Tracking laptops with RFID

Find Laptops, now.

RFID makes it easy.

RFID
tags come in hundreds of sizes. The laptop RFID tag pictured is the
Nox-TM4. It's only 1.5"x0.5"x0.12" and costs $2 to 5 each. By
placing this tag on a laptop, you can track it down hallways, through
doorways, and make sure the right person walks out the door with it.

We recommend a rugged, metal-mountable RFID tag for laptop tracking because they will be abused and many laptop surfaces are metal or have metal components that interfere with RFID signals.

Benefits of RFID for laptop tracking

• RFID has X-Ray vision -- it sees through walls (and bags!) - if someone has the wrong laptop in their briefcase or backpack, RFID will locate it and warn you.


• Fast - RFID can scan about 200 tags per second. That means no one needs to stop to have their badge scanned -- just keep on walking.


• Durable - Barcodes tend to wear out. Passive RFID has an indefinite lifetime use.


• Simple - Modern RFID tags have a unique ID that can simply be attached to an item to track. This works just like an barcode asset tag -- use the RFID # to track your items fast, and simply.


• Accurate counting - RFID makes sure every item is counted and tracked instantly. Barcodes require each item to be located, scanned, and repeated. Barcodes are fantastically inexpensive but don't have the ability to count all the items in a box, ever time.


• Sneaky and covert - RFID tags can be hidden inside boxes, underneath the cover, or on the battery compartment. Would-be thieves won't know that this laptop has a locator.


• Always working - RFID keeps working after you've gone for the day. One of the most common ways to steal a laptop: Drop it in the trash can. By placing an RFID reader over your trash area, you will see if an important 'tagged' item shows up in your trash. This makes RFID great for tracking critical documents as well.

Which RFID tags should I use for tracking laptops?

Nox-TM-4

The Nox-TM4 (pictured) is a great tag for tracking any asset. They come pre-programmed with a unique ID and they are ready to apply. They also have self-adhesive tape on the back and have small screw mount holes for permanent attachment. They can be ordered in any quantity and can have barcode information print on the front.

Nox-1

An alternative is the Nox-1 RFID tag.

The Nox-1 is a traditional label-type RFID tag. It's very-very thin and has a synthetic (i.e. plastic) material to make it very durable. The only drawback is: they don't work on  metal. However, they are cheap and a 'metal mount spacer' makes them work very well on a metal surface. A label-type RF tag is around $0.20 cents to $0.60 cents and can be as low as $0.14 cents (for quantity 5,000,000).

Nox-MTS

We typically use the Nox-1 label tags on file folders. If you'd like to use the Nox-1 on-metal, you can use our Nox-MTS foam spacers. 

What about active RFID?

Active RFID is great but expensive. Active tags costs $60+ per active tag transmitter and they are still susceptible to 'not working' when they need to. However, if you have very critical active RFID needs, there are solutions available for locating every item you own starting at around $20,000.

How do I get started?

1. A starter RFID reader can be as low as $1,000. And, a handheld RFID reader about $3,000.

2. Tag your items with pre-programmed, ready-to-apply RFID tags.

3. Start tracking!

Request an RFID Samples Kit for laptops. We'll send you everything you need to see what RFID tags look like just for the cost of shipping.

Update on Friday, October 28, 2011 at 11:23AM by CS Team

Even though this article is from 2009 -- it's still pretty current! 

One of our latest add-ons is a covert RFID laptop tracking video.