ASSA ABLOY SMARTair i-Reader R4N Slim – MIFARE RFID Wall Reader for Update-on-Card Systems

ASSA ABLOY SMARTair i-Reader R4N Slim Wall Reader - MIFARE, Update-on-Card

At A Glance

At A Glance

DEVICE TYPEWired RFID Wall Reader

FINISHBlack, Glossy

IN THE BOXReader + Control/Relay Board

WARRANTY10yr Mech / 5yr Elec

SYSTEM TIERUpdate-on-Card

CREDENTIALSMIFARE Card / Tag

OPENOWUpgrade By Activation Card

PARKING MODEOpenow Up To 5 m, Once Enabled

UPDATESOn Users' Cards

WIRELESSAdd RF Module To Upgrade

READ RANGE2-4 cm

WEATHERIP56 Wall Reader

IMPACTIK09

POWER12-24 VAC/VDC, Wired

POWER SUPPLYNot Included

RELAY BOARD1 Relay + Exit + Door Sensor

USER CAPACITY3,000 Users (6,500 Extended)

AUDIT TRAILLast 1,200 Events

ACCESS SCHEDULES30 Time Zones, 5 Periods

OPERATING MODESStandard, Passage, Double, First User

PWD MODEDouble Opening Time

FORMATSlim - 40 x 91 mm

MOUNTINGStandard Electrical Box

SECURITYEncrypted Reader-To-Board Link

SUITSAutomated Doors, Gates, Lifts

WANT HIGHER SPECS?More Expensive - See S4BR2Slim1 - Adds Openow

WANT HIGHER SPECS?More Expensive - See S4BR2Slim3 - Wireless Online

UNLOCK WITH

MIFARE Card / Tag PIN Code
Not Available Openow Phone Key
Upgrade Option Remote Opening
Not Available Fingerprint
Not Available

The ASSA ABLOY SMARTair i-Reader R4N Slim (S4BR2Slim2) is a wired SMARTair wall reader for openings that are locked or blocked electrically - automated doors, turnstiles, barriers, gates and lifts (i-Reader Datasheet). It checks the user's credential and tells its control/relay board to release the electric strike, electromagnetic lock or door operator wired to it.

This listing reads MIFARE cards and tags and runs in the SMARTair Update-on-Card tier: access rights travel on users' cards and events are collected as they use the site, with no hubs to install (SMARTair System Information Guide). Openow phone keys can be switched on later with Openow activation cards - no extra hardware - and Wireless Online added with an RF module on the relay board (i-Reader Datasheet).

The Slim reader is ASSA ABLOY's narrow-profile "i-reader Design" model (i-Reader Brochure) - 40 mm wide and compatible with standard electrical boxes (i-Reader Datasheet) - for narrow frames, mullions and anywhere a discreet reader suits. It is one of seven i-Reader R4N wall readers we list, in two widths and four tiers - see the item code family - and the keypad wall readers (SNAR3KUSSB, SNZR3KUSSB) cover PIN entry. For the whole platform, see the SMARTair Wireless Access Control Overview.

What the i-Reader needs to work
The i-Reader checks the credential; the lock is a separate electric strike, electromagnetic lock or door operator wired to the control/relay board, whose one output relay (NO, C, NC) commands it - the relay switches the lock but does not power it (i-Reader Datasheet). The site also needs a 12-24 VAC/VDC power supply and Class 6 UTP (or higher) cable between the reader and the board; neither is included. On a door without electric locking, a battery-powered SMARTair i-max Update-on-Card escutcheon or Update-on-Card knob cylinder locks the door by itself. They read HID iCLASS, so neither cards nor phone keys cross.

