Fix a Single Reader, Door or Gate That Isn't Working
Problem
Duty managers, front of house staff and site IT need to fix one reader, door or turnstile that isn't reading cards, goes red, closes too quickly, or isn't recording attendance, while the others work.
Resolution
Follow your site safety procedure first
- If entry or exit is affected, follow your site safety procedure before anything else.
- Don't restart the access control service for a single reader.
Do the basic checks
- Check the power and cable connections.
- Check the reader's lights and beeps.
- Check whether nearby readers work.
Check whether the swipe reaches Gladstone360
- Swipe a known working card and check whether the swipe appears in the Gladstone360 Access module.
- Swipe shows with a denial reason: the reader is working. The problem is the member's or staff member's set-up (membership, status, access permissions). Check the entry point profile rules (see Access Control – Entry Points and Entry Point Profiles).
- No swipe shows: the problem is the reader, PC, network or access control service. Carry on with the next step.
Check the COM port (for a reader connected to a PC)
- Unplug the reader and plug it back in.
- Check which COM port Windows shows the reader on, in Device Manager.
- Check the access control configuration uses the same COM port.
Monitor the reader
- If it goes red again, note the time and monitor it.
Notes
- If all gates have stopped, this article doesn't apply.
- "COM port is closed" in the event log: another program is probably using the port, for example a test app or the reader's own software. Close the other program, or ask your site IT to change the COM port in the Access Control config file (for example from COM4 to COM5). Then stop and start the Gladstone 360 Access Control service and check the bell icon goes green.
- If a port is closed or blocked on the PC, your site IT team needs to open it. Gladstone can't open ports on your PC.
- Door closes too quickly: the door open time is set in the access control configuration in
GMC > Configuration > Gladstone360 Access(the GMC is the Gladstone Management Console). Increase the open time for that door (for example to 5 seconds), save, and test with a card. - Wristbands: only RFID readers read wristbands.
- Staff fobs: need a staff access subscription on the fob, and the entry point profile must allow it. A card number on the staff user record isn't enough on its own.
- Fast-entry turnstile not recording gym attendance: the gym button must be linked to the correct entry point. If it's linked to the wrong one, entries aren't recorded as gym attendance. Fix the link in
GMC > Configuration > Gladstone360 Access > Entry Point Profiles. - Access granted but the door or barrier doesn't open: this is a hardware fault for your access control installer.
- Troubleshooting:
- Reader goes red and the Access module shows a denial reason: member or staff set-up. Check the membership, status and entry point profile rules.
- Reader goes red and no swipe shows: reader, PC, network or service. Check power and cables, replug the reader and check the COM port.
- Event log says the COM port is closed: another program is using the port. Close the other program, or have IT change the port in the config file, then restart the service.
- Door closes before people get through: the door open time is too short. Increase it in the GMC access control configuration.
- Wristbands don't work at this door: it isn't an RFID reader. Check the reader type.
- Staff fobs don't work: no staff access subscription, or no profile permission. Add the staff access subscription and allow it on the profile.
- Turnstile lets members in but gym attendance is missing: the gym button is linked to the wrong entry point. Link it to the correct entry point in
GMC > Configuration > Gladstone360 Access > Entry Point Profiles. - Access granted but the barrier doesn't move: gate hardware fault. Contact your access control installer.
- Common questions:
- One reader has a red light. Should we restart access control? No. Do the basic checks and see whether the swipe shows in the Access module. Only restart the service if all gates are affected.
- IT says the COM port is fine but access control still can't use it. Why? Another program is probably holding the port. Close it or change the port in the config file, then restart the service.
- Contact Gladstone support if swipes still aren't read after freeing the COM port and restarting the service, if you can't find the door open time, or if attendance still isn't recorded. Include the site, the door or reader, what the reader does (lights or beeps), whether the swipe shows in the Access module, the time it happened, and when it started.
- Related: Access Control – Entry Points and Entry Point Profiles; Re-installing the G360 Access Control Service.