What is the difference between NetBox and OnGuard?

Both are LenelS2 access-control systems. NetBox is browser-managed and runs on an appliance or virtual machine, scaling from 32 to 7,168 portals and often used in multi-tenant buildings. OnGuard is the larger enterprise platform with LNL controllers, tiered editions and the OpenAccess partner program.

Which NetBox model do I have?

Check the appliance label or the system information in the NetBox web interface. The standard NetBox handles 32 portals, NetBox Extreme 128, and NetBox Enterprise 50 and 100 handle 1,792 and 7,168. VR and VRx Quatro models add video recording on the same appliance.

Does NetBox have an API?

Yes. LenelS2 describes an open API on the NetBox appliance for integration with products such as HR databases, elevators and HVAC. The detailed specification and which commands it exposes are not confirmed in our sources, so ask LenelS2 or your integrator for the documentation that matches your version.

Can NetBox unlock doors from a phone?

Yes. NetBox supports LenelS2's BlueDiamond mobile app and employee badges in Apple Wallet and Google Wallet in North America. Like other card systems, it still cannot record who leaves through a door released by a request-to-exit device.

Systems / LenelS2 NetBox

LenelS2 NetBox: versions, models, hardware and upgrade options

LenelS2, now part of HoneywellGateStride: Not yet scheduledReviewed October 2026

By Tom Jin

NetBox is the browser-based access-control system that came from S2 and is now sold by LenelS2, part of Honeywell. It runs on a network appliance or virtual machine and is managed entirely from a web browser. NetBox comes in several sizes, from the standard NetBox at 32 portals to NetBox Enterprise 100 at 7,168 portals, plus VR and VRx Quatro models that combine access control with video recording. The latest software update is version 6.4.

You typically find NetBox in small to mid-size organisations, multi-tenant office buildings and property-managed sites, where one appliance can serve several tenants. LenelS2's own page lists sectors such as aviation, healthcare, data centers and government for organisations with demanding security needs. It sits alongside LenelS2's larger OnGuard platform and its cloud product, Elements.

How to recognise LenelS2 NetBox

NetBox is easy to recognise because there is usually no Windows access-control program at all: staff open a web browser to the NetBox address and log in. The appliance itself may be labelled NetBox, NetBox Extreme, NetBox Enterprise or NetBox VR/VRx Quatro. Doors connect through LenelS2 network nodes or Mercury panels. Readers are often LenelS2 BlueDiamond models, and staff may carry a BlueDiamond phone credential or a badge in Apple Wallet or Google Wallet.

A browser login page for NetBox rather than installed workstation software.
A NetBox, NetBox Extreme, NetBox Enterprise, NetBox VM, or NetBox VR / VRx Quatro appliance in the comms room.
LenelS2 Network Node or MicroNode Plus door hardware, or Mercury door controllers supplied for NetBox.
BlueDiamond readers, the BlueDiamond mobile app, or employee badges in Apple Wallet or Google Wallet.
Video recording from NetVR or VRx running alongside access control on the same system.

Still not sure? Follow how to identify your access control system.

Versions and editions

Name	Details	Status	Source
NetBox 6.4	Latest product update published by LenelS2.	current	source
NetBox 6.2 and 6.2.1	Earlier 6.x product updates. Support end dates not confirmed.	unconfirmed	source
NetBox 6.0	Product update published by LenelS2. Support end date not confirmed.	unconfirmed	source
NetBox 5.6 and 5.6.2	Older product updates. Support end dates not confirmed.	unconfirmed	source
NetBox Global 4.0	Earlier multi-system product, treated as legacy.	legacy	source

Hardware

Name	Details	Status	Source
NetBox (standard)	32 portals, up to 32 nodes, 5 simultaneous users.	current	source
NetBox Extreme	128 portals, up to 64 nodes, 10 simultaneous users, with partitioning.	current	source
NetBox Enterprise 50 / 100	1,792 portals and 128 nodes (Enterprise 50) or 7,168 portals and 512 nodes (Enterprise 100); 25 or 35 simultaneous users.	current	source
NetBox Virtual Machine	NetBox delivered as a virtual machine instead of an appliance.	current	source
NetBox VR Quatro / VRx Quatro	Appliances combining NetBox access control with NetVR or VRx video. Earlier NetBox VR and VRx models also exist.	current	source
Network Node and MicroNode Plus	LenelS2 door hardware that connects readers and locks to NetBox. Application blades are also listed.	current	source
Mercury panels	All NetBox tiers support Mercury panels; Honeywell sells a NetBox Mercury Intelligent Door Controller kit. Which Mercury generation a given site uses varies.	current	source
BlueDiamond readers and mobile	Multi-technology readers, BlueDiamond mobile app v3.1, and Apple Wallet and Google Wallet badges in North America.	current	source

What is ending, and when

NetBox itself is current, with version 6.4 as the latest product update and the Standard, Extreme, Enterprise, VM and Quatro models all listed. NetBox Global 4.0 is the legacy product in the range. LenelS2's support section includes "Product EOL" notices, but the dates are not shown on the public page, so we do not list specific NetBox end-of-life dates. We also could not confirm support end dates for older software such as 5.6 or 6.0. LenelS2 offers a NetBox software support plan (SUSP); ask your integrator whether your appliance is covered and which version it runs.

