[NA]remoting in with Schlage[NA]

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Dave Taylor
Anyone have a Schlage home/work electronic lock they connect with remotely using iphone?
Trying to learn more.

It looks like Schlage Connect requires Zwave? (which is $120/yr; wifi)
Seems pricey for such a simple function but maybe there is more to it than what I figure.

And Schlage Sense locks use their app (Schlage Sense app) or AppleHomeKit app (free; bluetooth)
Wondering how it would connect remotely if it only uses BT.

I need a keypad entry at work; we are curbside and everyone is sick of getting locked out by the 'other' employee.
Fingerprint ID would be fastest entry but I have not seen a Schlage that can do this.

I want to be able to see if the work front door is locked or not, from home.
I want to be able to lock/unlock remotely

Post your thoughts.
 
We have two Schlage Encode deadbolts, no additional fees after initial purchase from a blue big box store (uses local wifi). The app will do exactly what you want, I have had no issues with it at all, status notifications push to my iPhone within seconds. Start your codes on one of the top two corners of the keypad for easier entry under dark lighting conditions (keypad lights up after first contact).
 
We have Schlage locks:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07KQPQMXS/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_IsV-Fb0PPWDZP?_encoding=UTF8
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00D1M66GQ/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_ptV-FbMVFE4SD?_encoding=UTF8
They require a hub to connect to wifi for remote access:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07FJGGWJL/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_WuV-Fb9E2EM6B?_encoding=UTF8
Works great with the ability to lock/unlock from your phone anywhere, set different codes, etc.
No ongoing cost after purchase of equipment other than cost to keep wifi. Even tracks a log of when locked/unlocked with what code, and even will alert your phone through the hub app when it occurs in real time.
But if you only need different codes, why do you need remote access? Just setup a few codes and nobody gets locked out.
 
it’s just a useful feature; often staff leaves it unlocked at night!
If I’m going to change it, I might as well get that option at the same time
Agree it is useful, but I don't believe those locks require internet connection to auto-lock (if you seek to avoid that cost).
 
Even tracks a log of when locked/unlocked with what code, and even will alert your phone through the hub app when it occurs in real time.

I always think that if I can use my phone to lock/unlock the door then so can someone else.

But I can see how this would be useful to see who is coming and going and at what times.
 
Agree it is useful, but I don't believe those locks require internet connection to auto-lock (if you seek to avoid that cost).

In the video it is being set up on a phone; is that not via internet? Maybe BT which means very close to the building?
 
But I can see how this would be useful to see who is coming and going and at what times.

If it stores a 10 day log that would be really useful!
Sometimes the timeclock fails
Sometime staff comes in after hours without my permission or knowledge
Sometimes staff claims to have done this or that and knowing if they were actually in the building would be one way to verify their claim was even possible.
 
In the video it is being set up on a phone; is that not via internet? Maybe BT which means very close to the building?
The setup requires (I believe requires) the Samsung smartthings hub (or similar) to communicate with the lock. Once it is setup, I don't think it will stop functioning as programmed if it lacks internet connection.
 
If it stores a 10 day log that would be really useful!
Sometimes the timeclock fails
Sometime staff comes in after hours without my permission or knowledge
Sometimes staff claims to have done this or that and knowing if they were actually in the building would be one way to verify their claim was even possible.
I just logged into my smartthings app. I can see a daily history of lock/unlock times through 1-2-21. It shows if it was locked manually or by code, and which code was used. If you assign a different code to each employee (and they only used their own code) you could track who came and went. That wifi connection with these locks is nice. We use it with our airbnb rentals.
 
Looks like my choices are:

a) With hub or smartthing or zwave or.... some other connected 'box'
b) Schlage Encode which does not require additional 'box' and connects directly to my wifi and has no ongoing fees.

I am averse to more boxes and wires as I have too many and lightning kills boxes here every year plus they always seem to be failing so I am looking closely at b)

Feel free to correct; or add to my current lack of knowledge (um grammar much?)
 
I always think that if I can use my phone to lock/unlock the door then so can someone else.

But I can see how this would be useful to see who is coming and going and at what times.
What sort of mechanical lock can't be defeated? Doors and windows can be broken, too, to the lock can be entirely bypassed.
 
