I would like to test on an iPhone 12 (with the latest iOS) whether the NFC function of my NK3C NFC works reliably.
What have I already tried?
I have created a passkey for logging into this forum on the NK3C.
The login works perfectly in Chrome on macOS.
Now I open Safari on iOS on the iPhone 12, enter the URL of this forum, select the stick as the login method and hold it to the upper part of the back of the iPhone.
No reaction. I try various positions. Without success.
What else can I do to test the NFC function of the NK3C please?
Hey, i think people have reported this issue of nfc not working with iphones here Nitrokey 3C NFC with iPhone . Best is to contact nitrokey through their email support directly for any solution.
You may have to carry a usb c to lightning dongle to make it work it seems with your iphone which is little unfortunate but may not be very worst thing i would say.
Thank you for your reply.
I had read that there are problems with NFC and iPhones.
I especially wanted to know if new sticks (with new NFC chip) no longer show these problems?
I was also interested to know whether there is an “official” test procedure for NFC with the Nitrokeys. For example via the command line tool nitropy? But I couldn’t find anything.
i am not aware of any command line utility which specifically tests the nfc.
If possible you can try using nk3 once with android phone from a friend to check if its having issues only with iphone or the nfc isn’t working itself.
maybe you should contact support over email for this , i haven’t been following the updates recently.
I am having the same issues with NK3C and iPhones. Tested with iPhone 11 Pro Max and iPhone 13.
You have to find exactly the right spot on the back of the iPhone and then sit there for like 3-5 seconds.
No way it will work with a case or cover. The iPhone must be “naked”.
Strange. I test this scenario when I update firmware. I hold the token 1cm away from the upper left corner and stay there until it gets detected and I get asked for my PIN. Without movingit away I enter the PIN and can authenticate.
I bought an NFC tag for testing and wrote an URL on that tag.
When I place that tag to the right upper edge on the backside of my iPhone 12 Pro max (with my case) the URL is read automatically and I get the offer to open the URL in a browser.
That means: NFC on the iPhone works fine.
Independent of that:
Can you recommend an adapter Lightning to USB-C for the nitrokey?
I tested following scenarios with Nitrokey 3c Firmware 1.7.0:
Remove old passkeys:
PS C:\windows\system32> & 'C:\Program Files\Nitrokey\Nitropy\nitropy.exe' fido2 list-credentials
Command line tool to interact with Nitrokey devices 0.4.47
Please provide pin:
There are 5 registered credentials
-----------------------------------
webauthn.io:
- id: a300582ca63137a4cc1e7cad2f841869e6f16015a68c09661c7dc126a850ea9d6a872d6df70e85bf4a0cb6b899fd02cf014cc4b072a662e17a7135c13e670250b125fa1181c4915522a812574f074ad6
user: nku1
- id: a300582b968da3bb5af92f2c6e121a9bd25acbc5e1ccadc165c8d20e9faf870b5a7653185bbf8b7122e6f038b878be014c3e115a61938a8426b70e94b10250c3402c73541ace33db7c0a111d2c4ba5
user: jo idkfkf
- id: a300582b3abb560320f0e482a09df2a0a6a48d1c7bd46a58d77962b47f9087112176b082983f488a594ec9050f10b5014cd49639148794dbdbc24447a30250220d97b7cc094ab0a1b9ccc720abe5fd
user: hilpk
- id: a300582cb52616ba96fee8ac8ca2e0255027f5fa038fe1f393124917f72aaa605c19e28046e79db8c6e22515a14139d7014c33951edde5e063c847e152db02504955da2f297d1d6988a7e7a2542eaf10
user: fooo
- id: a300582bf4fb5cf8cdc8ce2dd14cb6588d0f1eeaf7747376d8a9aa83c5bea36eb10eebe82bb781209f77f12a48184b014c94bf7dbe6a7a2ff6f46a1d8d02506fd1fae2b43e1deee6590df9adf0cb89
user: ffhhhj
-----------------------------------
There is an estimated amount of 5 credential slots left
PS C:\windows\system32> & 'C:\Program Files\Nitrokey\Nitropy\nitropy.exe' fido2 delete-credential --pin *** -cid a300582ca63137a4cc1e7cad2f841869e6f16015a68c09661c7dc126a850ea9d6a872d6df70e85bf4a0cb6b899fd02cf014cc4b072a662e17a7135c13e670250b125fa1181c4915522a812574f074ad6
Command line tool to interact with Nitrokey devices 0.4.47
Credential was successfully deleted
