Comments on: RFID sniffer workshop http://www.nearfield.org/2009/03/rfid-sniffer-workshop Interaction with RFID and NFC Thu, 26 Jan 2012 13:49:17 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Tony http://www.nearfield.org/2009/03/rfid-sniffer-workshop/comment-page-1#comment-32942 Tony Tue, 05 Apr 2011 15:10:21 +0000 http://www.nearfield.org/?p=798#comment-32942 For working with NFC at a lower level, check out the Proxmark III. It is a software defined radio specifically designed for operating with RFID. It allows you to get at the raw RF waveforms and data being exchanged. http://proxmark3.com For working with NFC at a lower level, check out the Proxmark III. It is a software defined radio specifically designed for operating with RFID. It allows you to get at the raw RF waveforms and data being exchanged.

http://proxmark3.com

]]> By: Josh http://www.nearfield.org/2009/03/rfid-sniffer-workshop/comment-page-1#comment-31458 Josh Fri, 01 May 2009 18:20:15 +0000 http://www.nearfield.org/?p=798#comment-31458 I have one too and to be honest I was very disappointed with it. I noticed Marc (the units designer) commented and said that it will detect metal at very close proximity but that RFIDs dont work well with metal. But the problem with that is that the RFID themselves have METAL IN THEM!!!! So if it detects and RFID I am not certain that its not detecting the metal in the tag. I did watch the YouTube videos and noticed that it appeared to detect the razor blade and the 13.56 Mhz RFID tag the exact same way. Actually it appeared to be detecting the razor from just a big farther. Marc also mentioned that it would NOT detect LF (125 kHz) and UHF (GHz) tags but if these two types of tags had any metal I would have to disagree with that statement as well. I think this circuit needs more work before its ready for sale to the public but thats just me. I have one too and to be honest I was very disappointed with it. I noticed Marc (the units designer) commented and said that it will detect metal at very close proximity but that RFIDs dont work well with metal. But the problem with that is that the RFID themselves have METAL IN THEM!!!! So if it detects and RFID I am not certain that its not detecting the metal in the tag. I did watch the YouTube videos and noticed that it appeared to detect the razor blade and the 13.56 Mhz RFID tag the exact same way. Actually it appeared to be detecting the razor from just a big farther. Marc also mentioned that it would NOT detect LF (125 kHz) and UHF (GHz) tags but if these two types of tags had any metal I would have to disagree with that statement as well. I think this circuit needs more work before its ready for sale to the public but thats just me.

]]> By: Mark Austin http://www.nearfield.org/2009/03/rfid-sniffer-workshop/comment-page-1#comment-31457 Mark Austin Fri, 01 May 2009 18:08:29 +0000 http://www.nearfield.org/?p=798#comment-31457 It looks like some guy has posted a couple of videos of the same sniffer on YouTube. I did a search today and came up with these two videos. The test appears show the sniffer to be quite ineffective for the purpose of RFID finding but you be the judge. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MAswRFDouGc http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qun0MRKaLtY It looks like some guy has posted a couple of videos of the same sniffer on YouTube. I did a search today and came up with these two videos. The test appears show the sniffer to be quite ineffective for the purpose of RFID finding but you be the judge.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MAswRFDouGc

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qun0MRKaLtY

]]> By: Marc Boon http://www.nearfield.org/2009/03/rfid-sniffer-workshop/comment-page-1#comment-31448 Marc Boon Wed, 29 Apr 2009 23:20:03 +0000 http://www.nearfield.org/?p=798#comment-31448 The main purpose of the RFID sniffer is to detect RFID tags in plastic cards found in many people's wallets, such as bank cards, library cards, public transport passes, and so on. The sniffer will detect RFID tags in such cards at a distance of about 3 cm (1 inch) . It's easy to see which cards contain tags and which don't. Allow me to explain how it works. The RFID sniffer contains a RF oscillator, generating a (approximately) 13.56 MHz sine wave, which is radiated by the coil antenna. RFID tags tuned to this frequency will consume energy from this RF field to power the RFID chip in the tag. This results in a somewhat lower signal level in the oscillater, which is detected by the sniffer circuit. LF (125 kHz) and UHF (GHz) tags will not draw power at this frequency, and will not be detected. The sniffer LED will also light up if held in very close proximity to metal, since metal absorbs RF energy. However, RFID tags don't work in close proximity to metal, so metal objects will never contain RFID tags in the first place. This side-effect might make it look like a ordinary metal detector, but a ordinary metal detector won't detect RFID tags! Also, make sure your fingers are not covering the antenna portion of the sniffer. Hold the sniffer at the battery side, and keep it in the plastic sleeve during use. Metallic contact to any part of the circuit will disturb the oscillator and make the cricuit useless. That's why it comes with an insulating plastic zip-lock sleeve. If the sniffer is too sensitive to metal, or the reading distance is less than 2cm, you can adjust the sensitivity by turning the potentiometer in the top right corner (labeled R5) using a miniature screwdriver. I hope this will clarify a bit. For questions you can always email me. The main purpose of the RFID sniffer is to detect RFID tags in plastic cards found in many people’s wallets, such as bank cards, library cards, public transport passes, and so on.
The sniffer will detect RFID tags in such cards at a distance of about 3 cm (1 inch) . It’s easy to see which cards contain tags and which don’t.

