NFC / RFID card

RFID authentication lets you use an access card as an authentication method with a reader connected to the computer. This guide explains how to prepare the console, install the agent and link the reader.

Ironchip Card Reader (RFID)latest version v1.1.3, released on September 15, 2026

• IronchipCardReader.msi 50.4 MB

All versions and their release notes

Requirements

• Administrator access to the Ironchip admin console.
• Administrator permissions on the system.
• Compatible readers and cards.

Install the agent

1. Go to the Ironchip admin console and sign in with your credentials.

2. In the left side menu, select the Plugins section.

   

3. Find the RFID Authenticator package and download it. Save the file in an accessible location, because you will need it in later steps.

   

Generate the API key

The agent needs an API key to work. To generate it:

1. In the admin console, go to Authentication Policies > Device Policies.

   

2. Click Add device policy to create a new entry.

   

3. Give the policy a descriptive name.

4. Turn on the Use RFID protocol option.

5. Click Add to confirm. The system automatically generates an API key.

   

Create the access

To create an RFID access, you must first have created a sign-in application. Once you have it:

1. Click Add access to add a new access.

   

2. Select the authenticator user, that is, the person who is going to authenticate.

   

3. Enter the user to protect in the right format for the account type:

   • Domain user: DOMAIN\user
   • Local user: COMPUTER_NAME\user

4. Click Next.

   

5. In the authentication method field, select the RFID policy you created earlier.

   

6. Click Add to finish. The access is created and active.

   

Create RFID cards in Ironchip

To register RFID cards on the platform, go to Directory > Devices > RFID and follow these steps:

1. Click Synchronize to open the import process.

   

2. Download the template that the system provides.

   

3. Fill in the template with this data for each card:

   Field	Description
   UserID	The user’s ID in Ironchip, available on the user’s page
   Email	The user’s email address
   Name	A name that identifies the card
   UUID	The unique identifier of the RFID card

   

4. Upload the completed template to Ironchip and click Next.

   

5. On the next screen, select the RFID policy you created earlier.

   

6. Confirm the operation by clicking Add. The cards are registered in the system.

   

Configure the agent

With the agent downloaded and the API key available, open a PowerShell window as administrator and go to the directory where the agent file is.

1. Link the API key to the agent. Replace <API_KEY> with the key you generated earlier:

   .\IronchipRFID.exe c --api_key <API_KEY>

   

2. Check that the configuration was applied. This command shows the active parameters of the agent:

   .\IronchipRFID.exe c show

   

3. Install the agent as a system service:

   .\IronchipRFID.exe s install

   

4. Start the agent service so it begins to work:

   .\IronchipRFID.exe s start

   

Uninstall the agent

To uninstall the agent, you must stop it first. Follow these two steps in order:

1. Stop the service:

   .\IronchipRFID.exe s stop

   

2. Once it is stopped, uninstall the agent from the system:

   .\IronchipRFID.exe s uninstall

   

Configure the reader in the agent

When the agent service is installed and running, the last step is to link the RFID reader so the system can capture card reads.

HID reader

If your reader identifies itself as a human interface device (HID), use this command to open the interactive selection menu:

.\IronchipRFID.exe hid

A list of the HID devices the system detects is shown. Enter the number of the reader you want to use to complete the link.

Serial reader

If the reader connects through a serial port or a COM port emulator, use the command for serial devices. With it you define the COM port and the communication parameters the agent needs to talk to the hardware:

.\IronchipRFID.exe srl