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The Definitive Source for Everything CAC CAC (Common Access Card) help for your Personal Computer

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STEP 1a & 2a:  USB EXTERNAL CAC READERS

 Click the picture to find online businesses selling the CAC reader you desire

ONCE YOU'VE DECIDED WHICH READER YOU WANT TO PURCHASE OR DOWNLOADED THE DRIVER, PROCEED TO STEP 3

A little bit of information / history:  Not all CAC readers are created equal.  This page shows 27 different CAC readers available for sale.  You will only see readers that I have tested and will recommend to you on this page (Except for the Non-Supported (old) readers section). 

CAC Reader Manufacturers (listed alphabetically):

 ACR  |  ActivIdentity   |  Cherry  |  GemPlus/Gemalto   |  HID  |  IOGear  |  Litronic  |  Manhattan  |  NetSign  |  Omnikey  |   Schlumberger  |  SCR  |  Stanley Global  |  Unotron  |  Non-Supported (OLD) readers

SCM Microsystems SCR Readers

 SCR3310 CAC reader driver

Mac Friendly (Alternate fix needed for some Mac's) Mac driver (most likely NOT needed) NOT Tiger (10.4.11)

Note:  This model is sold at your local MCX / NEX (used to be sold at PX / BX) and works with all versions of Windows

To find the lowest price from random vendors, click here (or image above) to search via Google Products

SCR331 CAC reader use driver located here sometimes you will need this driver, or this driver(1.40)

Mac Friendly

If this reader does not initially work on your Windows 7, Vista or Mac computer you may want to update the firmware

NOTE:  We're seeing more and more Mac users having problems with this old reader.  If you are looking at purchasing one, and have a Mac, I'd consider a different SCR model reader.

To find the lowest price from random vendors, click here (or image above) to search via Google Products

SCR-3500 Smart fold mini USB Smart Card Reader

Mac Friendly

To find the lowest price from random vendors, click here (or image above) to search via Google Products

SDI010 / SDI011 Contactless Smart Card Reader driver

NOTE:  I was not able to figure out how to make the contactless part work, just the regular CAC slot

Mac friendly after this update for Leopard and Snow Leopard (NOT Lion (10.7.x), or Tiger(10.4.11)

To find the lowest price from random vendors, click here (or image above) to search via Google Products

SCR-301 CAC Reader

NOT Mac compatible

Look below

IOGear Reader

IOGEAR model GSR202  Driver  (GSR201Driver)

Mac Friendly (Except for Tiger(10.4.11))

If your Macs is having problems with this reader, you will need to update it using a Windows computer.

Note:  This model is sold at the AAFES PX & BX

To find the lowest price from random vendors, click here (or image above) to search via Google Products

Please note, "a few" Windows 7 (64 bit home premium & Ultimate) users are having problems with this reader not staying in device manager when the computer is restarted.  Install the driver above and restart computer to remedy this situation.  (This has worked for one person).  Others are still having the same problem mentioned above.  My only cure for it not working is to return it and consider a different reader on this page. 

Stanley Global Readers

Stanley Global Model SGT111 32bitDriver  64bitDriver

Mac friendly after this update for Leopard and Snow Leopard, (NOT Lion, or Tiger)

To find the lowest price from random vendors, click here (or image above) to search via Google Products

Stanley Global Model SGT114  32bitDriver  64bitDriver

Mac friendly after this update for Leopard (NOT Snow Leopard (above 10.6.4), Lion, or Tiger)

More information regarding this CAC & multi memory SIM Card Reader

To find the lowest price from random vendors, click here (or image above) to search via Google Products

Stanley Global Model SGT117

Mac friendly after this update for Leopard and Snow Leopard (NOT Lion, or Tiger)

More information regarding this CAC Reader

To find the lowest price from random vendors, click here (or image above) to search via Google Products

Stanley Global Model SGT118

Mac friendly after this update for Leopard (NOT Snow Leopard (above 10.6.4), Lion, or Tiger)

More information regarding this USB CAC Reader (NOT Bluetooth)

To find the lowest price from random vendors, click here (or image above) to search via Google Products

Stanley Global Model SGT119

Mac friendly after this update for Leopard (NOT Snow Leopard (above 10.6.4), Lion, or Tiger)

More information regarding this USB CAC Reader (NOT Bluetooth)

To find the lowest price from random vendors, click here (or image above) to search via Google Products

Stanley Global Model SGT121

Mac friendly after this update for Leopard (NOT Snow Leopard (above 10.6.4), Lion, or Tiger)

More information regarding this CAC Reader

To find the lowest price from random vendors, click here (or image above) to search via Google Products

Stanley Global Model SGT122

May need to try twice to get it to read the Oberthur ID One 128 v5.5 Dual CAC

May be Mac friendly after this update for Leopard and Snow Leopard 10.6.4 (NOT 10.6.5 - .8, Lion, or Tiger)

This reader has 3 possible fixes to work with Windows 7: 

