Entrance Gate post update
 

I received this from VCDD: (Please do not shoot the messenger....)

e-Notification
Subject: Administrative Message - Special Notification to All Newsletter Subscribers
Date: 5/31/2024

Important Gate System Update Notice – UPDATED INFORMATION
The District Government is implementing an update to our gate system to support future enhanced functionality.
Please note the following important information:
• Beginning JUNE 2024, the gate system will only operate with valid cards active in the system.
• This update to the card reader software does not affect the existing red button functionality. The red button can still be used to access gates throughout the community.
• If one of your cards is not working, please bring both cards that were originally issued as a pair to one of our offices for assistance.
Our offices are located at:
• NORTH SATELLITE OFFICE 1200 Avenida Central in La Hacienda
• DISTRICT CUSTOMER SERVICE CENTER 984 Old Mill Run in Lake Sumter Landing
• SOUTH SATELLITE OFFICE 4856 S. Morse Blvd. just south of SR 44
Please contact Customer Service at 352-753-4508 or visit one of our offices to determine if your card needs replacement.
We apologize for any inconvenience and appreciate your cooperation as we work to upgrade our community's access system.

This was a long time coming. I think it was September 2022 when I first heard of the upgrade of the gate software.

This should not affect anyone using the cards issued by the District. On the other hand, software upgrades rarely go as smoothly as planned. I wish they would just get on with it and activate the new software so we would know what is going to break.

RFID copies
 

RFIDs can be copied. Many have them copied by a reader writer and a sticker chip is inside their mirrors. I’m not sure if they are marked as another type? I agree though a loooong time coming.

Gates
 

But the buttons aren't affected, right?
the gate system will only operate with valid cards active in the system.

It appears that way

The answer to your question is on the line immediately below the line you quoted:

And depending on how you enter, go through the visitor side.....quicker to get in if speed is your need.

I don't understand this thread. I thought they could already disable invalid cards. When I lost a valid card a few years ago, they told me they would disable the lost card and sell me a new one. Will a cloned disc from a valid card still work? What will be changing? Very confusing.

Over the last 18 years I have found the NON resident gate is the way to go ! Probably depends on who is manning the gates, time, location, but over all they definitely cater to the public traffic (lawn care, moving vans, appliance repair, visitors,curious, etc.

I posted this because there was a recent thread that cloned cards still worked. I have NO idea of how they can tell a valid card from a cloned card, but I am sure there will be many people that will pull up to the reader and the gate will not open and then they will have to push the red button or find their card, in either case I am betting it will slow down the gate access until everyone gets acquainted with the new readers.

The message in your original post says nothing about "cloned" cards. It only refers to valid cards. It sounds like they may have lost track of valid vs invalid cards. An invalid card is a card that is not authorized to be used in the system. A clone of a valid card could still be allowed and function like a valid card. They need to clarify this. Very confusing.

Interesting point, I absolutely agree with you I mistook "invalid" for cloned or copied cards, so my initial warning may not be anywhere as bad as it could be.

Shoot the messenger, not, I applaud the news. What’s wrong with only the valid cards given to residents working? I’m glad they have updated the card reading software.

I am guessing that there is some type of “check digit” or something similar imbedded in passive RF code in the cards that is currently not being used. The new system will use this “check digit”. When the cards were cloned this extra code was not copied. The folks that have the cloned disk in their mirrors will not work. We will find out real soon. It will be exciting to watch and read!

There is not.