How a Smart Front Door Lock Can Enhance Your Home’s Security
Smart locks aren’t just convenient and easy to use, they can also enhance your home’s security. They let you control access to your home from your smartphone or smart home hub.
There are a number of smart door lock options available, and you should choose one that fits your needs best. In addition to functionality, consider how your new smart lock looks.
Keyless Entry
Smart door locks offer a number of advantages over traditional lock deadbolts, including remote access, code monitoring and reporting capability, and integration with other smart home platforms. However, many products on the market are still rough around the edges and may not be suitable for every homeowner’s needs.
One weakness of smart locks is that they’re electronic, which makes them more vulnerable to hacking and infiltration. This is especially true if you use a remote fob or app that’s stored on your smartphone without strong password protection.
That’s why a lot of smart locks also come with a physical key as a backup, ensuring that you’ll always have the ability to lock your doors if the batteries go dead or if you’re not at home. These types of locks usually also have the option to connect to a USB power supply in emergencies, as well as battery backups for long-term use.
A purely mechanical keyless entry system is another option, which can be ideal for older homes or those with tight budgets. These locks typically don’t require batteries and are much more robust than electronic keypads, though they often have fewer security features than competing models.
Kwikset 264 is a great option for anyone who wants the convenience of keyless entry but doesn’t need much more than that. Its keypad is easy to operate, and it supports up to six customizable codes and temporary codes that expire after a specific period of time.
It can also be set to automatically lock after a specified amount of time, and it has anti-peek protection to help keep your codes hidden from prying eyes. It also has an alarm function to alert you if someone breaks into your home.
Other options include keyless locks that use a paired fob or an app to unlock your door, which can be convenient for when you’re out and about with your hands full. These locks usually work on a home’s Wi-Fi network, so they can be operated from anywhere. Some even have geofencing capabilities, which allow them to automatically unlock when you’re nearby.
Remote Control
Having a smart front door lock can be a great addition to your home, especially if you’re looking for a way to secure it from potential intruders. These locks are available in many different styles, but they all have one thing in common: the ability to control them remotely from a smartphone app.
Some smart door locks work with voice assistants, such as Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant. Some models even allow you to set up a virtual key that will let anyone into your home who can unlock the door with their phone.
These locks can also be connected to other smart home devices, like your smart thermostat or your security camera. The best options will support all of these platforms and allow you to easily manage them from a single spot in your home.
The Schlage Encode Plus is an excellent choice if you’re looking for a low-cost, all-in-one solution to add remote control to your doors. The device connects directly to your home WiFi, and you can use the mobile app or a compatible key fob to lock or unlock it.
Other options are smart home hubs that offer more extensive automation and integration. The most popular picks include Amazon Alexa and Google Home, but Samsung SmartThings and Apple HomeKit are also good choices.
Some smart locks are Bluetooth-only, while others connect to your home Wi-Fi network and can be controlled from a distance. Some of these models require smart front door lock a separate adapter that connects to your home Wi-Fi network, so make sure you know what you’re getting into before purchasing.
When you’re shopping for a smart door lock, be sure to look for features like touchpad controls and fingerprint readers, as well as a variety of other features that will help you manage access to your home. Having these features will be a big help if you have multiple people who need to access your home, such as a babysitter or a pet sitter.
Some of these locks also have a camera that you can view through your smart phone, which is another excellent feature for security-conscious homeowners. Installing this feature will give you a window into what’s happening at your home while you’re away, and it can be particularly helpful for those who have very sensitive properties or are worried about theft.
Real-Time Logging
When your home is equipped with smart locks, you can get notified when someone opens the door or if a device enters and exits your property. You can also control your lock remotely via an iOS or Android app.
Most of these devices are connected to Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, which makes them more convenient than traditional locks. Most have mobile apps that let you manage and monitor your locks from anywhere. Some even come with voice control through Alexa or Google Assistant.
Some smart locks also allow you to share temporary or permanent access with friends and family by using virtual keys. This way, you can give them access to your property whenever you need without having to worry about losing your physical key.
Another great feature of smart front door locks is their entry log record. They allow you to check who accessed your home at any given time and how many times. This helps you keep track of your house and make sure that your property is safe at all times.
You can set the level of events you want to include in the log file by modifying the relevant logger’s entry. You can either choose from one of the pre-defined log levels (errors, warnings, information, fatal) or you can set a threshold value to include events with a specific severity level.
The real-time logging feature works by sending events to a managed streaming service such as Amazon Kinesis. These logs are filtered, routed and monitored in real-time by the log monitoring system, so you can receive alerts and insights within seconds.
This is a huge advantage for business users, as it gives them access to information that’s critical to the success of their operations. If there’s smart front door lock a problem with their machinery, they can immediately react and fix it before it affects production or sales.
For example, if an employee’s smartphone suddenly dies, you can see who used it to unlock your business’ doors and get help from your staff right away. This can help prevent theft, fraud and other security issues.
Individual Passcodes
Smart front door locks make it easy to access your home, and they also provide a number of security benefits. They can let you leave keys behind, allow remote access to the door, and integrate with other smart platforms.
One way to add a layer of security to your smart front door lock is to use individual passcodes. This makes it harder for anyone outside of your home to unlock the door, and it’s easier for you to monitor who uses the keyless entry.
For the best security, you should use a combination of meaningful numbers and random words to create your unique code. It’s best to avoid the use of common words, like “abc” or “the” as they could be easily memorized by someone else.
Another option is to use a set of recurring codes that you can generate remotely. These can be either permanent or timed. They’re typically valid only during a certain time slot, such as Monday-Friday 8am-3pm.
These passwords can be shared with your family members and friends, and they’re a great way to keep track of who enters your house. You can even use them to grant temporary access to guests or house cleaners.
This is a particularly helpful feature if you have younger children. You can choose a code that’s a combination of months, or you can create a phrase based on a rhyme, such as “September is the best month to come home.”
If you have multiple people who use the smart door lock, you can create different codes for each person. This helps to reduce the risk of a break-in, and it gives you the flexibility to change your passcode whenever you want.
A few smart locks will also automatically lock if someone tries to unlock the door more than five times. If this happens, an alarm will sound and the lock will be locked for three minutes, which can help to deter unauthorized users.
For a little more security, you can choose to purchase a smart front door lock that has HD cameras. These can record what’s in front of your door and store the video on microSD cards. Many will also send alerts if a visitor is in the area, so you can see who is at your door.