One-, two- and four-door IP controller choices with ioSmart, ioProx and supported OSDP reader options.
Products and selection guidance
The current controller family includes KT-1, KT-2 and KT-400, with legacy KT-300/KT-200 and other products requiring lifecycle review. ioSmart readers can connect to supported controllers over Wiegand or RS-485; KT-400 protocol choices include ioSmart and OSDP modes. Select by doors, elevators, I/O, network, reader security and expansion.
- KT-1 one-door, KT-2 two-door and KT-400 four-door planning
- Legacy controller inventory and phased migration
- ioSmart mobile/credential reader and keypad options
- OSDP/RS-485 versus Wiegand, power and enclosure design
- Door, lock, free-egress, accessibility and fire-alarm requirements
- Network, power, standby battery and outage behavior
- Current licenses, subscriptions, firmware and integrations
- Administrator training, backup, documentation and maintenance
Site-specific design
Boston High Tech inventories existing equipment and validates current manufacturer compatibility before specifying reuse, migration or replacement. Qualifications may be confirmed privately when needed; license numbers, certificate copies and named certificate-holder details are not published.
Request a manufacturer-specific consultation
Projects are supported from our 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 Kantech KT Controllers and ioSmart Readers, 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
Questions about sizing Kantech controllers, reviewing legacy panels and choosing how ioSmart readers wire back to them.
How do you pick between KT-1, KT-2 and KT-400?
The starting point is KT-1 one-door, KT-2 two-door and KT-400 four-door planning. Doors are not the only selector, though: elevators, I/O, network, reader security and expansion also decide, and KT-400 protocol choices include ioSmart and OSDP modes. Count openings and monitored points per location first, then place controllers where the cable runs make sense.
We still have KT-300 panels running. Do they all have to come out?
Not automatically. Legacy KT-300/KT-200 and other products are handled through lifecycle review, and the outcome is reuse, migration or replacement rather than a blanket swap. Boston High Tech inventories the existing equipment and validates current manufacturer compatibility before that call is made, which is also what makes a phased migration possible instead of one shutdown weekend.
Can ioSmart readers land on controllers that are already installed?
On supported controllers, yes: ioSmart readers can connect over Wiegand or RS-485, and on the KT-400 the protocol choices include ioSmart and OSDP modes. Existing ioProx readers are also listed among the supported reader options. Because reader security is one of the selectors, the proposal states the OSDP/RS-485 versus Wiegand decision together with power and enclosure design.
We want card readers in the elevator cabs. Does that change the controller count?
It can, because the family is selected by doors, elevators, I/O, network, reader security and expansion. Floor count, which floors are restricted and the interface the elevator contractor provides are collected before a model is chosen, since those become I/O points rather than doors. Expansion is reviewed in the same pass so the enclosure is not filled on day one.
How much wall space does the equipment need at each location?
Enough for the controller, its power supply and the standby battery, plus every reader, lock and door-contact run terminating in the same enclosure. A KT-400 location with expansion therefore needs a different enclosure plan than a single-door location. Power and enclosure design is called out as a proposal item for that reason, and it is measured at survey.
Will people still get out if a controller loses power?
Egress is built into the door hardware, not the controller, so that behavior comes from the lock and the egress device on the opening. Door, lock, free-egress, accessibility and fire-alarm requirements are documented as one proposal item, alongside network, power, standby battery and outage behavior. Standby battery sizing is then done from the actual load at that enclosure.
Kantech owner, administrator and buyer resources
Discuss Kantech installation, maintenance or service
Detailed guides are maintained by 360TechnologyGroup.com, the parent-company knowledge center.
Official Kantech 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.