NFC RFID Reader problem

[SuperDre]

Hi,
I'm trying to get a NFC RFID Reader working, but I can't seem to get any information on it. The device itself is just a little black box with a white circle in the middle with the letters NFC and left bottom 'IC RFID Reader', when connected the red LED is lit. When connected to Windows 10 (updated to the latest version) it is shown in Device manager under Ports (COM & LPTS) as USB-SERIAL CH340 (COM7) with Bus reported device description STM32Simulate CH341
I've checked the forum already, but couldn't find anything working (or I'm just not finding it).

Private Sub Form_Load()
   MsComm1.CommPort = 7
   'mscomm1.Settings = (Your Settings)
   'MsComm1.Settings = "9600,N,8,1"
   MsComm1.Settings = "19200,N,8,1"
   MsComm1.RThreshold = 1 '8
   MsComm1.InputMode = comInputModeBinary
   MsComm1.PortOpen = True
End Sub

Private Sub MsComm1_OnComm()
Debug.Print "CommEvent:     " & MsComm1.CommEvent
End Sub

Keeping it very simpe, just to check if there is actual communication incoming, at all.. (also tried the defaul 9600, and RThreshold 8)
But nothing happens when I put a RFID tag (which came in the package with the Reader) on it, so no events trigger.
I've checked the tag with my phone with NFC Tools and the tag type is ISO 14443-3A NXP MIFARE Classic 1k
Anyone any idea if I have to do something special before I can read anything, maybe first need to send something before it can read?

[dz32]

did it come with any docs, sdk or anything? one usb bar code reader I have registers itself like a keyboard and whenever it scans it will send those key presses to whatever textbox control is active, same for a line scanner pen. this can be problematic for programmatic access since lost focus on textbox is lost on change input event

user level plug and play hardware without an sdk probably fits in this category. first verify normal operation mode and that its working I guess. when interacting with hardware selection is very important.

[wqweto]

This log file has enough SEND vs RECV hexdumps to test MIFARE protocol.

The world of NFC Readers seems like a dark place, full of vendor lock-in so they use some (lame) encryption to hinder open-source kits like libnfc.

cheers,
</wqw>

[SuperDre]

Thanx everybody.

I don't have any documentation, and none of the apps (ex. NFCWSCM.exe (SCM-201PC) or nfctools from WAKDEV or nfcPro_wbw.exe (NFC Copy)) that come with currently available other NFC readers (on aliexpress) I see seem to recognize the reader itself.
When I plug in the reader the light flivkers green as initializing and when I hold a tag above it it also turns green until I remove the tag.
But as soon as the code runs MsComm1.PortOpen = True the reader seems to lock up (if a tag is above it the green light stays lit otherwise the red light stays lit) and I have to unplug en replug the reader into the USB port.
I've tried 9600 and some other baudrates and I tried handshaking on/off DTRenabled on/off.

I think I'll just let my boss order an ACS ACR122U before continuing, but it would have been nice if this version would work as we have 2 of them, my boss ordered those somewhere begin 2020 and they still have a mini usb on the reader itself, while the ones I see now on aliexpress have micro-usb.

If anyone still has some ideas I'm happy to try them.

[dz32]

if I was doing something that required tight access to a nfc reader I think I would start with one hooked to an arduino
then talk to the arduino over serial from the windows pc.

[SuperDre]

Well, I'm giving up on trying to get the 'old' NFC card reader to work, haven't found other software to recognize/work with both the readers (which should be the same) under windows 10 (x64), haven't tried a different OS as I don't have one available (nor the inclination to try as I need it to work on Windows 10).
As I've said earlier I had my boss order an ACS ACR122U and that one does work simply through the WinSCard.dll, so now I'm creating a class around that DLL which would also be better as then we only need to get a reader which presents itself as a card reader to windows and it will work, so no 'hardcoding' on specific readers.
But as I said, would have been nice if these 2 cheap readers would also have worked, but without even other apps working with them there is no way to trap the commands and getting them to work.