Does your transponder work at the Datafox terminal?
Employees identify themselves at the terminal via RFID transponder: card, key fob or existing works badge. Not every transponder fits every method. The free transponder test brings clarity before you invest.
Why transponders?
The transponder is the fastest way to clock in: hold it up briefly, done, no login. conni and the Datafox terminal read the transponder, and the entry flows automatically into your software.
The methods at a glance
These are the methods Datafox terminals read. We sort them into three levels, from basic to secure. You cannot tell from the outside which method your transponder uses – that is exactly what the free transponder test below finds out.
- Time tracking
- suitable
- Access control
- suitable
The data is encrypted with current methods or the keys are assigned centrally. Copying is practically ruled out. The right choice if the same badge also opens doors.
MIFARE DESFire (EV1 / EV2 / EV3)13.56 MHz
Data encrypted in a file system, AES recommended.
LEGIC advant13.56 MHz
Keys are assigned centrally by the manufacturer (master token), duplicates are not possible.
MIFARE Plus13.56 MHz
Secure only with AES encryption; in classic mode like MIFARE Classic.
Hitag 1 Feig / Crypt / Security125 kHz
Hitag 1 with its own encrypted reading logic.
SimonsVoss
Common in locking systems. The transponder test tells you whether yours works with the terminal.
- Time tracking
- suitable
- Access control
- partly suitable
Only the serial number is read. Good for time tracking, for access control only with extra safeguards such as an allow list.
I-Code SLIX13.56 MHz
Only the serial number is read, mostly used for labels.
Tag-it Plus 204813.56 MHz
Only the serial number is read, mostly used for tickets.
- Time tracking
- partly suitable
- Access control
- not suitable
No or outdated protection, copies can be made with simple means. Usually enough for pure time tracking, not for access control.
MIFARE Classic (1K / 4K)13.56 MHz
Very common. Its encryption (Crypto-1) has been broken, copies are possible.
MIFARE Ultralight (C)13.56 MHz
Low-cost variant of MIFARE Classic.
Hitag 2125 kHz
Only a 32-bit password, no longer state of the art.
Hitag S125 kHz
Proprietary encryption, broken in 2015.
Hitag 1125 kHz
No password protection, programmed badges are easy to copy.
EM4450 / Titan125 kHz
Only a 32-bit password, no longer state of the art.
Unique / EM4102 / EM4200125 kHz
Just a serial number, without any protection.
LEGIC Prime13.56 MHz
Broken and discontinued by the manufacturer.
Classification based on the Datafox transponder price list (01/2026).
In short
- Time tracking or access control
- For time tracking the transponder books arrivals and departures – a copied badge shows up in the bookings. For access control it opens doors, so a copy would be a key. That is why access control needs a secure method.
- Copying (cloning)
- With cheap devices some transponders can be read out and transferred to a second one. The terminal then cannot tell the original from the copy.
- Serial number (UID)
- Every transponder has a fixed number. Reading only this number is quick and easy but does not protect against copies.
- Password protection
- The transponder memory is secured with a password. Short passwords (32 bit) are no longer considered secure.
- Encryption (AES, 3DES)
- The data on the transponder is encrypted to current standards. Without the key it can neither be read nor copied.
- Allow list
- The system only accepts transponders whose number is stored. This raises security even with basic methods.
- 125 kHz and 13.56 MHz
- The two frequencies transponders use. The reader in the terminal has to match the frequency of your transponder.
The free transponder test
Here's how to find out whether your existing transponders work with the desired terminal and method:
- 1
Fill in the cover sheet
Enter contact details and return address online, send the request, print the sheet.
- 2
Tape the transponder on
Onto the marked area, so it cannot get lost in the post.
- 3
Send both in
Sheet and transponder together by post to us.
- 4
We read it out
We determine which reading method your transponder uses. That tells us which reader belongs in the terminal and what goes into your quote.
- 5
Result & recommendation
You receive the result and a clear recommendation on whether it can be used.
- 6
Transponder back
We send it back or include it with your terminal. You choose in the form.
Common questions about the transponder test
- What does the transponder test cost?
Reading the transponder and the recommendation are free, we charge nothing for them. You only pay the postage for the envelope to us: sheet and transponder fit into a standard letter.
- Can I keep using my existing works badge?
Often yes. That's exactly what the transponder test checks: we read out your badge and tell you whether it works with the Datafox terminal.
- Which methods does conni support?
Secure are MIFARE DESFire (EV1/EV2/EV3), LEGIC advant, MIFARE Plus, Hitag 1 Crypt and SimonsVoss. For time tracking MIFARE Classic (1K/4K), Hitag or EM4200 are also enough. The full list with classification is at the top of this page.
Better call conni.
Not sure which combination of Datafox terminal and software fits you? Then book a free, no-obligation consultation. We listen, clarify your requirements and find the right time-tracking solution together.
Prefer to try conni yourself first?
With the test box you use a Datafox terminal free for four weeks, fully functional and connected to your software. Afterwards the box goes back, the impression stays.