Key Features

• Wired SMARTair RFID wall reader for automated doors, turnstiles, barriers, gates and lifts - any opening whose locking or blocking element is electrically operated.
• Slim format - ASSA ABLOY's narrow i-reader Design, 40 mm wide, for narrow frames, mullions and discreet installations.
• Reads MIFARE Classic and Ultralight 13.56 MHz cards, tags, fobs, bracelets and badges at 2-4 cm; its multi-technology reader also lists ISO 15693, SKIDATA and DESFire.
• Openow-ready - Bluetooth is built in, so Openow phone keys can be switched on in the field with Openow activation cards, with no extra hardware.
• SMARTair Update-on-Card management - access rights travel on users' cards, so there are no hubs to install; Wireless Online can be added later with an RF module on the relay board.
• Control/relay board with one output relay (NO, C, NC) and inputs for a request-to-exit button and a door sensor; the relay is physically separate from the reader and the link between them is encrypted, protecting against unauthorised access.
• IP56 for outdoor mounting and IK09 impact rated, from -20 to +70 degrees C - see Environmental Performance.
• Configurable green, red and blue LED and buzzer for access granted and denied, with adjustable LED lighting and sound volume.
• Up to 3,000 users and the last 1,200 events; 6,500 users in extended mode, or unlimited users in 48 groups on a high-traffic door.
• Operating modes: standard (open time 1-240 seconds), passage, double user and first user, plus a people-with-disabilities mode with double opening time.
• Firmware upgradeable, including in response to new threats, and works fully offline.
• Up to 70 percent lower energy use in standby and open modes than ASSA ABLOY's previous readers.

Technical Overview - SMARTair i-Reader

Technical overview of the ASSA ABLOY SMARTair i-Reader: the reader module outside, the control/relay board on the secure side, and the cable between them (i-Reader Datasheet).

Access Methods

How users get through the opening this reader controls, and what it does not do. Chapter 03 compares every method side by side.

Method	Status	Notes
RFID Card / Tag (MIFARE)	Standard	MIFARE Classic and Ultralight 13.56 MHz cards, tags, fobs, bracelets and badges, encoded for your site with the SMARTair USB encoder; read at 2-4 cm. The reader also lists ISO 15693, SKIDATA and DESFire - not HID iCLASS. See how RFID credentials work
Openow Phone Key	Upgrade option	Bluetooth is built in - Openow is switched on in the field with Openow activation cards, with no extra hardware, plus the Openow mobile access licence
Remote Opening	Not Available	Needs Wireless Online - add the RF module, or choose S4ZR2DSlim
PIN Code	Not Available	No keypad - for PIN entry see the keypad wall readers, SNAR3KUSSB and SNZR3KUSSB
Fingerprint	Not Available	SMARTair uses cards, tags, PINs and phone keys, not biometrics

Browse other card and fob access products.

What's In The Box

Not included: the 12-24 VAC/VDC power supply, the Class 6 UTP cable between the reader and the board, the electric strike, electromagnetic lock or door operator, the door sensor and the exit button, RFID credentials, the encoder, the portable programmer, the Openow licence, the TS1000 software licence and the updater an Update-on-Card site uses.

Suitable Uses

ASSA ABLOY designed SMARTair wall readers for automated doors, turnstiles, barriers, lifts and any access whose locking or blocking element is automated (i-Reader Datasheet). Typical installations:

• Automated entrance doors with an electric strike, electromagnetic lock or door operator.
• Turnstiles and pedestrian barriers.
• Car park barriers and gates - once Openow is enabled, the reader approves Openow users up to 5 metres away.
• Lift access control and perimeter access points.
• Healthcare, education, commercial and multi-residential buildings - anywhere an opening can't take a cylinder, escutcheon or security lock but its locking is automated.
• Retrofits - the reader fits a standard electrical box, and the narrow profile suits mullions and narrow frames.
• Mixed SMARTair sites - readers sit alongside escutcheons, knob cylinders and i-gate padlocks in one TS1000 system, and management tiers can be combined on one site (system architecture).