Many NetBox sites use Mercury door controllers. Mercury's LP series ended shipments on 12/31/2024 and reaches end of life on 12/31/2028, and the older EP series reached end of life on 1/1/2019. If your NetBox runs Mercury LP or EP boards, read Mercury LP controllers end of sale and check the end-of-life tracker before you plan a refresh.

See every dated notice in the end-of-life tracker.

What offices commonly miss

No record of who left. Exits normally release through a request-to-exit device without a badge, so NetBox logs who entered but not who walked out.
Concurrent user caps. Each model limits simultaneous users, from 5 on the standard NetBox to 35 on Enterprise 100, which matters when several tenants or managers log in.
Portal and node ceilings. Growing past a model's portal or node count means moving to a larger model, not just adding licences.
Public end-of-life dates are hard to find. LenelS2's NetBox EOL notices are not dated on the public page, so owners need to ask their integrator.

Integration options

LenelS2 describes NetBox as having "an open source API" for integration "with a variety of third-party products ranging from human resource databases to elevator systems and HVAC controls". The API runs on the NetBox appliance itself. The exact specification, and which commands and events it exposes to third parties, are not confirmed in our sources. NetBox also integrates with NetVR and VRx video and with third-party video management systems.

For phone credentials, NetBox supports LenelS2's BlueDiamond mobile app and employee badges in Apple Wallet and Google Wallet in North America. Because NetBox is browser-managed and runs on an appliance on your network, any integration typically needs network access to that appliance and an account set up by whoever administers it. In multi-tenant buildings that is often the property manager or building integrator rather than the tenant office.

Upgrade paths

Keep NetBox and add features in software

If your appliance and door hardware are supported, you can keep them and add features through NetBox's own options, such as BlueDiamond mobile, or through software that uses the NetBox API. Confirm what the API exposes for your version before committing.

Upgrade software or step up a model

Move to NetBox 6.4 and, if you are near a portal, node or user limit, step up to NetBox Extreme or Enterprise, or to a Quatro appliance if you also want video. Replace Mercury LP or EP boards on a planned schedule.

Move to OnGuard, Elements or another platform

LenelS2 also offers OnGuard for larger estates and Elements in the cloud. Moving to either, or to another vendor, means migration work and often new controllers. It is the most expensive route and rarely forced by NetBox's own lifecycle.

Compare the routes over three years in the savings calculator.

GateStride and LenelS2 NetBox

Not yet scheduled NetBox is Not yet scheduled for GateStride. It is not on our roadmap yet, so GateStride does not work with NetBox today. GateStride is in early access, and requests from offices and integrators decide what we build next. If you run NetBox, tell us which model and version you have.

Full compatibility list · Tell us you run LenelS2 NetBox

Questions about LenelS2 NetBox

What is the difference between NetBox and OnGuard?: Both are LenelS2 access-control systems. NetBox is browser-managed and runs on an appliance or virtual machine, scaling from 32 to 7,168 portals and often used in multi-tenant buildings. OnGuard is the larger enterprise platform with LNL controllers, tiered editions and the OpenAccess partner program.
Which NetBox model do I have?: Check the appliance label or the system information in the NetBox web interface. The standard NetBox handles 32 portals, NetBox Extreme 128, and NetBox Enterprise 50 and 100 handle 1,792 and 7,168. VR and VRx Quatro models add video recording on the same appliance.
Does NetBox have an API?: Yes. LenelS2 describes an open API on the NetBox appliance for integration with products such as HR databases, elevators and HVAC. The detailed specification and which commands it exposes are not confirmed in our sources, so ask LenelS2 or your integrator for the documentation that matches your version.
Can NetBox unlock doors from a phone?: Yes. NetBox supports LenelS2's BlueDiamond mobile app and employee badges in Apple Wallet and Google Wallet in North America. Like other card systems, it still cannot record who leaves through a door released by a request-to-exit device.

Related systems: LenelS2 OnGuard · Mercury controllers · Kantech EntraPass

Sources

Last reviewed October 2026. LenelS2 NetBox and other product names are trademarks of their respective owners. GateStride is independent and not affiliated with, endorsed by or a dealer for any manufacturer.