1. Follow guidance in this PDF 

2. Download patch from Microsoft

3.  Download Realtek driver 

More information regarding this CAC Reader

To find the lowest price from random vendors, click here (or image above) to search via Google Products

HID / Omnikey / ActivIdentity Readers

Omnikey 3021 Smart Card Reader

Mac friendly after this update

(Select Mac OS X from the Operating System dropdown)

To find the lowest price from random vendors, click here (or image above) to search via Google Products

Omnikey 3121 Smart Card Reader

Mac friendly after this update

To find the lowest price from random vendors, click here (or image above) to search via Google Products

ActivCard / ActivIdentity V3 Smart Card reader

Mac compatibility unknown

The manufacturer does not support this reader any more

To find the lowest price from random vendors, click here (or image above) to search via Google Products

ActivCard V2 Smart Card reader driver

(I don't have one of these to test with)

According to ActivIdentity, this driver "should" work for Windows 7.

NOT Mac friendly (2 Navy personnel have tweaked the firmware update for an SCR-331 and found an old XP computer to update the firmware from).  More will be posted once I get the specifics, this resulted in the ability to use this reader on a Mac.

Advanced Card Systems Readers

ACR3801 Smart Card Reader

Mac friendly after this update

Sold by:  SCB Solutions for $10.99 & TXSystems  for $37.00

ACR38U-TFC Pocket Mate Smart Card Reader

Information from manufacturer (including drivers)

Mac friendly (except when using Firefox)

Sold only by:  SCB Solutions for $19.75

GemPlus Reader

GemPlus USB-SW Smart Card Reader   32bitDriver   64bitDriver

Tiger & Panther Mac Friendly with driver update (Leopard and Snow Leopard "supposedly" have native support built in.  I do not have one to test with Lion). 

However, one Soldier could not get it to work.  He ended up purchasing an SCR-331

To find the lowest price from random vendors, click here (or image above) to search via Google Products

GemPC Twin USB Smart Card Reader drivers

(I don't have one of these to test with)

Cherry Reader

Cherry ST-1044 USB CAC reader driver (Windows) Instructions

MAC friendly after this update (Leopard 10.5.x with Intel chip)

MAC friendly after this update (Snow Leopard 10.6.x)

Lion (10.7.x) needed no updates

Tiger (10.4.11) needed no updates

To find the lowest price from random vendors, click here (or image above) to search via Google Products

Manhattan Reader

Manhattan 172844 USB CAC reader driver (XP, Vista 32, Vista 64, Windows 7) Instructions

To find the lowest price from random vendors, click here (or image above) to search via Google Products

NOT Mac friendly

Unotron Reader

Unotron SpillSeal SAC2 - Washable Smart Card Reader (drivers)

(I don't have one of these to test with)  

To find the lowest price from random vendors, click here (or image above) to search via Google Products

Their website shows NO Mac compatibility

"Antique" Readers

The manufacturers have abandoned support for these readers.  Use at your own risk!!

The CAC readers below "might" work with Windows XP but NOT Windows 7, Vista, or Mac.  This is partly because they will not read the PIV II CACs (Gemalto TOP DL GX4 144 & Oberthur ID One 128 v5.5 Dual) and they [the manufacturers] do not want to invest in a firmware update.

The simplest solution is for you is to invest in a more modern CAC reader above this section

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Cherry

Cherry ST-1000U USB Smart Card Reader

NOT Mac friendly

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Gemalto

GemPC 430 driver support for Windows XP and older

NOT Mac friendly (according to manufacturer website)

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Litronic / Netsign

Litronic / Netsign 215 USB CAC reader driver (alternate driver)

(I don't have one of these to test with)

NOT Mac friendly (according to manufacturer website)

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Schlumberger

The Schlumberger CAC reader below is here only for driver support.  I do not recommend you purchase this CAC reader unless you are not planning on using a computer newer than Windows XP.  This means it won't work on Vista or Windows 7.  It is an old reader with NO support from the vendor.

Schlumberger ReflexV2  Driver (installation instructions on CAC drivers page)

Alternate installation file (installation instructions are in the html file inside the zipped file)

NOT Mac friendly

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SCM Microsystems

SCR-301 USB CAC reader (driver)

(I don't have one of these to test with)

According to the SCMMicro website driver download page, it will not work on anything newer than XP

NOT Mac compatible

SCR-111 Serial CAC reader

Due to the fact that most computers do not have serial ports or use a PS2 keyboard, this reader is useless for modern computers.  The manufacturer has also not provided any updates to be able to read the PIV II CACs or use with Vista or Windows 7.  This will also leave out all Macs. 

SCB Solutions sells CAC readers and has a full time person to provide support to their customers

If you live in the UK, you can purchase CAC readers from SmartCardFocus.com

Alternate driver download locations:

Envoy Data

TX Systems

SCM Microsystems

HID Global

OTHER TYPES OF READERS TO CONSIDER

Desktop computer reader

USB keyboards with built-in CAC reader

Laptop CAC reader (PCMCIA or ExpressCard)