A radio frequency identification (RFID) system includes an RFID reader, an RFID tag, and a network connection module. The RFID reader includes a reader radio frequency (RF) bus transceiver. The network connection module includes a network connection RF bus transceiver, wherein the reader RF bus transceiver exchanges at least one of inbound RFID data and outbound RFID data with the network RF bus transceiver via an RF bus.