I want to start using NFC tags and have some questions about it.
So I know NFC is mostly used like this: You have a Tag to start an action. With the Tag I go to a scanner to start an action. I plan this differently: I want to put Tags on some places and go there scan them with my phone.
Example: A Tag beside the bed and when I scan it with my phone the covers close and lights go off.
That should be quite ok. Then I thought of having a (hidden) tag on the door, so I can open it by holding the phone there. Any security constraints here when doing it like this opposed to carrying the Tag with me and holding it to a scanner?
is a technical question: I collected a huge amount of tags for quite a while now (hotels, old credit cards and so on) and want to use them. However they are not writeable and don’t seem to work with HA. Why do I have to write them? Can’t I just detect the tags ID and fire an action if a specific ID is scanned?
I recently bought some NFC tag to do something like you.
About deleting the code store in each NFC tag can work but also not because it can be blocked and it’s impossible to chage it. Anyway you can read the tag with the app of home assistant on your phone and then using them for your needs. If your phone can’t read them they are probably incopatible.
About the security I don’t think that is very different bringing the NFC tag with you or reading it on the door. If your door is not very tick thick you can put your NFC tag on the other side of your door so no one can take it (keep in mind that if you do that it will take longer to read the NFC tag).
Keep in mind also that if you use an iphone you need to open the app/ accept the pop-up message to fire an automation. If you have an android you have to unlock it unless it’s rooted.
So how do I read an existing tag in the app and use it? I only find a button to write them. With all information I found yet, I got the feeling that I can use only writeable tags. However I don’t know why, shouldn’t it be enough when the tag delivers a identifier?
I checked if they are readable with another NFC app and they are.
To read a NFC in home assistant open the app, go to app configuration (bottom left), NFC tag and then you find “read NFC tag” and “write NFC tag” button.
