Kisi Controller, Reader and Terminal Hardware
Kisi combines cloud-managed controllers, readers and entry terminals with conventional door hardware. The correct design accounts for door count, credential methods, lock power, life-safety interfaces, network reachability, offline behavior and legacy migration.
Select the complete system, not one headline feature
Match devices, software, licensing, infrastructure, retention, integrations and support to the operating requirement before finalizing the design.
Map each opening and hardware interface
Survey every opening for lock type, voltage/current, fail-safe or fail-secure behavior, door position, request to exit, fire-alarm release, accessibility and mechanical condition. Group doors by controller location, cable route and backup-power requirement. Confirm elevator or special-opening needs separately.
Door-by-door survey data is what the design gets priced and built from, so record who uses each opening, at what hours, and what should happen when a credential is refused there. Note which locks are already failing mechanically and who owns door hardware repairs, since a controller cannot correct a misaligned strike.
- Lock and life-safety behavior
- Door inputs and REX
- Controller grouping and pathways
- Elevator/special interfaces
Select controllers and readers
Assign Controller Pro capacity and expansion, then select Reader Pro or Terminal Pro by credential, environment, mounting and visitor workflow. Verify exact ports, wiring, accessories and supported third-party hardware. A Wiegand migration may preserve assets but should include a security and lifecycle review.
Count doors against controller capacity with room for the expansion the client already expects, rather than filling the ports on day one. Decide too what a reader should do while the site’s internet link is down, and where a Terminal Pro sits so visitors can reach it without being buzzed through a secured door first.
- Reader versus Terminal use
- Indoor/outdoor environment
- Credential and migration method
- Accessories and expansion
| Component | Role | Confirm |
|---|---|---|
| Controller Pro 2 | Door relays and inputs | Capacity, power and interfaces |
| Reader Pro | Mobile/card presentation | Environment and credential fit |
| Terminal Pro | QR and visitor entry | Workflow, mounting and network |
| Wiegand board | Legacy interface option | Compatibility and security tradeoff |
Network, power and cloud readiness
Provide approved power, battery backup, Ethernet/PoE or supported connectivity, DNS, DHCP, NTP and outbound firewall access. Establish the customer organization and named administrators before activation. Document offline expectations and the recovery owner for network or cloud interruptions.
Ownership of the cloud tenant matters as much as the wiring. Create the organization under a client-held account, grant installers only the roles they still need after turnover, and turn on multifactor sign-in where the platform offers it. Decide in advance who applies controller firmware and who restores service if an update misbehaves.
- Power and battery load
- Ethernet, PoE and firewall
- Organization ownership
- Offline and recovery plan
Commission doors and administration
Test card, mobile, QR and denied access; forced/held door; REX; schedules; lockdown; fire release where applicable; event history and offline operation. Reconcile reader-to-door assignments and labels. Deliver wiring, network, firmware, administrator and support records without publishing credentials.
Sign-off should follow a door schedule that lists every opening, the credential types tested at it, and the result under normal, denied, forced, held and power-loss conditions. Turn over as-built wiring, controller and reader locations, firmware levels, administrator names and any door accepted with a known mechanical or fire-release exception.
- Positive and denied entry
- Door alarm conditions
- Cloud and offline events
- Protected as-built handoff
How we plan and deliver the work
The final design depends on site conditions, existing systems, client policies and the selected manufacturer or platform.
Inventory each door
Record the existing lock, power source, exit device and life-safety hardware at every opening Kisi will control.
Size the hardware
Choose controllers, readers and terminals for the door count, credential methods and any legacy readers being carried forward.
Prove network reach
Confirm switch ports, addressing and internet path for each controller, and decide what happens when the connection drops.
Commission the doors
Set up locks, schedules and administrators, then unlock and relock every door and confirm events appear correctly.
Information to gather before design
Cloud management still depends on the lock, the wire and the network at each door, so those facts decide how much hardware the building needs.
- Lock type and power at each door
- Existing reader wiring and cable runs
- Switch port and internet path per closet
- Entrances that need a video terminal
- Backup power available in each riser
Frequently asked questions
These are common planning questions. A site-specific answer should be confirmed during discovery and design.
Can Kisi reuse existing door locks?
Often, if voltage, current, operation and code interfaces are compatible and verified.
Is Terminal Pro required at every door?
No. Use it where its QR or visitor workflow is needed.
Can a Wiegand migration retain existing readers?
Supported designs may do so, but compatibility and security limitations need review.
Does cloud management eliminate local backup power?
No. Controllers, readers and locking hardware still need an appropriate power design.
Manufacturer software, firmware and technical files remain on the manufacturer’s official website. We do not mirror firmware files locally.
Specify Kisi hardware for your building doors
Share a door list showing lock type, existing reader wiring, the network path in each closet, and which entrances need a video terminal. Hardware counts come from those details rather than from the door count alone.
Kisi owner, administrator and buyer resources
These central Kisi guides support regional system planning while 24/7 Security handles local survey, installation, commissioning, maintenance and service coordination.
Discuss Kisi installation, maintenance or service
Detailed guides are maintained by 360TechnologyGroup.com, the parent-company knowledge center.