What is nfs and what is it for. How to enable the NFC function on an Android phone? What is the thing and what is it eaten with

Today, technology allows people to pay not only with cash and a bank card, but also with a smartphone.

Contactless payments and mobile payment systems are the future, they are becoming popular every day. Google for its operating system has created Android Pay(now), Samsung and Apple are systems of the same name with the prefix Pay. They work on the same principle - just bring the included unlocked smartphone to the contactless terminal.

Today we will tell you in detail how to use NFC, how to set up this feature, and what you need for this.

Smartphone with NFC

First and foremost, the device must be equipped with . It is he who is responsible for contactless transactions. If the gadget does not have NFC, unfortunately,. The operating system version must be Android 4.4 or higher.

How to find out if there is NFC:

• Ours.
• Official websites of manufacturers with a list of technical specifications.
• Settings - More / Advanced / Additional functions (depending on android versions and branded shell). This section should have NFC and Android Beam features that need to be activated.

Supported card

This is the second most important condition. If the card does not support contactless payments or the bank for some reason gives an error when setting up the card, linking it to a smartphone and Android Pay will not work, an error will appear. In this case, you can either contact the bank with a request to reissue the card, or order a new one.

Almost all modern cards, including Sberbank (except Maestro), Alfa, Tinkov and others, support contactless payments. If you see such designations, then in most cases everything is fine.

Depending on the brand of smartphone, we download the application. As you know, for all devices except Samsung and Apple, a program is needed (now called Google Pay). It is on her example that we will show how contactless payment via NFC works.

After installing the application in it, you need to start bank card: You can scan it through your gadget's camera or enter the number manually. You also need to fill in the expiration date, the name of the owner and the CSV code (three digits on the back side) with your hands. Then the entered data must be confirmed - an SMS message with a code will be sent to the phone number to which the card is linked.

When this operation is completed, Android interface Pay, a bank card will appear. At this stage, the application will definitely require you to set up a screen lock - these are Google's policies. You need to set a PIN graphic key or password. In the future, it will be possible with a fingerprint scanner, the main thing is that the device is unlocked.

NFC technology in Russia has already matured to the point where you can even pay for purchases at the nearest Pyaterochka with a smartphone. Therefore, many owners of older devices are interested: how to add NFC to a phone without NFC? If you're here for this, we have two pieces of news: good and bad.

Bad news: you can't use NFC to its full potential

Alas, this is the sad truth. If NFC support is not built into your smartphone by the manufacturer, then no household tricks will help you equip it with all the features of this module.

Why? To answer this question, you need to understand what is behind the words "NFC support". First, in system board smartphone must be soldered a special chip. Secondly, the smartphone case must contain an NFC antenna that will transmit signals from the chip to external world. And thirdly, operating system your phone must be able to receive and transmit data using the NFC protocol.

Agree, if you are not a specialist in radio electronics and part-time programmer-system engineer, adding NFC to a phone without NFC with your own hands is quite problematic. Therefore, the only full-fledged way out is to buy a smartphone with NFC support.. For example, .

The good news: in part - you still can!

However, not everything is so deplorable. To help those who are deprived of the opportunity to buy a phone, detachable phone accessories come - NFC-enabled SIM cards and detachable NFC antennas.

NFC-enabled SIM cards in Russia are issued only by the Big Three operators - MTS, Megafon and Beeline. But we will focus on the first one, since the solution proposed by it meets our task.

Megafon and Beeline cards are designed for a slightly different purpose: they are installed in phones that already have NFC support and are used to contactless payment travel in transport from a mobile phone account.

But with the help of the service from MTS you can partially use NFC payment options, namely, to pay in transport and in stores using an MTS-Bank card as a wallet.

What is needed for this?

Issue an MTS-Bank card at the office of a mobile operator, or install an application on a smartphone for free MTS Money and release a virtual one. The application resembles Google Pay.

