Mifare RC522 RFID Kit

Note: The header pin is provided but it is NOT pre-soldered. Please be careful when doing the soldering work :)

NFC is a technology that uses Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) to transmit information wirelessly over short distances. It simplifies transactions, content sharing, and device pairing through a simple touch, making life more convenient for consumers worldwide. Additionally, NFC is compatible with millions of contactless cards and readers already deployed globally.

Both RC522 and PN532 are radio frequency chips from NXP company. RC522 supports ISO14443A protocol while PN532 supports the NFC function. Both chips have highly integrated modulation and demodulation circuits and can connect the output driver stage to the antenna with a small number of external devices. They also support ISO/IEC 14443 TypeA and MIFARE® communication protocols. Although the RC522 is a well-known RFID module for Arduino, the PN532 NFC RFID reader offers several advantages, especially in terms of communication options.

The communication distance with ISO 14443A/MIFARE® in reader mode is up to 50mm for both chips, depending on the length and tuning of the antenna. The PN532 chip has a unique “transmitter power down” feature that can turn off the internal antenna driver (turn off the RF field). It also has a built-in temperature sensor that automatically stops RF transmission when the chip temperature is too high. Not only that, you can also choose various types of communication with PN532 by changing between SPI, HSU (High-Speed UART), and I2C communication using the onboard mini switch.

How do I choose between these two modules?

It depends on your specific needs and requirements. If you only need to support the ISO14443A protocol, then RC522 is a very cost-effective option. However, if you want better performance and to support more protocols such as NFC, then you should choose the PN532 solution. Plus, you can go for PN532 if you decide to use HSU and I2C communication. It’s important to consider what protocols and features you need for your project before making a decision.

RC522

• Highly integrated modulation and demodulation circuit;
• A small number of external devices can be used to connect the output driver stage to the antenna;
• Support ISO / IEC 14443 TypeA and MIFARE® communication protocol;
• The communication distance with ISO 14443A / MIFARE® in the reader mode is up to 50mm, depending on the length and tuning of the antenna.
• Supports ISO 14443 212kbit / s and 424kbit / s higher transmission rate communication.
• Support MIFARE® Classic encryption;
• 64-byte send and receive FIFO buffer;
• Flexible interrupt mode;
• Programmable timer.
• It has three power-saving modes: hardware power down, software power down, and transmitter power down. The first two modes are similar to MFRC500 and CL RC400. Its unique “transmitter power down” can turn off the internal antenna driver, that is, turn off the RF field;
• Built-in temperature sensor to automatically stop RF transmission when the chip temperature is too high;
• Adopt multiple independent sets of power supply to avoid mutual interference between modules and improve the stability of work;
• With CRC and parity check functions, the 16-bit long CRC calculation polynomial of the CRC coprocessor is fixed as x16 + x12 + x5 + 1, which conforms to ISO / 1EC14443 and CCTITT protocols;
• Internal oscillator, connected to 27.12MHz crystal;
• Operating Current :13-26mA/DC 3.3V
• Idle Current :10-13mA/DC 3.3V
• Sleep Current:: less than 80uA
• Peak Current: less than 30mA
• Operating Frequency: 13.56MHz
• Environmental Operating Temperature: -20-80 degrees Celsius
• Environmental Storage Temperature: -40-85 degrees Celsius
• Relative humidity: relative humidity 5% -95%
• Data transfer rate: maximum 10Mbit/s (SPI)
• Module Dimension: 3.9cm x 6 cm

PN532

• 80C51 microcontroller core with 40kBROM and 1kBRAM
• Highly integrated analog circuit, demodulation, and decoding response
• Support NFC RFID reading and writing, P2P communication with peers
• Easy to change between communications option
• The output buffer driver is connected to the antenna through a minimum number of external passive devices
• Integrated RF field detector
• Integrated data pattern detector
• Support ISO / IEC14443A / MIFARE®
• Support ISO / IEC14443B only in reader mode
• The typical working distance exceeds 50mm in the reader mode, the specific distance is determined by the antenna size, tuning, and power supply
• Working distance up to 50mm in NFCIP-1 mode, depending on antenna size, tuning, and power supply
• The typical working distance in card operation mode is about 100mm, the specific distance is determined by the antenna size, tuning, and external field strength
• In the reader mode, support MifareClassic encryption which can support two higher data transmission rates of 212kbit / s and 424kbit / s
• In FeliCa mode, support communication baud rate of 106kbit / s, 212kbit / s and 424kbit / s
• Integrated NFCIP-1 RF interface, transmission rate up to 424kbit / s
• Support host interface:
  • SPI interface
  • I2C interface
  • Serial UART
• Flexible interrupt mode
• Low power consumption mode-hardware power-down mode-software power-down mode
• When the device is in power-down mode, it can automatically wake up through the I2C, HSU, and SPI interfaces
• Programmable timer
• Quartz crystal oscillator
• 2.7V ~ 5.5V power supply

Mifare Card

• Mifare ISO14443A 1K Classic card, an RFID read/write card that is designed to work with a Read/ Write machine.
• Credit Card Size and thickness.
• 13.56MHz operating frequency
• 1K (1024) bytes of memory
• Mifare Classic
• ISO14443A
• Easy printing of logo and custom graphic on both sides directly with a direct image or thermal transfer printers.
• Compatible with both RC522 and PN532.
• Dimension: 8.5cm x 5.4cm

PN532 NFC RFID Module Kit

• 1 x PN532 NFC RFID Module
• 4 x Female to Female Jumper Wire
• 1 x 13.56MHz Card
• 1 x 13.56MHz Key tag
• 12 x Bended Male Pins

RC522 RFID Module Kit

• 1 x RC522 board
• 1 x 13.56MHz Key tag
• 1 x 13.56MHz Card
• 1 x 8 ways straight header pin
• 1 x 8 ways right angle header pin

Mifare Card

• 1 x Mifare ISO14443A 1K Classic card

• MF1S503x Mifare Card Datasheet
• Getting Started with Mifare RC522 RFID Kit (RFID-RC522)
• Arduino Learning: Mifare MFRC522 RFID Reader/Writer
• Reading RFid Tag using Mifare RC522 and Raspberry Pi
• Interfacing PN532 with Arduino in UART, I2C & SPI Mode