Not suitable for

• Doors without electric locking - a SMARTair i-max Update-on-Card escutcheon or Update-on-Card knob cylinder locks the door by itself on battery power.
• PIN entry or card + PIN - the i-Reader has no keypad; see the keypad wall readers SNAR3KUSSB and SNZR3KUSSB.
• Sites running HID iCLASS cards - this reader reads MIFARE and the other listed technologies, not iCLASS; the iCLASS wall readers are SNAR3KUSSB and SNZR3KUSSB.
• Openings without a 12-24 VAC/VDC supply and a cable run to the relay board - the reader is wired and has no battery.
• Mounting the relay board outside - the IP56 rating is for the wall reader; the relay board goes on the secure side.
• Sites that need changes to reach the door straight away - choose Wireless Online, such as the S4ZR2DSlim (Wireless Online + Openow).

Commercial Access Control
Designed for professional access control environments including offices, education campuses, healthcare facilities and commercial buildings.

Available Finish Options

• 
  Black
  (This Product)
  STK S4BR2Slim2

Finish selection does not affect functionality, compliance, or performance.

We list the i-Reader in black. ASSA ABLOY describes the design as clean lines with a glossy finish and a top-mounted LED (i-Reader Brochure).

Item Code Family - SMARTair i-Reader R4N Wall Readers

The seven i-Reader R4N listings share the same reader electronics and MIFARE reader, and differ by width and by SMARTair management tier. Choose the width for the mounting position and the tier for how you want to run the site.

MIFARE vs HID iCLASS - What's the Difference?
Both are secure 13.56 MHz RFID credential technologies used in commercial access control. MIFARE is widely used in commercial access systems, universities, transport cards and multi-application credentials. HID iCLASS is HID's own credential platform, used in many enterprise security systems. The reader technology must match the credentials used in the building's access control system - the i-Reader R4N readers read MIFARE, and the MURAL keypad readers we list are the HID iCLASS versions. If you're not sure which your site uses, send us a sample card and we will check it before you order.

Variants

This listing covers these item codes:

• S4CR2D0 - Update-on-Card reader without relay output.
• S4CR2D1 - Update-on-Card reader with single relay output.

Tell us which version your installation needs when you order - the single-relay version drives the lock itself, while the no-relay version passes the credential to another access controller.

No Relay vs 1 Relay - What's the Difference?
SMARTair wall readers are available in versions with or without relay outputs.

• No Relay - the reader only identifies credentials and sends data to another access controller.
• 1 Relay - the reader can directly activate an electric strike, magnetic lock or automated door.

In most installations where the reader controls the door itself, rather than passing the credential to another access controller, the 1 Relay version is required to operate the locking hardware.

System Integration

• Managed in SMARTair TS1000 - Windows client/server software with its own database, which sets up the installation and initialises devices with the portable programmer; Web Manager then gives browser-based management of users, doors, time zones, access rights and events (Product Overview).
• Update-on-Card management: access rights travel on users' credentials, which carry access-plan updates around the lock network, and events are collected when users revalidate their credential at an updater (Information Guide).
• Equipment for this tier: the TS1000 software licence, a card encoder, the portable programmer (or PC-TO-LOCK) and an updater (devices you need; management devices).
• The yearly calendar is updated once a year with the portable programmer, and daylight saving changes are automatic (i-Reader Datasheet).
• Upgrade path: add the RF module to the control/relay board for Wireless Online, and switch Openow on with activation cards (i-Reader Datasheet).
• Works alongside the rest of SMARTair. MIFARE devices for the same Update-on-Card site are the i-MAX R4N sliding door kits (S4B42SL2V6480I-SB, S4B46SL2V6480I-SB) and the i-gate padlock SNBBP2XI, so the same MIFARE cards cross. The Update-on-Card i-max escutcheons (SNCB43SL1S008DI, SNCB43SL2V648DI, SNCB43SL2V908DI, SNCB47SL1S008DI, SNCB47SL2V648DI, SNCB47SL2V908DI) and knob cylinders (SNCB43X030E10MI black, SNCW43X030E10MI white) read HID iCLASS, and none of them runs Openow, so neither cards nor phone keys cross.

What are Openow and SMARTair?

SMARTair is the electronic access control platform that manages locks, readers, users, credentials and access permissions across a building.