In addition, you need to purchase a set for contactless payment in the MTS salon: a SIM card with an NFC chip and an NFC antenna. It looks like this:

The SIM card is installed in the phone in the usual way, and a thin flexible antenna is brought out of the case. There is a big limitation here: your phone must have a removable battery. Modern phones with a non-removable battery and a SIM card tray, you can’t upgrade like that (however, as a rule, NFC is already supported in them). This is what it looks like assembled:

The antenna can be carefully glued to the back cover so that it does not hang out. That's all - you can replenish your MTS virtual card account, launch the application and pay with it in stores and the metropolitan metro.

Does it work?

Yes. On the this moment this solution is the only working way for Russia to add NFC to a phone without NFC.

But, of course, its disadvantages are obvious. It is not suitable for all smartphones, it requires an agreement with MTS, the external antenna is easily damaged, and the tightness of the phone case is also violated, since the antenna is brought out through the seam. In addition, this is still not a full-fledged NFC chip. They cannot, for example,.

And here is a little more about NFC:

You have probably already heard about such a feature as NFC in the phone. It is quite common today, many flagship devices (smartphones, watches, etc.) are equipped with it, gradually getting to inexpensive devices. Manufacturers and sellers often focus on NFC, attributing the most unusual and useful features. However, not every user knows what NFC is, what are its main functions in the phone and other devices. Today we will try to tell in detail and intelligibly about this technology.

NFC in the phone - what is it

NFC was first talked about back in 2004. At that time, the three giants of the mobile industry Nokia, Philips and Sony set out to create a wireless interface that would work when two devices were close. A forum was organized, work began.

NFC, Near field communication ("near contactless communication") - technology wireless transmission data, the hallmark of which is a small radius of action (up to 10 centimeters).

In fact, the technology is based on contactless cards made according to the ISO 14443 standard. Such cards are used to differentiate access to various premises or pay for services. NFC has become a simple extension of this standard, aimed primarily at mobile phones.

Technology Specifications

To better understand the concept of NFC technology, you can not do without the technical characteristics of the technology. Don't worry, it's pretty simple:

• The key standard is ISO/IEC 14443 which describes the frequency ranges, modulation methods and communication protocols for proximity proximity cards based on magnetic field induction.
• For the interaction of two NFC devices induction coils are used
• NFC operates at a frequency of 13.56 MHz
• The data transfer rate is not more than 400 Kbps
• It only takes 0.1 seconds to establish an NFC connection
• NFC has a very compact size and low power consumption, which allows the interface to be used in a wide variety of gadgets.

Why do I need NFC in a phone or other device

If many users turn a blind eye to dry specifications (although you should read it), then they are unlikely to miss information about why NFC is needed in modern smartphones.

• Firstly, a phone or other NFC-enabled device can replace a contactless card for subway fares or indoor access or other similar purposes - just tap the device on the turnstile.
• Secondly, NFC is used to pair a phone with another phone that also has this interface; the second device today are other devices - even washing machines; pairing makes it possible to transfer data between devices, however, due to the low speed, this method is irrelevant (such a speed is enough to transfer any commands from the device to the device).
• Finally, thirdly, a phone or watch with NFC can replace cash or a bank card. How? It's very simple: many terminals in stores today support contactless payments, that is, you only need to attach a smartphone to pay for purchases. Very convenient, but in our country the technology is just gaining popularity.

Why is NFC needed if there is Bluetooth and other interfaces

Many users equate NFC and Bluetooth with the same kind of interface, which is somewhat wrong. Yes, we have two wireless technologies, and the second one is more popular. The key difference is the range. If in the case of Bluetooth we have tens of meters, then NFC in phones transmits data to a few centimeters (that is, the device needs to be brought quite close to each other). So Bluetooth is better?

Not really. A large range is not always necessary, and in some cases it even becomes a disadvantage of the interface. Do you remember that NFC in your phone allows you to pay for purchases? At the same time, the device practically touches the terminal (the range is small), which guarantees maximum protection of the transmitted data of your bank card. When using interfaces with a more serious radius, which can cover tens of meters around, there is a danger of intercepting information.

About the same can be said about the transfer speed, which in the case of NFC is really low by today's standards. However, the technology is not aimed at transferring large files, as with using Bluetooth. And this has at least two pluses - reliability and lower power consumption. A low data transfer rate will not allow attackers to quickly “pull out” important information from your smartphone.

