MFRC 522 Authentication RESET on Arduino IDE with ESP32 - rfid

Question

I've been tinkering with the MFRC-522 (RC-522) RFID module for a project.
I'm testing authentication using an old key to check if the RFID's key A for a sector (in my case, Sector 2) is different from the original, if it was, then I would continue, if not I would like to "register" the card by changing the key.
I was caught at the beginning on checking different keys authentication, if I tested a working key and then an incorrect key, it works as expected, but if I test with the incorrect key first, it doesn't allow even the correct key to authenticate.
If I ran the code below everything in serial is
PCD_Authenticate() failed NEW(read): Timeout in communication.
PCD_Authenticate() failed OLD(read): Timeout in communication.
repeatedly but if I flipped old() and neww() I get
OLD WORKS
PCD_Authenticate() failed NEW(read): Timeout in communication.
Why does it work as such?
#include <SPI.h>
#include <MFRC522.h>
#define RST_PIN 22 // Configurable, see typical pin layout above
#define SS_PIN 21 // Configurable, see typical pin layout above
MFRC522 mfrc522(SS_PIN, RST_PIN); // Create MFRC522 instance
MFRC522::MIFARE_Key old_key = {0xFF,0xFF,0xFF,0xFF,0xFF,0xFF};
MFRC522::MIFARE_Key new_key = {0x23,0x54,0x64,0x3a,0x32,0x66};
void setup() {
Serial.begin(115200); // Initialize serial communications with the PC
while (!Serial); // Do nothing if no serial port is opened (added for Arduinos based on ATMEGA32U4)
SPI.begin(); // Init SPI bus
mfrc522.PCD_Init(); // Init MFRC522
delay(4); // Optional delay. Some board do need more time after init to be ready, see Readme
mfrc522.PCD_DumpVersionToSerial(); // Show details of PCD - MFRC522 Card Reader details
Serial.println(F("Scan PICC to see UID, SAK, type, and data blocks..."));
}
void loop() {
// Reset the loop if no new card present on the sensor/reader. This saves the entire process when idle.
if ( ! mfrc522.PICC_IsNewCardPresent()) {
return;
}
// Select one of the cards
if ( ! mfrc522.PICC_ReadCardSerial()) {
return;
}
neww();
old();
}
void old(){
//authentication of the desired block for access
byte status = mfrc522.PCD_Authenticate(MFRC522::PICC_CMD_MF_AUTH_KEY_A, 15, &old_key, &(mfrc522.uid));
if (status != MFRC522::STATUS_OK) {
Serial.print("PCD_Authenticate() failed OLD(read): ");
Serial.println(mfrc522.GetStatusCodeName((MFRC522::StatusCode)status));
return;
}else {Serial.println("OLD WORKS");}
//delay(1000);
mfrc522.PICC_HaltA();
mfrc522.PCD_StopCrypto1();
}
void neww() {
//authentication of the desired block for access
byte status_new = mfrc522.PCD_Authenticate(MFRC522::PICC_CMD_MF_AUTH_KEY_A, 15, &new_key, &(mfrc522.uid));
if (status_new != MFRC522::STATUS_OK) {
Serial.print("PCD_Authenticate() failed NEW(read): ");
Serial.println(mfrc522.GetStatusCodeName((MFRC522::StatusCode)status_new));
return;
} else {Serial.println("NEW WORKS");}
//delay(1000);
mfrc522.PICC_HaltA();
mfrc522.PCD_StopCrypto1();
}
}

Answer 1

So, after reading the datasheet extra hard I came to the conclusion that the state of the card was not ready for the next read, so I came with a fire-all-guns solution that helped my case, The Serial prints are for debugging so if using the code feel free to comment them out.
bool reselect_Card() {
//-------------------------------------------------------
// Can also be used to see if card still available,
// true means it is false means card isnt there anymore
//-------------------------------------------------------
byte s;
byte req_buff[2];
byte req_buff_size=2;
mfrc522.PCD_StopCrypto1();
s = mfrc522.PICC_HaltA();
Serial.print("Halt Status: ");
Serial.println(mfrc522.GetStatusCodeName((MFRC522::StatusCode)s));
delay(100);
s = mfrc522.PICC_WakeupA(req_buff,&req_buff_size);
Serial.print("Request: ");
Serial.println(mfrc522.GetStatusCodeName((MFRC522::StatusCode)s));
Serial.print("ATQA : ");
Serial.println(dump_byte_array_to_string(req_buff,req_buff_size));
delay(100);
s = mfrc522.PICC_Select( &(mfrc522.uid),0);
Serial.print("Selected : ");
Serial.println(mfrc522.GetStatusCodeName((MFRC522::StatusCode)s));
if( mfrc522.GetStatusCodeName((MFRC522::StatusCode)s) == F("Timeout in communication.") ) { return false;}
return true;
}