion reading devices that unlock doors with a swipe of an NFC card or NFC-enabled mobile phone. Please refer to the Current and Future Access Modes section below for more information on current and future access methods.
- UA Card: A NFC card that is specific to your Access system and encrypted with a special algorithm that cannot be replicated, unlike other NFC cards. Your Access system will support any NFC card, so you can retain your current access cards.
Comparing Door Access in UniFi Identity and UniFi Access
Both Door Access for UniFi Identity and UniFi Access adopt the UniFi Access door system hardware. One difference between the two is that UniFi Access is installed on-premises, whereas Door Access for UniFi Identity is cloud-based. This allows Door Access for UniFi Identity to provide more flexibility and support more features.
For example, Door Access for UniFi Identity allows company admins and employees to unlock doors using mobile phones.
Refer to the table below for a comparison between the two applications.
| Content | UniFi Access | Door Access for UniFi Identity |
|---|---|---|
| Fee | Free | Basic Plan: Free Standard Plan: $4.5 per user per month (billed annually); $5 per user per month (billed monthly) |
| Plan limitations | No limitations | The supported number of sites and users differ according to the plans |
| Management | Local management | Cloud management |
| Application name in UniFi Host | UniFi Access application | UniFi Identity Agent application |
| Data storage location | On-premises | Cloud |
| Multiple sites management | Not supported | Supported |
| Retention period of activity logs | Based on the HDD storage capacity | Basic Plan: 30 days Standard Plan: 90 days |
| Retention period of video captures | Based on the HDD storage capacity | Basic Plan: 7 days Standard Plan: 30 days |
| Retention period of guest information | Based on the HDD storage capacity | Basic Plan: 5 guests Standard Plan: 100 guests |
| Mobile access support | Only admins can unlock doors remotely using the UniFi Access mobile app | Both admins and employees can unlock doors using the Identity app |
| PIN code | Supported | Supported |
| NFC card | Supported | Supported |
| Doorbell and remote door unlocking | Admins and door attendants | Admins and employees (Optimized user experience and faster unlock speed) |
| DPS (Door Positioning Switch) alerts | Not supported | Supported |
| UniFi Talk integration | Not supported | Supported |
- For small companies and family users, we recommend using UniFi Access.
- For companies or users requiring enhanced security, multiple site management, and door unlocking feature via mobile phones, we highly recommend using Door Access for UniFi Identity. It helps cut down IT management costs and provides a better user experience.
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