Another obvious advantage of NFC in phones is low power consumption. The technology consumes much less energy than other interfaces, saving precious minutes of smartphone life.

Speaking of pros of NFC in the phone, one cannot fail to note the cheapness of introducing the interface into devices. It's amazing that it's still so rare.

disadvantages

Despite the advantages, which at first glance, just a huge amount, like any technology, NFC has a number of unpleasant disadvantages. The most obvious are the transmission speed and range, which every user will have to put up with. But, as already noted, these features can rather be attributed to the advantages of NFC.

There are more serious problems associated with technology. The first of these can be considered its wide distribution. What's wrong with that? The fact is that every large company, having noticed the potential of NFC, began to independently modify the interface, presenting proprietary developments in their products. It is clear that the changed standards cannot boast of universality - they work only with their own kind. Users suffer from this.

No matter how hard developers try to improve NFC, holes are constantly being identified that can be exploited by attackers. So, in 2012, at one of the conferences, security system specialists managed to download a special exploit (), which took control of the device. Naturally, since that moment the vulnerability has been fixed.

From time to time, other information about NFC vulnerabilities appears on the Web. Most of the time they are bogus. For example, there is an opinion that with the help of jammers (electronic warfare equipment) it is possible to modify the data on the device, but this is practically unrealizable due to the impossibility of establishing a connection in this way.

As a result, it can be concluded that NFC in the phone is one of the safest technologies. At least, so far there have been no massive attacks by intruders through interface vulnerabilities.

How to check if your phone has NFC

So, we figured out what NFC is, its specifications and features. Now let's move on to checking your smartphone for support for this technology. There are several ways to do this:

• View specifications devices on the Internet or on the official website of the manufacturer - pay attention to the section "Interfaces" or "Communication" (as a rule, the manufacturer does not lose the opportunity to once again declare support for NFC).
• Usually, if the smartphone supports NFC, the corresponding item appears in the " Wireless connections» in the phone settings.
• Some models of smartphones that have a collapsible body allow you to personally see NFC. As a rule, the transmitter is placed under the cover, connecting with special contacts to the battery. Look for an identification mark - it could also be a wireless charging receiver.

Often in the case of tablets, smart watch and other equipment, you can find a special pointer on the case, which confirms the presence of NFC. By the way, when pairing, it is necessary to bring the second device to the place of the image.

Which phones have NFC

Almost every recent flagship has NFC, more and more often the interface can be found in the middle segment, if desired, you can even find budget smartphones with technology support. For example, here are some models:

• Among the flagships: iPhone starting from iPhone models 6S; samsung galaxy S starting with S3, LG starting with G4 (and a number of K-series solutions), Sony's Xperia X line; and any other well-known manufacturer has at least a couple of flagships with NFC.
• Among the available segment(up to 20,000 rubles) : latest models Samsung smartphones Galaxy A and J, Honor 8, Huawei Nova, Nokia 5 and 6, and many more.
• Among the most accessible: nokia 3, ASUS ZenFone 2, (one of the cheapest smartphones with NFC), also many Chinese phones support NFC.

How to use NFC on your phone

Let's move on to using NFC. To get started, we need to transfer the technology to an active state. To do this, follow the following instructions:

1. go to "Settings" of your phone;
2. go to the "Wireless connections and networks" section;
3. turn the toggle switch to the active state opposite the “NFC” item.

Everything, after that we can use the interface.

Transfer files using NFC

As already noted, the NFC interface is not very suitable for transferring large files due to low speed. And besides, not everyone wants to hold smartphones opposite each other while the film is being transmitted. However, NFC is great for small files (notes, links, contacts, addresses from maps, and so on), which is facilitated by the high pairing speed.

For data transfer via NFCboth phones must support the technology, in addition, it must be active. Also, none of the smartphones should be locked.

The transfer process is somewhat reminiscent of the times of Siemens and infrared ports:

Until recently, only flagship smartphones could boast of the possibility of contactless payment, and far from every company. The fact is that for this function to work, you need not only NFC, but also the appropriate software.

