Upgrade / LenelS2 OnGuard

Don’t throw out a working LenelS2. Upgrade it.

OnGuard is the kind of system people keep for years: it runs the badges, the alarms and the audit trail, and the controllers in the comms room keep doing their job. What it usually lacks in an ordinary office is the part staff now expect — walking up to a door with a phone instead of a card — and a clear answer to “who has actually left the building?” When those requests pile up, the easy answer is a quote for a new platform. We think there is a cheaper third option: keep the OnGuard you have and add the modern parts as software on top.

Join early access for LenelS2

Where the OnGuard integration stands today

Honest version: it is in development. We are building it on the OpenAccess API, which LenelS2 offers through its OpenAccess Alliance Program (OAAP). LenelS2 describes OpenAccess as bi-directional and says its APIs are publicly available, which matters to us because the overlay needs exactly two things from your system: a stream of door events, and a way to ask OnGuard to open a door. Both stay inside OnGuard’s own rules and audit trail.

Two practical details you should know now rather than later. First, LenelS2 states that partner integrations need an OnGuard API licence on the customer’s system. Second, OAAP integrations are certified per OnGuard version, so an integration certified for one release is not automatically certified for the next. We will tell you which licence and which OnGuard versions apply before you commit to anything. Until we have tested on a live customer system, we will keep this page marked “In development”.

Which OnGuard do you have?

OnGuard comes in several tiers and has had several releases in the 8.x line. Your integrator can confirm which one you run. This is what LenelS2 currently publishes:

Sources: OnGuard product page, BlueDiamond, LNL-M series. Checked October 2026. For the full reference — versions, LNL controllers and upgrade options — see our LenelS2 OnGuard system page.

One ownership note, because it confuses people searching for support: LenelS2’s product pages now live on Honeywell’s Building Automation site, and the OnGuard 8.4 page refers to “synergies within the Honeywell suite”. If you also run older Honeywell equipment, see our Honeywell page. This page covers OnGuard only; LenelS2 NetBox is not yet on our roadmap.

How it is designed to work

Intended design for OnGuard. Status: in development, not yet tested on a live customer system.

Should you replace OnGuard instead?

Sometimes, yes. If your OnGuard version is out of support, if your controllers are near the end of their life, or if the business has outgrown the system, a platform change can be the right call. But “we want phone unlock” is rarely a good reason on its own, because the expensive parts of a replacement — new controllers, new readers, labour at every door and re-testing the life-safety path — buy you features that are mostly software.

A useful exercise before any quote: separate the hardware question from the feature question. For hardware, ask your integrator which LNL controllers you have and what their support status is. Mercury Security lists LenelS2 in the top tier of its partner page, and if your integrator confirms your controllers are Mercury-based, the Mercury LP end-of-sale timeline may be relevant; our end-of-life tracker lists the dates we have confirmed. For features, ask what exactly you would gain. If the answer is mostly “phones and better exit data”, an overlay is worth pricing first. Our overlay-vs-replace comparison walks through the trade-offs.

What about BlueDiamond and Wallet badges?

LenelS2 has its own mobile option: BlueDiamond readers and app, plus employee badges in Apple Wallet and Google Wallet in North America. If those fit your building and budget, they are a reasonable choice, and we would rather you know about them. GateStride is aimed at a different gap: hands-free entry on the readers you already have, plus knowing who has left — a live occupancy list and roll call that card systems generally cannot produce, because exits are released freely and leave no identity behind.

No rip-out. No per-user mobile fees.

The overlay is designed to connect to OnGuard as a single integration and manage your people’s phones itself, so adding staff does not add mobile-credential seats on our side. Pricing is a flat quote with no per-user fees; we do not publish numbers we cannot stand behind. You will still need whatever OnGuard API licence LenelS2 requires for an OAAP integration — we will name it up front.

Looking for a LenelS2 dealer?

GateStride is independent software. We are not a LenelS2 or Honeywell dealer, reseller or authorized partner, and we cannot sell you OnGuard licences, controllers or service. For that, start with the integrator who installed or maintains your system — they hold your configuration and your support agreement. When our OnGuard integration is supported, that same integrator can install GateStride on top. Integrators who want to offer it can become a partner: you buy at partner pricing and keep the resale margin.

What early access looks like

Tell us which OnGuard version and tier you run, roughly how many doors and sites, and who maintains it. We will confirm whether your version is in scope for the integration we are building, what licence it needs, and where you sit in the queue. No commitment, no payment, and we will not contact your integrator without your say-so. If you are not sure what you have, our guide to identifying your access control system helps.

Frequently asked questions

Can I add phone unlock to LenelS2 OnGuard without replacing it?

That is what we are building. GateStride’s OnGuard integration is in development through LenelS2’s OpenAccess API: it is designed to read OnGuard events and call OnGuard’s own door commands, so your controllers, readers and locks stay. It is not yet tested on a live customer system, so today the right step is to join early access.

Is GateStride a LenelS2 dealer or partner?

No. GateStride is independent software and is not a LenelS2 or Honeywell dealer, reseller or authorized partner. If you need OnGuard service, licences or upgrades, start with the integrator who looks after your system now. Once our integration is supported, that integrator can install GateStride too.

Do I have to tear out my doors and readers?

No. The design leaves your LNL controllers, readers, locks, request-to-exit and fire release alone. GateStride adds a small node at the door and a center in your comms room, and asks OnGuard to unlock rather than wiring into the lock.

Will I need an extra OnGuard licence?

Probably. LenelS2 states that OpenAccess integrations need an OnGuard API licence on the customer’s system, and partner integrations are certified per OnGuard version. We will tell you which licence and which versions apply before you commit to anything.

Does it cut per-user mobile-credential fees?

That is the design goal. GateStride connects to OnGuard as a single integration and manages your people’s phones itself, so adding staff does not add mobile-credential seats on our side. Compare that with how your current mobile option is priced before deciding.

Sources

• LenelS2 — OnGuard
• LenelS2 — OpenAccess Alliance Program
• OnGuard 8.4 datasheet (PDF)
• Honeywell — LNL-M series controllers
• LenelS2 — BlueDiamond
• Mercury Security — partners

LenelS2®, OnGuard®, BlueDiamond™ and NetBox™ are trademarks of their respective owners. GateStride is independent and not affiliated with or endorsed by LenelS2 or Honeywell. Mercury Security is a trademark of its owner. See also integrations.