RFID-RC522 module usage instructions

[pelwell]

A few years ago I wrote some tried and tested instructions for wiring up the RFID-RC522 module, installing the SPI-Py library, and the MFRC-522 python library and test application. The thread where it appeared (#1547) is now so long that the relevant comment is hidden by default, and the whole thread takes ages to load.

This issue is a repost of that comment.

========

Starting from a clean current Raspbian install:

1. Use the following wiring:

RFID-RC522 Pin	Raspberry Pi Pin	Raspberry Pi Pin name	SPI1 Pin	SPI1 Pin name
SDA/NSS	24	GPIO8	12	GPIO18
SCK	23	GPIO11	40	GPIO21
MOSI	19	GPIO10	38	GPIO20
MISO	21	GPIO9	35	GPIO19
IRQ	None	None	None	None
GND	20	GND	34	GND
RST	22	GPIO25	22	GPIO25
3.3V/VCC	17	3V3	17	3V3

Note that there are multiple versions of the module with different pin-outs - I've shown the pin names from two that I know.

2. Run sudo raspi-config, choose Advanced Options -> SPI -> Yes . You can reboot, but it isn't necessary (dtoverlay -l will show that there is a run-time overlay that enables the SPI interface).

3. Install git and python-dev:

sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get upgrade
sudo apt-get install python-dev git

4. Install the SPI-Py library:

git clone https://github.com/lthiery/SPI-Py.git
cd SPI-Py
sudo python setup.py install
cd ..

5. Install MFCR522-python:

cd ~
git clone https://github.com/pelwell/MFRC522-python.git
cd MFRC522-python/

6. Run the script:

sudo python Read.py

If it still doesn't work, triple-check your wiring then upload a photo of it. Also make sure your power-supply is up to the task - 2.5A for a Pi3.

[pelwell]

Closing to escape the attentions of the @JamesH65 bot.

[JamesH65]

Too late...

Is this something that out to be in docs somewhere, or perhaps the projects section (not my domain)?

[pelwell]

Is there any equivalent, application-specific documentation? It does seem like more of a project to me, but just having this short (but growing...) thread with the important information at the top should be sufficient.

[pelwell]

There's also a simple Python app that uses the SPI-Py library to read registers here.

When you run it you should see output like this:

pi@raspberrypi:~$ python MFRC522_test.py
00: 00 20 80 00 14 00 00 21
08: 00 93 00 08 10 00 a0 00
10: 00 3f 00 00 80 00 10 84
18: 84 4d 00 00 62 00 00 eb
20: 00 ff ff 88 26 87 48 88
28: 20 20 00 00 00 00 00 00
30: 00 00 00 80 00 00 40 92
38: 00 00 00 88 ff 00 03 00