On the usedApple Pay- a very common payment method in America, and in Russia it is gaining immense popularity.Samsungalso one of the first to present its own payment system with an uncomplicated nameSamsung Pay. In addition to these market giants, some other companies have branded payment systems.

More recently, a significant event took place for users of Android devices - the Android Pay application was introduced. It has become universal, that is, it allows you to pay from any Android phone with NFC.

How to add a card to Android Pay to pay for purchases through your phone

1. to pay by phone and NFC, we will, of course, need a special application;

These can be the branded ones mentioned above, or the universal Android Pay. All are available for free in online stores. We'll take a closer look at Android Pay.

1. when installing the application, you must grant it the required permissions, connect to account(you can use Google);
2. now we need to add bank cards from which payment will be made;

You can find out about the participating banks that provide services by opening context menu Android Pay (three dots on the top right) and select the desired item.

1. to add a card, click on the plus at the bottom right;
2. from the proposed options (“Add a debit card”, “Add a loyalty card” and “Add a gift card”), select the required one;
3. in a new window, which will be presented as a camera application, you need to place your card in the frame;

You can also enter the card number and other data manually by clicking the appropriate button.

1. having specified all the required information, Android Pay will offer to confirm the link (for this, an SMS message is used in which your bank will send a code, or a proprietary application, for example, Sberbank Online).

That's it, you can save your wallet from one card, which is no longer useful to you. Add other cards in the same way so as not to carry them with you in vain.

How to pay with Android Pay and an NFC phone

Everything is very simple here. Even a child will cope, as they say, the main thing is that NFC is supported in the phone.

Just pay attention to the fact that the terminal must support the contactless payment function. It is denoted by a special symbol (Android Pay uses a distinctive green robot). As a rule, such terminals already exist in every major mall, but still not everywhere.

Payment occurs in two steps:

1. unlock phone with NFC;
2. bring it to the terminal;
3. hold until a tick appears.

If everything goes well, a corresponding notification will appear on the terminal. As soon as possible, your bank card will be debited. Write-off is made from the card that is set as the main one.

As you can see, paying with NFC on your phone is very easy. You are not even required to enter a password (not always).

If the purchase price is more than 1000 rubles or payment is made for the fourth time in a row with using Android Pay, the system will ask for a password. This was done, as you might guess, for security purposes.

Recall the well-known joke: the engine of progress is laziness. Are you tired of shuffling a deck of payment cards of various banks in front of an ATM, getting confused about which one holds the money? Maybe you decided to keep up with the times and not overload your wallet and pockets with cash? And how do you like the prospect of buying transport tickets instantly, without bothering to waste time in queues? All of these obvious conveniences characterize the potential of the rapidly evolving Near Field Communication technology.

Bluetooth and NFC

NFC technology is not the first invention to allow wireless file sharing. The principle of operation of Near Field Communication technology is based on the interaction of magnetic fields of specialized devices. In this case, the interacting devices are located at a distance of up to 10 cm from each other. Its predecessor is bluetooth technology- provides communication over a longer distance - up to 100 m. Its operation is based on the reception and transmission of radio waves in the ISM band (2.4-2.48 GHz).

For Near Field Communication, the maximum reaches 424 Kbps, which is an order of magnitude less than the Bluetooth communication speed of 2.1 Mbps. Is there a regression?

Comparing the above two technologies, we note that reducing the communication range provides more high level data transmission security. An important advantage of a newer than Bluetooth communication method is the instant connection of interacting devices (about 0.1 s). In addition, it involves communication with passive (non-radiating) NFC devices.

With technologyNFC, you can not only transfer data from one cell to another, but also pay for purchases(for example, buying groceries at the supermarket).

Decryption is simple - nearfieldcommunication, which, with a literal translation into Russian, means near-field communication or communication in the near space.

Initially, this technology was used for fast contactless payment. Now NFC replaces the plastic bank card and Bluetooth and combines them in one system, which is quite a practical invention to use. Want to make it easier to pay for purchases or transfer files? Let's figure out how to find out if there is NFC in your phone, tablet or laptop.

The history of the appearance of technology in the phone

It is believed that this is a relatively young development. Its appearance is attributed to 2004: it was during this period that the three famous companies Nokia, Philipps and Sony organize the NFC Forum, and three years later they introduce and integrate the first NFC tags into a Nokia phone.

