Understanding Broadcom's Contactless Smart Card Reader Support
An overview of the current status and functionality of Broadcom's contactless smart card readers, detailing support limitations and installation requirements.
Current Status of Broadcom Smart Card Readers
Many Dell laptops are equipped with Broadcom smart card readers, which can handle both contact and contactless cards. While the contact readers function smoothly with the CCID driver, the same cannot be said for contactless readers, which remain unsupported and fall into the category of either unsupported or partially supported CCID readers.
Dell Latitude 7350 Example
A practical examination of the Dell Latitude 7350 reveals the following USB device details:
$ lsusb
Bus 001 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub
Bus 002 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0003 Linux Foundation 3.0 root hub
Bus 003 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub
Bus 003 Device 002: ID 0bda:557e Realtek Semiconductor Corp. Integrated_Webcam_FHD
Bus 003 Device 003: ID 0a5c:5865 Broadcom Corp. 58200
Bus 003 Device 004: ID 8087:0036 Intel Corp. BE200 Bluetooth
Bus 004 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0003 Linux Foundation 3.0 root hub
The Broadcom Corp. 58200 reader (USB idProduct = 0x5865) is identified, but the CCID driver documentation explicitly states that the contactless interface is not supported.
Using the PC/SC device scanner, both interfaces of the reader are detected:
$ pcsc_scan
PC/SC device scanner
V 1.7.5 (c) 2001-2026, Ludovic Rousseau <[email protected]>
Using reader plug'n play mechanism
Scanning present readers...
0: Broadcom Corp 58200 [Contacted SmartCard] (0123456789ABCD) 00 00
1: Broadcom Corp 58200 [Contactless SmartCard] (0123456789ABCD) 01 00
The contact reader correctly indicates card insertion and removal, while the contactless reader does not.
Electromagnetic Field Limitations
The inability of the contactless reader to recognize a card stems from its inactive electromagnetic field. A specialized detector confirms the absence of any electromagnetic activity from the reader.
Broadcom NFC Service Overview
Broadcom offers a proprietary program designed to activate the contactless interface on supported readers, specifically those utilizing a CV3+ chip or later. Older CV3 chip readers are not compatible with this service. The current version available for download is brcm_linux_nfc_6.4.23.tgz.
Supported Readers
To utilize the Broadcom NFC service, it is essential to remember the interface name of the non-CCID interface: "Broadcom ControlVault 3+ w/FingerPrint". This designation indicates compatibility with the CV3+ chip.
Installation and Functionality
Upon successful installation, the Broadcom NFC daemon becomes active, enabling the detection and use of contactless smart cards.
$ systemctl status broadcom-nfc.service
● broadcom-nfc.service - Broadcom NFC service
Loaded: loaded (/etc/systemd/system/broadcom-nfc.service; enabled; preset: enabled)
Active: active (running) since Sat 2026-07-04 13:19:07 CEST; 1min 19s ago
The process bcmnfcd.bin not only initializes the contactless reader but also maintains its operational state.
Licensing Considerations
The Broadcom NFC daemon is proprietary, with source code not publicly available. This limitation raises concerns for users who prefer open-source solutions. While it does provide functionality for contactless readers, the reliance on non-free software poses challenges for some users.
Conclusion
Broadcom's provision of a proprietary program facilitates the use of contactless smart card readers, albeit with limitations due to licensing constraints. For users in need of contactless functionality, this program serves as a necessary solution, despite its imperfections.
