Reading Data on Tags

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   Hi - I'm trying to reduce the cost of RFID tags that are used in an access control system I use. I am told the current tags are Hitag2 which I buy from the manufacturer of the access control system. I have obtained samples of a much cheaper Hitag2 tag but cannot enrol these on the system - there is no reaction when offered up to the reader. I also have a reader/encoder from the same manufacturer but for a different type of system which does allow me to read a 9 digit number off both the original and new tags. I assume there is more data on the tags which is not being read. Is there a way of reading all the data off the tags in order I can compare them and hopefully encode the new ones to work with the existing system? 
By the way - great site!

Edited by phil - 12 May 2006 at 10:08am

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phil Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Newbie Joined: 12 May 2006 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 2	Post Options Post Reply Quote phil Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Topic: Reading Data on Tags Posted: 12 May 2006 at 10:06am
	Hi - I'm trying to reduce the cost of RFID tags that are used in an access control system I use. I am told the current tags are Hitag2 which I buy from the manufacturer of the access control system. I have obtained samples of a much cheaper Hitag2 tag but cannot enrol these on the system - there is no reaction when offered up to the reader. I also have a reader/encoder from the same manufacturer but for a different type of system which does allow me to read a 9 digit number off both the original and new tags. I assume there is more data on the tags which is not being read. Is there a way of reading all the data off the tags in order I can compare them and hopefully encode the new ones to work with the existing system? By the way - great site! Edited by phil - 12 May 2006 at 10:08am

amal Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Visit Members Homepage Add to Buddy List Admin Group Joined: 22 November 2005 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 2065	Post Options Post Reply Quote amal Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 12 May 2006 at 10:15am
	The HITAG2 chips support 16 bytes of data storage, which could contain a system ID or some kind of additional data which is relevant to your security system. To get at this memory space, you will have to read more than the tags ID number... you will have to ask for the contents of the memory blocks. Chances are that your security system manufacturer is using this data storage area to write a sort of "system ID" to the data area, making it a kind of very weak two-point authentication system, where both the tag ID and the data stored in the memory space must match.
	Amal ;) www.amal.net

phil Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Newbie Joined: 12 May 2006 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 2	Post Options Post Reply Quote phil Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 13 May 2006 at 7:05am
	Thanks Amal, thought it may have been something along those lines. Looks like I have a bit more research to do. Have ordered your book, so maybe that's a good start. I guess the contents of the memory blocks will most likely be protected - do you think it's worth my while trying to persue this - I only have a reasonable level of techie ability, though can be quite determined? With a yellow growth like that, why do you need an id tag? :)

amal Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Visit Members Homepage Add to Buddy List Admin Group Joined: 22 November 2005 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 2065	Post Options Post Reply Quote amal Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 13 May 2006 at 9:51am
	Well, since the tag you have isn't a HITAG S chip (s = secure), most likely the memory blocks are wide open for reading and writing. Since I'm not sure what reader you have, you may need to get yourself a different reader... one that supports reading and writing to the actual memory blocks.
	Amal ;) www.amal.net

rfbase Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Newbie Joined: 25 May 2006 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 17	Post Options Post Reply Quote rfbase Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 25 May 2006 at 6:31am
	The access control system should also have a control box, that stores the UIDs of all tags "allowed" by the system. It sounds like that is what is being interface during the "enroll" procedure. If the access control system you use is not protecting anything that is truly valuable, I would continue with your current set up. But if true security is needed, HF has much better security options.