PS C:\windows\system32> & 'C:\Program Files\Nitrokey\Nitropy\nitropy.exe' fido2 delete-credential --pin *** -cid a300582b968da3bb5af92f2c6e121a9bd25acbc5e1ccadc165c8d20e9faf870b5a7653185bbf8b7122e6f038b878be014c3e115a61938a8426b70e94b10250c3402c73541ace33db7c0a111d2c4ba5
Command line tool to interact with Nitrokey devices 0.4.47
Credential was successfully deleted
PS C:\windows\system32> & 'C:\Program Files\Nitrokey\Nitropy\nitropy.exe' fido2 delete-credential --pin *** -cid a300582b3abb560320f0e482a09df2a0a6a48d1c7bd46a58d77962b47f9087112176b082983f488a594ec9050f10b5014cd49639148794dbdbc24447a30250220d97b7cc094ab0a1b9ccc720abe5fd
Command line tool to interact with Nitrokey devices 0.4.47
Credential was successfully deleted
PS C:\windows\system32> & 'C:\Program Files\Nitrokey\Nitropy\nitropy.exe' fido2 delete-credential --pin *** -cid a300582cb52616ba96fee8ac8ca2e0255027f5fa038fe1f393124917f72aaa605c19e28046e79db8c6e22515a14139d7014c33951edde5e063c847e152db02504955da2f297d1d6988a7e7a2542eaf10
Command line tool to interact with Nitrokey devices 0.4.47
Credential was successfully deleted
PS C:\windows\system32> & 'C:\Program Files\Nitrokey\Nitropy\nitropy.exe' fido2 delete-credential --pin *** -cid a300582bf4fb5cf8cdc8ce2dd14cb6588d0f1eeaf7747376d8a9aa83c5bea36eb10eebe82bb781209f77f12a48184b014c94bf7dbe6a7a2ff6f46a1d8d02506fd1fae2b43e1deee6590df9adf0cb89
Command line tool to interact with Nitrokey devices 0.4.47
Credential was successfully deleted
webauthn.io create passkey in latest Firefox on token & authenticate via Iphone
1.a Iphone 11 Pro Max and Lightning to USB-A and USB-A to USB-c adapter
1.b Iphone 11 Pro Max and NFC
1.c Iphone SE and Lightning to USB-A and USB-A to USB-c adapter
1.d Iphone SE and NFC
For NFC I bring the flat side of the Nitrokey 3c to the top left side (not the back of the phone but the top side edge) and keep it there until recognized for up to 10 Seconds. Then enter your PIN. You have to switch to Security Key in order to get started with the login on the Nitrokey. Otherwise it will try the Iphone Device Passkeys.
webauthn.io create passkey via Iphone on token & authenticate via Iphone
2.a Iphone 11 Pro Max and Lightning to USB-A and USB-A to USB-c adapter
2.b Iphone 11 Pro Max and NFC
2.c Iphone SE and Lightning to USB-A and USB-A to USB-c adapter
2.d Iphone SE and NFC
webauthn.io create non-discoverable in latest Firefox on token & authenticate via Iphone
3.a Iphone 11 Pro Max and Lightning to USB-A and USB-A to USB-c adapter
3.b Iphone 11 Pro Max and NFC
3.c Iphone SE and Lightning to USB-A and USB-A to USB-c adapter
3.d Iphone SE and NFC
webauthn.io create non-discoverable credentials via Iphone on token & authenticate via Iphone
4.a Iphone 11 Pro Max and Lightning to USB-A and USB-A to USB-c adapter
4.b Iphone 11 Pro Max and NFC
4.c Iphone SE and Lightning to USB-A and USB-A to USB-c adapter
4.d Iphone SE and NFC
It works best via Lightning adapter. SE behaves better than Iphone 11 Pro Max. I use silicon bumper cases.
The Nitrokey 3c is also a NFC tag and should point to the Nitrokey homepage.
It worked for me ca. 5mm left of the center on the very top of the phone. Slowly moving the key in circles around that area. A YubiKey helped me to find the rough position.
The passkey creation works fine for me on macOS. I used Edge Chrome as well as Firefox.
I have carried out various tests again on macOS on webauth.io.
First, I deleted all previous keys.
Restarted the computer.
Surprisingly, I can now create a key in Firefox, Chrome and Safari and also perform authentication.
Very nice.
To the iPhone 12 pro max:
I remain unsuccessful here.
I have also borrowed an iPhone SE.
I also fail with the NK3C via NFC there.
On both iPhones, an NFC tag, where I wrote an URL onto it, works without any problems.
Position: Front of the iPhones at the top center. The response is immediate, without any waiting time.
The Nitrokey 3c is also a NFC tag and should point to the Nitrokey homepage.
That doesn’t work either.
I am giving up NFC on the iPhone for the time being.
If someone likes to recommend any available adapter USB-C to Lightning, please let me know.
