# Why would I want a smart-card reader?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-would-i-want-a-smart-card-reader/619136
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [April 18, 2012, 8:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-would-i-want-a-smart-card-reader/619136 "2012-04-18T08:06:50Z")
**Posts on this page:** 11
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@bardos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bardos)
#### Post date: [April 18, 2012, 8:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-would-i-want-a-smart-card-reader/619136/1 "2012-04-18T08:06:50Z")
I have one, but don’t seem to find a use for it.
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### Author:  [@kferr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kferr)
#### Post date: [April 18, 2012, 11:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-would-i-want-a-smart-card-reader/619136/2 "2012-04-18T11:45:00Z")
What type of smart-card reader? Is it built into a laptop, or a small box with a slot and USB cable? In either case they are typically used for authenticating and logging into a PC/laptop or network. You’ll be issued a smart-card with a digital certificate that’s assigned to you. You plug the card into the reader, enter a PIN, and get logged in.
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### Author:  [@bardos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bardos)
#### Post date: [April 18, 2012, 11:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-would-i-want-a-smart-card-reader/619136/3 "2012-04-18T11:55:07Z")
It’s an external usb. I really have no internet things that might ask me to identify myself with a smart card at the moment.
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### Author:  [@GaryM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GaryM)
#### Post date: [April 18, 2012, 12:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-would-i-want-a-smart-card-reader/619136/4 "2012-04-18T12:57:24Z")
At one time they could be used with an American Express card for secure on line transactions, but I’ve not heard of that for some time. Other than that I don’t see any use at home.
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### Author:  [@Rucksinator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rucksinator)
#### Post date: [April 18, 2012, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-would-i-want-a-smart-card-reader/619136/5 "2012-04-18T17:52:50Z")
Is it one of those things that reads memory cards from digital cameras?
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### Author:  [@bardos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bardos)
#### Post date: [April 18, 2012, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-would-i-want-a-smart-card-reader/619136/6 "2012-04-18T18:28:17Z")
> [@Rucksinator](#):
>
> Is it one of those things that reads memory cards from digital cameras?
no, it is only used for cards (credit card size) with a smart chip.
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### Author:  [@Blakeyrat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blakeyrat)
#### Post date: [April 18, 2012, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-would-i-want-a-smart-card-reader/619136/7 "2012-04-18T22:18:16Z")
If you worked for Microsoft, you could log in by slipping your ID card into the reader. When you removed the card, the computer would automatically be locked. It’s a pretty slick system.
But like others have said, I can’t think of a reason to have one on a home computer.
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### Author:  [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)
#### Post date: [April 18, 2012, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-would-i-want-a-smart-card-reader/619136/8 "2012-04-18T22:34:50Z")
> [@bardos](#):
>
> I have one, but don’t seem to find a use for it.
eBay.
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### Author:  [@Fubaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fubaya)
#### Post date: [April 19, 2012, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-would-i-want-a-smart-card-reader/619136/9 "2012-04-19T01:00:22Z")
I’m pretty sure I’ve seen a lot of businesses use them. Not Wal-Mart or anything like that, but restaurants, my local utility, various small businesses.
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### Author:  [@tellyworth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tellyworth)
#### Post date: [April 19, 2012, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-would-i-want-a-smart-card-reader/619136/10 "2012-04-19T01:08:45Z")
Some of them will read SIM cards.
I have one. I used to experiment with reading data from payphone cards and the like. Never found a practical use for it.
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### Author:  [@aerodave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aerodave)
#### Post date: [April 19, 2012, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-would-i-want-a-smart-card-reader/619136/11 "2012-04-19T01:11:19Z")
> [@Blakeyrat](#):
>
> If you worked for Microsoft, you could log in by slipping your ID card into the reader. When you removed the card, the computer would automatically be locked. It’s a pretty slick system.
>
> But like others have said, I can’t think of a reason to have one on a home computer.
That’s how we log into and lock our computers where I work (a US Air Force base). To my knowledge, that’s the standard way of operating for most DoD [NIPRNet](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NIPRNet) computers. If our heads-up-their-asses IT folks have deployed it, the system can’t be all that slick.
I have a card reader on my personal laptop so I can log into my work webmail from home or on the road. I don’t care to take a work laptop when I travel because I can’t do anything fun with it. And by fun, I mean porn.