Mobile-first access hardware for mechanical-cylinder, smart-strike and electrified-door applications.
Product and selection guidance
Nexkey Core replaces compatible mechanical lock cylinders, Solo is a wireless battery smart strike installed in the frame, and Controller connects electrified hardware to the Nexkey platform. Each has different door preparation, battery/power, monitoring and emergency override. Survey lock/cylinder format, frame clearances, fire label and egress before selection.
- Core cylinder compatibility and cabinet/interior applications
- Solo wireless smart-strike frame preparation
- Controller interface to electrified lock/strike hardware
- Battery/power, mechanical override and mobile connectivity
- Door preparation, life safety and accessibility
- Current availability, subscription and lifecycle support
- Administrator, credential and emergency override policy
- Training, documentation and preventive maintenance
Request a site-specific review
Supported from Charlotte headquarters and local client offices serving Massachusetts, New York and New Jersey.
Official manufacturer references
How to compare and specify this product family
For Nexkey Core, Solo and Controller Hardware, the right model and architecture depend on the site, existing infrastructure and operating policy. A proposal should clearly document the following access-control system decisions before equipment is ordered:
- Number and type of controlled openings
- Controller, reader, lock and credential compatibility
- Cloud or on-premise administration and ownership
- Offline behavior, backup power and emergency operation
- Directory, HR, video, visitor and elevator integrations
- Licensing, cybersecurity, training and lifecycle support
Installation, testing and handoff
A site survey records each opening, door hardware, cable path, power, network, credential policy and integration requirement. The design then maps readers, controllers, locks, inputs, outputs and administrator roles to the operational workflow. Commissioning includes door-by-door functional tests, failure-mode and backup-power checks, permission and schedule tests, event verification, administrator training and as-built documentation. Product availability, subscriptions and supported integrations are confirmed for the current project before procurement.
Frequently asked questions
Common questions about choosing between Nexkey Core, Solo and Controller hardware and preparing each opening for mobile-first access.
Core, Solo or Controller: how do we know which one a door takes?
The existing door hardware decides. Nexkey Core replaces a compatible mechanical lock cylinder, so the lockset stays in the door; Solo is a wireless battery smart strike that goes into the frame; Controller connects hardware that is already electrified. Survey the lock and cylinder format, the frame clearances, the fire label and the egress arrangement, then match the device to what the opening already has.
Where does Controller fit if a door already has an electrified lock?
Controller is the piece that connects electrified hardware to the Nexkey platform, so an opening with an existing electrified lock or strike keeps that hardware and gains mobile administration. Two things still need checking at that door: the power path feeding the lock, and the emergency override behavior the site expects, because override differs across Core, Solo and Controller.
Do we have to cut new prep into the door?
Not in every case. A Core installation goes where a compatible mechanical cylinder already sits, so the door leaf keeps its existing prep, while Solo is a frame-mounted smart strike and changes the strike side instead. Frame clearances, the fire label and door handing all get verified before either device is ordered, since a labeled door is not modified on assumption.
How is each device powered, and what needs to be settled about openings if power or connectivity fails?
Power differs by device, which is why battery, power, mechanical override and mobile connectivity are documented opening by opening. Core replaces compatible mechanical lock cylinders, Solo is a wireless battery smart strike installed in the frame, and Controller connects electrified hardware to the Nexkey platform. Record which openings must stay operable through a power or connectivity loss, and settle override policy with the owner.
How do interior cabinets and storage rooms fit into the same system?
Interior cabinets and storage rooms are handled through Core cylinder compatibility, which is checked the same way as an entry door: identify the cylinder format in the cabinet or interior lock first, then confirm that a Core cylinder fits that format. Compatibility is a check rather than an assumption, so list every cabinet and interior opening with its cylinder type on the equipment schedule.
Who manages credentials after the system is live?
The owner names that person before handoff, because administrator, credential and emergency override policy is one of the decisions this hardware family requires in writing. In practice one person issues and revokes mobile credentials day to day, and a second holds a documented override path when a phone is lost or dead. Fill both roles by name before the first credential is issued.
Nexkey owner, administrator and buyer resources
Discuss Nexkey installation, maintenance or service
Detailed guides are maintained by 360TechnologyGroup.com, the parent-company knowledge center.
Official Nexkey software, firmware and support
Official manufacturer resources. We link out rather than host firmware.
Before updating: confirm model, hardware revision, current version, entitlement and rollback plan, and schedule monitored or life-safety-adjacent systems with the administrator.