Allow me to explain how it works. The RFID sniffer contains a RF oscillator, generating a (approximately) 13.56 MHz sine wave, which is radiated by the coil antenna. RFID tags tuned to this frequency will consume energy from this RF field to power the RFID chip in the tag. This results in a somewhat lower signal level in the oscillater, which is detected by the sniffer circuit.

LF (125 kHz) and UHF (GHz) tags will not draw power at this frequency, and will not be detected.

The sniffer LED will also light up if held in very close proximity to metal, since metal absorbs RF energy. However, RFID tags don’t work in close proximity to metal, so metal objects will never contain RFID tags in the first place. This side-effect might make it look like a ordinary metal detector, but a ordinary metal detector won’t detect RFID tags!

Also, make sure your fingers are not covering the antenna portion of the sniffer. Hold the sniffer at the battery side, and keep it in the plastic sleeve during use. Metallic contact to any part of the circuit will disturb the oscillator and make the cricuit useless. That’s why it comes with an insulating plastic zip-lock sleeve.

If the sniffer is too sensitive to metal, or the reading distance is less than 2cm, you can adjust the sensitivity by turning the potentiometer in the top right corner (labeled R5) using a miniature screwdriver.

I hope this will clarify a bit. For questions you can always email me.

]]> By: Mark Austin http://www.nearfield.org/2009/03/rfid-sniffer-workshop/comment-page-1#comment-31447 Mark Austin Wed, 29 Apr 2009 21:46:08 +0000 http://www.nearfield.org/?p=798#comment-31447 I ordered one of these units fully assembled from Marc's site for 40 euro to find the various RFIDs that might be lurking about my home. I soon found that this unit is completely incapable at doing that. Its not sniffing RFID at all but ANYTHING that can conduct!! Lay your finger on it the RFID detection light illuminates. Touch it to any metal surface and the RFID detection light illuminates. Touch it to a functioning RFID tag and the RFID detection light illuminates! Touch it to a DISABLED RFID tag and the RFID detection tag illuminates! My second gripe with the unit was the fact that in order to work it has to be in direct contact with a conductor. Good luck detecting any RFID (metal) that you cannot directly touch with this unit. Besides if you could directly touch the RFID tag with this unit why would you need this unit to sniff for an RFID?? If you were touching the tag you would know it was there with or without this unit. Bottom line: unless you want a tiny metal detector that only works in direct contact then dont waste your money. If you want a fun experiment or kit with soldering there are much better, more informative learning kits available than this wortheless so called RFID sniffer!! You've been warned! I ordered one of these units fully assembled from Marc’s site for 40 euro to find the various RFIDs that might be lurking about my home. I soon found that this unit is completely incapable at doing that. Its not sniffing RFID at all but ANYTHING that can conduct!! Lay your finger on it the RFID detection light illuminates. Touch it to any metal surface and the RFID detection light illuminates. Touch it to a functioning RFID tag and the RFID detection light illuminates! Touch it to a DISABLED RFID tag and the RFID detection tag illuminates! My second gripe with the unit was the fact that in order to work it has to be in direct contact with a conductor. Good luck detecting any RFID (metal) that you cannot directly touch with this unit. Besides if you could directly touch the RFID tag with this unit why would you need this unit to sniff for an RFID?? If you were touching the tag you would know it was there with or without this unit. Bottom line: unless you want a tiny metal detector that only works in direct contact then dont waste your money. If you want a fun experiment or kit with soldering there are much better, more informative learning kits available than this wortheless so called RFID sniffer!! You’ve been warned!

]]> By: Jay Thomas http://www.nearfield.org/2009/03/rfid-sniffer-workshop/comment-page-1#comment-31310 Jay Thomas Mon, 13 Apr 2009 11:42:48 +0000 http://www.nearfield.org/?p=798#comment-31310 what sort of range do you get with your antenna? would it be possible to fit a more directional antenna? I am quite curious as this may work well for a robotics project I am working on. what sort of range do you get with your antenna? would it be possible to fit a more directional antenna?
I am quite curious as this may work well for a robotics project I am working on.

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