SimpleAccess locks are extremely convenient because they utilize WiFi in order to connect and communicate over the internet. This means that no additional gateway is needed and SimpleAccess locks can connect to existing WiFi routers already in the home or property.
If the lock’s WiFi radio is turned off when the lock is not in use. This is because WiFi radios consume power at a fairly rapid rate. There are 2 ways that the WiFi radio can be activated so that it will connect to the internet. The first is by pressing a button on the keypad and the second is via regularly scheduled Heartbeats
After the initial registration, Heartbeat Interval is set to the default setting of 1 hour. Please update this setting to best fit your needs or to conserve battery life.
Heartbeat Interval
Because the lock's WiFi radio is turned off when the lock is not in use to conserve power, a "Heartbeat Interval" is set in order to wake up the lock at scheduled intervals. Each time the lock connects it will check for new commands, such as lock or unlock or the addition of new user codes.
When the lock does wake up and connect to WiFi, it keeps the connection open for about 10 to 15 seconds. After 5 seconds of inactivity (no keypresses on the lock and no new commands received from the web), the lock will disconnect from the internet and go back to sleep. This is what creates the 'pending wakeup' message you may see next to the lock/unlock icon.
The lock can also be set to wake up the WiFi and connect to the server the moment the keypad is pressed (if Wake WiFi is set to On). Therefore, when someone unlocks the door, it will wake up and report this event immediately instead of waiting until the next heartbeat. Additionally, if you have someone outside the house that you wish to let in, but don’t want to give them a code, simply unlock the door from your smartphone, then instruct that person to press any button on the keypad to wake up the lock. The lock will then receive the command from the internet and unlock the door.
The Heartbeat Interval affects the longevity of the lock's batteries. The longer the interval (the period for which it sleeps), the longer the batteries will last. We recommend setting an interval of one hour or more for the best experience.
The locks Heartbeat Interval can be set in each lock's settings menu.
Wake WiFi Setting
In the Settings menu of each lock, you will find the Wake WiFi Setting.
The Wake WiFi setting determines if the WiFi radio will wake and connect to the internet every time a button is pressed on the keypad (On any user action (e.g. keypress).
For the 600 series models, it also determines if the WiFi will wake and report the event when the manual thumb-turn is used to lock or unlock the door.
For locks used in high-traffic areas, it may be wise to turn this mode to the "Only Heartbeats" setting in order to conserve battery power as compared to wake on keypress (on any user action). Events will then be reported in bulk at the regularly scheduled Heartbeat Interval instead of after every access event.
Reconnecting and missed heartbeats
If a lock misses a heartbeat interval due to lack of wifi connection or other interference, the lock will try to connect 5 minutes after the first miss, then again in 25 min, then 90 min, then 240 minutes, then 360 minutes. The lock will try 10 times at a 360 min interval until it will stop trying. At this time, the lock will remain offline until physically woken up or reconnected.
If you're having issues registering your lock or connecting to wifi please see our Troubleshooting and Best Practices Support Article. Please contact support anytime if you have questions, concerns, or see any discrepancies.