Openow is the mobile credential technology within SMARTair that lets smartphones act as digital keys over Bluetooth Low Energy.

• SMARTair = access control system.
• Openow = smartphone credential technology.
• Mobile credentials are issued and managed through SMARTair software.

What is Update-on-Card?

Update-on-Card (UOC) is a SMARTair system architecture where access permissions are carried by the user's RFID credential.

• User permissions are written to the card using SMARTair software.
• When the card is presented to a reader, updates are transferred to the lock.
• Events can also be collected through update points.

This architecture lets access control systems operate without constant network connectivity.

No hubs on this tier
Update-on-Card needs no hubs: changes reach the reader on users' updated cards, and events come back when users revalidate at an updater (Information Guide). If you want live monitoring, instant changes and remote opening instead, the Wireless Online + Openow version in this width is S4ZR2DSlim.

Which i-Reader Tier?

The i-Reader R4N listings come in four SMARTair management tiers. The reader is the same; the tier decides how changes reach it, how events come back and whether phone keys are switched on. This listing's column is in bold.

Wireless Online vs Update-on-Card
SMARTair supports multiple system architectures depending on the level of control required.

• Update-on-Card - access permissions travel with the RFID card and update locks when presented.
• Wireless Online - locks and readers communicate with the SMARTair server through wireless hubs for real-time updates and monitoring.

Wireless Online systems allow remote opening of doors and immediate credential updates across the installation. Tiers can be combined on one site (Product Overview), and automatic cancellation of lost cards and activation and expiry dates are available on every tier except Standalone (feature comparison).

System Capacity

The control unit runs in one of three memory modes (i-Reader Datasheet):

• Normal mode: 3,000 users and 1,200 events.
• Extended mode: 6,500 users and 1,200 events.
• High-traffic door: unlimited users, filtered into 48 groups (permissions).
• Non-volatile memory - users and events are kept through a power cut.
• Configurable door open time from 1 to 240 seconds in standard mode.

Time Scheduling and Automation

• 30 time zones with 5 time periods each (weekdays and holidays selectable).
• 365-day calendar for defining holidays.
• State tables - up to 20 changes of operating mode per door per day, such as passage mode during business hours.
• Yearly calendar updated once a year with the portable programmer.
• Automatic daylight saving change, updated with the calendar.
• Clock and calendar maintained for approx. 8 hours without power.

Power Supply and Electrical Requirements

• Operating voltage: 12-24 VAC/VDC, powered through the control/relay board (i-Reader Datasheet).
• Maximum power consumption (reader + relay board): approx. 300 mA @ 12 V or 150 mA @ 24 V.
• Reader-to-board wiring: Class 6 (Cat6) UTP or higher, up to approx. 20 m; power supply and cable not included.
• Relay/control board: one output relay (NO, C, NC) to command the electric or electromechanical door device - the relay does not power the door device.
• Inputs for a door position sensor (sensor not included - intrusion or door left open is reported) and a request-to-exit push button (not included).
• Connector for the Wireless RF module; the board is supplied in a box for surface mounting, 120.5 x 105.5 x 36 mm.
• The relay is physically separate from the reader, and the reader-to-board link is encrypted, protecting against unauthorised access.
• No internal battery to replace - the reader runs from the wired supply, and holds its clock and calendar for about 8 hours without power (i-Reader Datasheet).
• No mechanical override key on the reader - any key backup is on the lock hardware it controls.

Power cuts are worth planning for - see what actually happens to electronic locks in a power outage. The reader's clock holds for about 8 hours without power.

Environmental Performance

• Exterior protection rating: IP56 (wall reader) - ASSA ABLOY rates the i-Reader for outdoor installation (i-Reader Brochure).
• Impact protection rating: IK09.
• Operating temperature: -20 to +70 degrees C.
• Humidity tolerance up to 85 percent, without condensation.
• Traffic volume: high.
• Certifications: CE (EMC, R&TTE), UKCA, RoHS, REACH, WEEE, IP56 and IK09 (i-Reader Datasheet).