What sort of mechanical lock can't be defeated? Doors and windows can be broken, too, to the lock can be entirely bypassed.
I am not posting about security so much as crowd control. I need to keep the public outside the building during office hours. Anyone can gain forcible entry to my building in moments and I realize that.
(This thread is about which door locks would suit the purposes set out in post #1)
 
Schlage has great wireless locks for commercial applications. For residential I think Yale has a leg up. You probably don't want or need the complexity of a wireless commercial lock that requires other infrastructure components. Residential stuff is simpler.

I'm converting my front door to a Schlage AD200 keypad lock on Monday to ease employee access during the lockdown times. No remote function but I don't need it. Time clock function is very handy.
 
I have six of the schlage 10 button Z-WAVE-enabled keypads. They work fine. I do have to periodically go change the batteries (4 AA each) in them, but not too often.
I use their little ZWave gateway though it should work generically. Nice thing about the Schlage locks is the cores are pretty ubiquitous. I've got all mine keyed alike and the cores also fit the other (Anderson) doors so the keys work everywhere. However, I rarely use the keys.

Amusingly about six years ago they all stopped talking to the base station. My theory was that my locks were early enough (I knew they had some non-standard ZWave issues) that a later software update to the hub caused them not to communicate anymore. Schlage/Ingersol refused to acknowledge this but they sent me six new locks anyhow (the new ones worked fine). I still have the old ones in a box (just saw them today cleaning up the hangar). They are fine as long as you don't need the network feature. The rest of the lock works fine.

The only thing that the Schlage locks don't do is allow you to "unlock" them remotely. You can temporary unlock it (about the same time duration as if someone entered the combination), but you can't tell it to unlock and stay unlocked remotely. I guess that's a security thing. You can lock them remotely and set new combinations. Usually, if someone needs to get in, I set a tempoary combination to the last four of their phone number and then delete it later on. The thing does tell me WHICH code opened the door as well (by text message and it's logged).
 
The only thing that the Schlage locks don't do is allow you to "unlock" them remotely.
I guess you could ask the person you are letting in to unlock it (ie for the rest of the day) after they are inside?
Surely there is an option to leave it unlocked during biz hours? (I'm thinking, in my case, I can't have it locked after each entry - after the virus is gone)
 
One feature I forgot was that my current Schlage keypad on another door is difficult to change the batteries on! You have to take it all apart and if you are not careful one side of the handle is hanging by that delicate cable. So, need one where battery change is a non-disassembly event taking 2 minutes tops.
 
The only thing that the Schlage locks don't do is allow you to "unlock" them remotely. You can temporary unlock it (about the same time duration as if someone entered the combination), but you can't tell it to unlock and stay unlocked remotely. I guess that's a security thing. You can lock them remotely and set new combinations. Usually, if someone needs to get in, I set a tempoary combination to the last four of their phone number and then delete it later on. The thing does tell me WHICH code opened the door as well (by text message and it's logged).
This is not true of my locks, but I don't have the auto-lock feature activated. So I presume it is the auto-lock that you cannot access and change remotely.
One feature I forgot was that my current Schlage keypad on another door is difficult to change the batteries on!
This is not true of the model I linked in a post above. The inside black top plastic piece slides up and off. The removable 4 AA battery holder slides up and off.
 
Mine requires two screws to be removed and remove the interior trim piece. The battery is then behind an orange piece of plastic. Doesn't take much time, but it does require a screwdriver. They go a good long time and the software warns you when they are getting low (and the Schlage button flashes red a few times before going to green when the battery is low).
 
One feature I forgot was that my current Schlage keypad on another door is difficult to change the batteries on! You have to take it all apart and if you are not careful one side of the handle is hanging by that delicate cable. So, need one where battery change is a non-disassembly event taking 2 minutes tops.
There's supposed to be a plastic retainer that keeps the "outside" part from coming off when you remove the inside to change the battery.
 
What's wrong with a key?

WYCJ0xMl.jpg
 
The company where I worked for 21 years lived for a long time with keys. When we got bigger we went to electronic entry. Amusingly, after they laid me off (over the phone while I was on vacation, Textron is a class act), I came back a year later as a consultant. I got a new badge (with my name spelled wrong, again Textron is a class act) which worked the electronic lock. I asked about the burglar alarm code. They said they no longer had anybody who knew how to set those (laid him off as well, I guess). I figured if nobody knew how to set them, nobody knew how to delete them. Sure enough, my old code still worked.
 
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