1. NFC AND WIRELESS COMMUNICATION STANDARDS
Sean Daffron
Date: October 3, 2012
Episode: 372
Length: 57 mins.

2. Who? Speakers: Leo Laporte and Steve Gibson Technology will affect…
53% of phones will be NFC capable by 2015
Eventually as widespread as RFID

3. What? Wireless Communication Standards NFC (Near Field Communication)
RFID (Radio Frequency ID)
Bluetooth
WiFi

4. What? NFC RFID Bluetooth WiFi 13.56 MHz (low frequency)
Range: 2-3 centimeters / 1 inch
Designed to replace existing contact smart cards
RFID
MHz
Range: 1-12 meters
Bluetooth
2.4 GHz
Range: 30 Feet
Designed to replace cell phone cables
WiFi
2.4 and 5 GHz
Range: 150 feet
Designed to replace LAN cables

5. When? NFC pioneering by Sony and NXP semiconductors in 2002
Phones have been NFC capable for about 2 years
53% of cell phones NFC capable by 2015
RFID patented in 1973
Only recently has RFID seen widespread availability

6. Where? RFID NFC Bluetooth WiFi Product tracking Livestock Credit cards
Cell phones
Smart posters
DataWatch cards
Computers
Wireless Acces Points
Bluetooth
Cell phones (wireless earpieces)
WiFi
Homes
Businesses
Public places

7. Why? Secure Peer to Peer Authentication
Security lies in the close proximity to other device
Bluetooth susceptible to communication from people at a distance
Record for Bluetooth is 1.78 KM using frequency extension techniques
Peer to Peer
RFID limited to one-way communicaton
NFC has two way communication with collision avoidance
Can transfer data between one another (although small)
Bootstrapping – use NFC to communicate password for access to alternate protocol (Bluetooth, WiFi)
Authentication
Use in place of password/fingerprint scan for pc’s

8. How? Need to be close because of the low frequency
Frequency fades out at a distance
Power can be transmitted via the radio signal to power transmitters in smart posters etc.
Provision for encryption of transmissions

9. Personal Reaction
I enjoyed this podcast because it dispelled misconceptions I had about wireless communication standards. This article made clear how NFC works and its potential future implications. It also contrasted NFC against other popular wireless standards (Bluetooth, WiFi) to make clear how it is differentiated.