Outdoor Installation Guidance
SMARTair hardware designed for outdoor use is engineered for demanding environments and may carry environmental protection ratings such as IP56 or IP68. The i-Reader's IP56 rating covers the wall reader; its control/relay board belongs on the secure side of the opening.

• Always follow manufacturer installation orientation requirements.
• Ensure weather seals are correctly installed.
• Avoid leaving devices open or exposed unnecessarily.

Correct installation ensures the environmental protection rating is maintained. See IP ratings explained and what coastal air does to electronics.

Reader Operation and Installation

From the i-Reader Datasheet and i-Reader Brochure:

• Read/write distance approx. 2-4 cm for standard RFID credentials; once Openow is enabled, barriers and gates open for a valid phone key up to 5 m away.
• Multi-technology reading: MIFARE Classic and Ultralight, ISO 15693, SKIDATA and DESFire, plus mobile apps (Openow over Bluetooth 5.1; ASSA ABLOY also lists the TESA SMARTair app).
• Configurable LED (green / red / blue) and buzzer for access-authorised / denied signalling, with adjustable lighting and volume; 3-pin connection for the portable programmer or PC-TO-LOCK adapter.
• Operating modes: Standard (closed until a valid credential, then open for 1-240 seconds), Passage (open, set by time zone or by an authorised user after double badging), Double user (two valid credentials) and First user (standard until the first valid user enters, then passage).
• People with disabilities (PWD) mode: standard operation with double opening time - see DDA and accessibility.
• Field-upgradeable: Openow can be enabled with Openow activation cards (no extra hardware), and Wireless Online is added with an RF module on the control/relay board, which auto-links to SMARTair hubs.
• Mounting: the narrow-profile "i-reader Design" housing is compatible with standard electrical boxes, and its 40 mm width suits narrow frames and mullions.
• Pair with a locking device - electric strike, electromagnetic lock or automated gate or barrier controller.

Full Specifications

Technical data from the i-Reader Datasheet, which covers both i-Reader widths, and the i-Reader Brochure.

Dimensions

Manufacturer dimensional diagram for the i-Reader R4N Slim (ASSA ABLOY's i-reader Design). The datasheet gives the Slim reader as 40 mm wide, 91 mm high and 16-17 mm deep, and the control/relay board box as 120.5 x 105.5 x 36 mm, joined by up to approx. 20 m of Class 6 UTP cable. (i-Reader Datasheet)

Related SMARTair Products and Guides

• Other i-Reader R4N options. This is the Slim Update-on-Card reader. Slim (narrow) listings: Update-on-Card (this listing), Update-on-Card + Openow, Wireless Online, Wireless Online + Openow. Wide listings: Base - Update-on-Card or Wireless Online, Update-on-Card + Openow, Wireless Online + Openow. The differences are laid out in the item code family and tier comparison.
• Keypad wall readers. Where a PIN keypad is needed at the reader, see the Standalone Wall Reader (PIN and RFID) and the Wireless Wall Reader with Keypad - both read HID iCLASS rather than MIFARE.
• Other SMARTair formats. For door-mounted electronic hardware use a SMARTair i-max Update-on-Card escutcheon or Update-on-Card knob cylinder; for gates and padlockable points, the MIFARE SMARTair i-gate padlock is SNBBP2XI (Update-on-Card + Openow). The full list of devices for the same site is under System Integration.
• Managing and commissioning. Credentials are written with the SMARTair USB encoder, the reader is commissioned with the SMARTair portable programmer, and Openow is switched on with Openow activation cards and an Openow mobile access licence. An Update-on-Card site also needs an updater, which we quote with the job.
• Selecting and specifying. Compare access methods and management tiers in our access methods chapter and gateway comparison chapter, check door and opening suitability with the door type guide, and read about mobile keys in our app platforms chapter. Also useful: Australian standards, installation and troubleshooting, site survey and installation, the realities of electronic door locks, and the Smart Lock Buyer's Guide.