Smartphone models that support NFC

It should be noted that not all phones have support for this data transfer technology. It is known that NFC support is available for such devices as:

• Apple iPhone (starting with models 6S and 6S Plus);
• new Galaxy lineups from Samsung and smartphones from other manufacturers on Android platform(starting from Android0).

Checking the device for NFC

Would you like to try the technology in practice, but do not know if this is possible on your device? Let's check.

To do this, carefully open the back cover of the smartphone or tablet, in a situation where it can move away without damage and inspect the gadget's battery.

With the presence of NFC development, you will see this abbreviation there. If the cover of the phone/tablet is not removable, then the corresponding icon or abbreviation will be located on the outside.

If for some reason you do not want or cannot remove the cover, you can make sure that this method of communication is available in the device settings.

Find the tab " Wireless networks”, then “More ...” and if NFC is available on the device, then there will definitely be a corresponding item.

How it looks, look at the photo above or in video instructions on as correctly checkNFC in the phone:

NFC activation

In case you found it on your device, you need to activate access to the technologyNFC. You can do this in the following way:

1. go to the "Settings" section and then "Wireless networks", "More ...", where earlier you could make sure that NFC is available;
2. confirm by clicking on the item "Allow data exchange when combined > device name > with another";
3. on an Android smartphone, Android Beam is immediately activated. If this does not happen, click on it and select "Yes" so as not to disrupt the system;

NFC can also be activated in the quick menu, in the same place where Wi-fi is turned on. This is done by touching the NFC tag.

See the video for more details:

What should I do if my device does not support NFC?

Don't worry if you don't find the built-in feature, there is a way to connect NFC to your device. But you can only do this if the panel cover on the back and the SIM card slot on your smartphone/tablet are removable . Installing NFC in this case is not difficult.

Installing the NFC module

The optimal solution is to install a special module - an external communication device. It is compatible with almost all smartphones, easy to use and gives you access to NFC without buying a new phone.

Types of modules and methods of their implementation

Main types: chips, SIM cards, external devices, stickers. The last of them are of two types: passive - which do not allow data to be exchanged, and active - use Bluetooth and Wi-fi communication channels for transmission, which significantly increases energy consumption.

Such stickers are attached to the outer shell of the phone, which is also not very practical.

The most popular are the following:

• NFC SIM. Now available for purchase from most mobile operators. You can find out about the availability of such a SIM in the communication salon. You only need to install the finished card in your phone or tablet. This type of module is the most affordable and easy to install.
• NFC antenna. The second way, for which you will need to purchase an NFC antenna. You can do this in the communication salon. Next, the antenna is attached to the SIM card and inserted into the device.

As you have already seen, install the module quite simple and safe : you don't need to download additional applications or programs. However, these services do not completely replace android application Pay, but are just some of its many features.

How to use an NFC tag

An NFC tag is a miniature device in the form of a chip that can be attached almost anywhere: from the phone to being inserted under the skin!

We will not use these radical methods, but it is worth noting that contacts, settings, a URL and other data and commands can be placed on the chip. All gadgets can support the tag.

Data exchange via NFC

The technology can also be used to transfer files.

To transfer data, you need to do the following steps:

1. make sure that you have completed the activation of NFC and Android Beam;
2. unlock the device, exit the “sleep mode”;
3. check device discovery with each other;
4. connect;
5. transfer data between devices;
6. at the end, a specific sound signal will sound.

However, not all file types can be transferred this way. For example, attachments cannot be sent.

Advantages and disadvantages of NFC

The main advantages are:

• low price;
• small dimensions of the device;
• high transmission speed;
• support on almost all mobile devices.

It is worth highlighting the cons:

• relatively small range;
• Not all devices are equipped with an NFC chip.

So, thanks to these notes, you have learned quick and simple ways checking your device for the ability to transfer information and interact with others technical means using Near Field Communication. Following simple instructions of this article, you will also be able to find out for yourself whether this technology is in the smartphone, you will be able to integrate NFC into your phone and transfer necessary files at high speed.