Hardware
What you need to run Hound
Less than you think. Start with the phone in your pocket and printed QR labels; add NFC tags and a reader when you want tap-to-scan.
Recommended
A phone
An Android phone with NFC taps tags in Chrome. Any phone with a camera, iPhone included, scans QR labels.
Optional
A USB NFC reader
ACR122U or ACR1252U, or any PC/SC reader, through the free desktop bridge. Best at a checkout desk.
Optional
A label printer
Brother QL, DYMO, Zebra, Rollo, Phomemo or Niimbot, or plain Avery sheets on an office printer.
- Tags only need their factory UID: any blank NTAG213 works.
- The app does not write web links to tags.
- iPhones use QR labels: Safari has no Web NFC, so tap-to-scan needs Android or a USB reader.
Tap, print, hand over
How it works
Four everyday jobs, start to finish.
Assign a tag
- Hold a blank tag to the reader or an Android phone.
- The app reads the tag's factory UID.
- Pick the asset and the tag is linked.
Check out by tap
- Tap the case's tag (or scan its QR label).
- Choose who takes it and when it is due.
- Confirm: the case shows as out, with its due date.
Print and stick a label
- Pick your printer's preset and print at actual size.
- Stick the label on the case.
- Any phone camera scans it to the asset (after sign-in).
Run a live event
- Hand gear from the warehouse to each person on the roster.
- Watch everything go out in one live count.
- Returns tick in; what is still out shows as overdue.
Scanning
Readers and phones
USB reader at the desk
ACR122U (recommended), ACR1252U, or any PC/SC NFC reader. A free bridge on the computer passes taps to the browser. macOS needs no driver.
Set up a readerAndroid phone
Chrome on Android reads tags through Web NFC. No app to install; open Hound and tap.
iPhone
Safari has no Web NFC, so iPhones scan the QR label with the camera instead. Use labels with QR codes for iPhone teams.
Tag or QR label: when to use which
NFC tag
- Tap, no aiming
- Works through grime and in dark racks
- Needs an Android phone or a USB reader
- Costs a little per tag
QR label
- Free to print
- Any phone camera, iPhone included
- Needs line of sight and at least 10 mm
- Prints on any label stock
Many teams use both: a QR label with a tag behind it.
Printing
Label printers
Labels print from the browser's print dialog. Choose Actual size (100%) and margins None; “Fit to page” shrinks the QR code.
Office laser + Avery sheets
Avery 5160, 5163, 5167, 22806, L7160, L7651
Best for printing a whole inventory at once.
Brother QL
DK-11201, 11202, 11204, 11209, 11221, 22205, 22210
QL-800, QL-810W, QL-820NWB, QL-1110. Durable on-demand labels.
DYMO LabelWriter
30252, 30256, 30334, 30336
The 550 series may only accept genuine DYMO rolls.
Zebra, Rollo, Munbyn
4×6 in, 4×2 in, 3×1 in, 2.25×1.25 in, 2×1 in, 1×1 in
Thermal printers, no ink. Pick the matching roll preset.
Phomemo, Niimbot
50×30, 40×30, 30×20 mm; Niimbot D110 40×12, 30×15 mm
Bluetooth printers run from their own phone app. 12 mm labels are too small for a QR code.
Brother P-touch (TZe)
24 mm and 18 mm tape
12 mm tape is too small for a scannable QR code.
FAQ
Common questions
Will a tag work on a metal case?
A plain sticker usually will not: metal detunes the antenna. Use a ferrite-backed on-metal tag, which reads a little closer. Test one on your case before ordering 500.
Which chip should I buy?
NTAG213. Hound reads the tag's factory UID, so the extra memory on NTAG215 and NTAG216 goes unused.
Can tags go outdoors or get wet?
The chip does not care; the label material does. A water-resistant sticker is fine for splashes. For weather or washdown, pick an enclosed tag rated IP67 or better.
How close does the reader need to be?
A few centimetres. A USB reader like the ACR122U reads up to about 5 cm depending on the tag, and on-metal tags read closer. Tap, don't wave.
Can a tag be rewritten or locked?
NTAG21x chips take about 100,000 writes and can be locked read-only or with a password. The app never depends on what is written on the tag, so locking is optional and never changes the UID.
Should I use a tag or a QR label?
QR labels are free, work with any phone camera and print on any label, but need line of sight. Tags need no aiming and work through grime and in dark racks, but need a reader or an Android phone and cost money. Many teams use both.
What about small items and cables?
Use a tag at least 12 mm across; smaller antennas read poorly. Cable-wrap or flag labels work well. QR codes need at least 10 mm, so very small items are better tagged, or labelled on their bag or case.
What if a tag is lost or damaged?
Unassign the old tag and assign a new one. The asset record and its history stay. A tag that is already assigned to something else is refused.
What is stored on the tag?
Only the factory UID matters. On Android the app can also write the asset's ID as plain text: no names, no prices. Every scan needs a signed-in user, and an unknown tag reveals nothing.
Label printer or sheets?
Avery sheets on an office printer suit bulk runs. Thermal roll printers (Brother QL, DYMO, Rollo, Zebra) suit durable labels on demand. Bluetooth Niimbot and Phomemo printers need their phone app and print small sizes.
Ready to tag your first case?
Create a workspace, print a sheet of QR labels and you are tracking gear today. Tags can come later.