Frequently Asked Questions

What else do I need to make the i-Reader work?
An electric strike, electromagnetic lock or door operator for the relay to switch, a 12-24 VAC/VDC power supply and Class 6 UTP cable to the control/relay board - none of which is included - plus the SMARTair system around it: TS1000, the encoder and credentials. See What's In The Box.

Will it read my existing cards?
Only if they're MIFARE (Classic or Ultralight) or one of the other technologies it lists - ISO 15693, SKIDATA or DESFire. It won't read HID iCLASS; for iCLASS the wall readers are SNAR3KUSSB and SNZR3KUSSB. Not sure what your cards are? Send us a sample and we'll check it.

Does it need hubs or a network connection?
No. On Update-on-Card, changes reach the reader on users' updated cards, so no hubs are needed (Information Guide). For live monitoring, instant changes and remote opening, choose the Wireless Online + Openow S4ZR2DSlim.

Can users open it with their phone?
Not as listed, but the reader has Bluetooth built in: Openow is switched on in the field with Openow activation cards, with no extra hardware, plus the Openow mobile access licence (i-Reader Datasheet).

Can it be mounted outside?
Yes - the wall reader is IP56 and IK09 rated for -20 to +70 degrees C and up to 85 percent humidity. Its control/relay board is not the weather-rated part and goes on the secure side of the opening. See Environmental Performance.

Additional Information

• Lead time. This reader is a special order - the lead time is shown with the price. Order the credentials, the encoder and the portable programmer at the same time so the opening can be commissioned in one visit.
• Plan the power and cabling. The reader runs from a 12-24 VAC/VDC supply through its relay board, and the relay switches the lock without powering it, so the strike or magnetic lock needs its own supply. Choose a fail-safe or fail-secure locking device to suit the opening, and wire it to the relay's NO or NC contact to match. It is a job for an experienced access control installer - see advice and installation.
• Plan the updater. On Update-on-Card, users pick up changes when they present their credential at an updater, so place one where users pass every day (devices you need).
• Match the credential first. This listing reads MIFARE (and ISO 15693, SKIDATA and DESFire), not HID iCLASS. If the site already has cards, send us a sample before ordering.
• Data and support. TS1000 keeps the site database on your own server, and once Openow is enabled, keys reach phones through TS1000's cloud connection over HTTPS 443 (Product Overview). For where access platforms keep data, see platforms hosted outside China.

Warranty

ASSA ABLOY Warranty (Australia)
ASSA ABLOY branded products purchased new in Australia from authorised resellers are covered against defects in materials and workmanship for:

• Mechanical components: 10 years
• Electrical and electronic components: 5 years (excluding batteries)
• Cylinders and keys: 3 years

Cosmetic finishes, batteries, normal wear and tear, misuse, unauthorised modification, corrosion and labour or freight costs are excluded. Proof of purchase required for all claims.

Returns & Warranty | ASSA ABLOY Warranty (PDF) | Official ASSA ABLOY warranty information

This warranty operates in addition to rights available under the Australian Consumer Law.

Download PDF Resources

SMARTair i-Reader Datasheet (PDF)
ASSA ABLOY's May 2024 technical information for the i-reader (wide) and i-reader Design (narrow) - technical data, the reader module and control unit, operating modes, the control/relay board, the Wireless RF module and Openow, and the dimension and installation drawings.

SMARTair i-Reader Brochure (PDF)
The May 2024 i-reader brochure - the design, IP56 and IK09, parking mode for Openow users up to 5 metres, the relay board, management-system compatibility and the openings the reader suits.

SMARTair Wireless Access Control Product Overview (PDF)
The May 2023 technical overview - the four management systems and the equipment each needs, the feature comparison, system architecture, TS1000 and Web Manager, credentials, and the wall reader in the other-devices table on page 10.

SMARTair System Information Guide (PDF)
The May 2022 benefits guide - the management levels with decision guidance on page 4 (Pro Wireless Online with the hub coverage note, Openow and Update-on-Card), Openow virtual keys and the wall reader device page.