# How to find an RFID (?) key fob in my house?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-find-an-rfid-key-fob-in-my-house/729504>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [August 31, 2015, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-find-an-rfid-key-fob-in-my-house/729504 "2015-08-31T15:50:00Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![TSBG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/77aa72/32.png) [@TSBG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TSBG)\
**Post date:** [August 31, 2015, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-find-an-rfid-key-fob-in-my-house/729504/1 "2015-08-31T15:50:00Z")

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I have a Toyota with keyless entry/start, meaning that if the key fob is in my pocket (or backpack, whatever) I can open a locked door and press the start button to operate the car. I assume this works because there’s a RFID chip in the fob.

I’ve misplaced my fob (and with it a set of house keys) and I know it’s in the house or on my property, because I know exactly when I last used it. But I can’t find it.

I have a backup fob , but I’d like to get the original back. Is there any app (or other method) that will help me locate it? I did some looking but as far as I can tell the available apps work when you already have the RFID info and program it into the app, not to simply look around and locate any nearby RFID.

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**Author:** ![kanicbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/5f8ce5/32.png) [@kanicbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kanicbird)\
**Post date:** [August 31, 2015, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-find-an-rfid-key-fob-in-my-house/729504/2 "2015-08-31T16:03:27Z")

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See:

[http://engineering.mit.edu/ask/there-way-detect-my-car’s-keyless-remote-if-i-don’t-know-where-it](http://engineering.mit.edu/ask/there-way-detect-my-car%E2%80%99s-keyless-remote-if-i-don%E2%80%99t-know-where-it)

(answer is maybe, and if you know how to do it, which since you are asking the question that is doubtful)

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**Author:** ![electroFAYSEE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/0ea827/32.png) [@electroFAYSEE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/electroFAYSEE)\
**Post date:** [August 31, 2015, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-find-an-rfid-key-fob-in-my-house/729504/3 "2015-08-31T16:12:07Z")

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I know this is random, but does your laptop have a contactless RFID card reader?  
If it does, try walking around your house with your laptop.  
Mine does, and I found many old RFID fob things with it! 😃

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**Author:** ![TSBG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/77aa72/32.png) [@TSBG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TSBG)\
**Post date:** [August 31, 2015, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-find-an-rfid-key-fob-in-my-house/729504/4 "2015-08-31T16:12:26Z")

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Thanks for the link. Looks like I’ll have to do it the old-fashioned way.

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**Author:** ![bob\_2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bob_2/32/3341_2.png) [@bob\_2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bob_2)\
**Post date:** [August 31, 2015, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-find-an-rfid-key-fob-in-my-house/729504/5 "2015-08-31T17:05:33Z")

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If you are a man. do what any other man would do - ask your wife…🙂