sharlock.net

What It Is

Sharlock is an access control system for offices, buildings, and residential properties. Its core idea is to use an Android phone or iPhone as the door-opening credential, communicating with access control hardware via Bluetooth LE. Each Sharlock device can connect to two access points, such as a door and a garage. Its positioning is closer to a smart door access / physical access control product than to a traditional network perimeter security product.

Core Capabilities

In terms of protection, Sharlock addresses physical access control: who can open which entrance, and at what time. The system supports access schedules configured by specific user, date, and day of the week, and access groups and time zones can be managed through a cloud-based backend. For deployment, the source text explicitly mentions that administrators use a cloud control panel, avoiding the need to deploy a local server at each installation site. The device can also work offline when a phone has no Wi-Fi, slow cellular connectivity, or no network connection. Transaction records are stored on the Sharlock device until the next access sync or processing event. In terms of capacity, the device can internally store up to 3000 users and their permissions, making it suitable for small and midsize office buildings, residential buildings, or remote sites.

Security and Integration

For security, Sharlock claims to use encryption algorithms such as AES-256 and HTTPS to prevent unauthorized access. For users without smartphones, the system can connect to a Wiegand 26 card reader, allowing entry with standard proximity cards. This improves compatibility with traditional access control environments. However, the source text does not disclose compliance certifications, audit log details, alerting mechanisms, APIs, identity directory integration, or SIEM integration capabilities, so its enterprise-grade security governance capabilities still need further verification.

Pricing, Pros, and Cons

The publicly available text does not provide hardware pricing, subscription fees, cloud backend pricing, or payment channels, so its value for money can only be assessed cautiously. Its advantages include relatively lightweight deployment, offline support, compatibility with both smartphones and traditional cards, and flexible access policies. Its drawbacks are the limited amount of public information, especially the lack of details on compliance, support, alerting, operations and maintenance, and third-party integrations.

Who It’s For and Access from China

Sharlock is better suited to offices, residences, garages, and small buildings that need phone-based entry, have fewer than 3000 users per device, and may operate in environments with unstable network connectivity. The source text does not mention access conditions in China, so network connectivity, payment methods, and local after-sales support are all unknown. For deployments in China, it is recommended to also evaluate local smart access control vendors, traditional Wiegand access controllers, and alternatives with local service capabilities.