Difference between revisions of "How to enable the integrated fingerprint reader"

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Ways to enable the [[integrated fingerprint reader]] on ThinkPads:
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Sub-howtos for enabling the [[integrated fingerprint reader]] on ThinkPads:
  
* [[How to enable integrated fingerprint reader with BioAPI|BioAPI]]
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* [[How to enable integrated fingerprint reader with fprint]] <- Try this first
* [[How to enable integrated fingerprint reader with fprint|fprint]]
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* [[How to enable the integrated fingerprint reader with ThinkFinger]]
* [[How to enable integrated fingerprint reader with ThinkFinger|ThinkFinger]]
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* [[How to enable integrated fingerprint reader with BioAPI]]
  
 
==Free software==
 
==Free software==
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===fprint===
 
===fprint===
For some time various projects provided support for various readers. That work mostly been unified under the [http://reactivated.net/fprint/wiki/Main_Page fprint] library, and thus libfprint and libpam-fprint (which provides authentication via PAM) are the best way to go, and in the meantime included by default in most Linux distributions. However, it seems that lately this project has stalled, and no support for newer chips has emerged for some time.
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The most current effort to support fingerprint readers is the [http://reactivated.net/fprint/wiki/Main_Page fprint project].  The fprint software comprises the libraries <tt>libfprint</tt> and <tt>libpam-fprint</tt> (which provides authentication via PAM) and the daemon <tt>fprintd</tt>.  
===Thinkfinger===
 
Alternatively, the original Thinkfinger project is at http://thinkfinger.sourceforge.net. It only provides support for the 1st generation reader, and has not been updated since 2007; see the [[How to enable the integrated fingerprint reader with ThinkFinger]] for detailed instructions. It is also in Debian Lenny. This integrates seamlessly with PAM and doesn't produce a tacky graphical prompt.
 
  
{{HINT|If you've followed the instructions and "tf-tool --verify" works, but nothing else does, make sure that the "uinput" module is loaded.}}
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It seems that lately this project has stalled; no support for newer chips has emerged for some time.
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====Fingerprint GUI====
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Makes use of libfprint.
  
===Fingerprint GUI===
 
 
Feb 2011: The following works as smoothly on Ubuntu and T410s: https://launchpad.net/~fingerprint/+archive/fingerprint-gui
 
Feb 2011: The following works as smoothly on Ubuntu and T410s: https://launchpad.net/~fingerprint/+archive/fingerprint-gui
  
==Binary-only drivers==
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Be aware the above packages (and the Fingerprint GUI project) include non-free drivers as indicated on [http://www.n-view.net/Appliance/fingerprint/about.php the project About page].
A closed source driver for the UPEK device is available.  It interfaces to the hardware as a user-space USB driver through {{path|/proc/bus/usb|}} and provides a BioAPI 1.10 device, which can then be interfaced to pam for authentication by user programs.  The driver can be downloaded from [http://www.upek.com/support/downloads/linux/ http://www.upek.com/support/downloads/linux/]; see the [[How to enable the fingerprint reader|corresponding HOWTO]] for detailed instructions. It however tends to be less stable than the above opensource drivers.
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===ThinkFinger===
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An earlier effort was the [http://thinkfinger.sourceforge.net ThinkFinger project]. It only supports the first-generation reader and has not been updated since 2007. See the [[How to enable the integrated fingerprint reader with ThinkFinger]] for detailed instructions. It was included in Debian Lenny but has since been removed from Debian.
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== Non-free software ==
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A closed source driver for the UPEK device is available.  It interfaces to the hardware as a user-space USB driver through {{path|/proc/bus/usb|}} and provides a BioAPI 1.10 device, which can then be interfaced to pam for authentication by user programs.  The driver can be downloaded from [http://www.upek.com/support/downloads/linux/ http://www.upek.com/support/downloads/linux/]. It however tends to be less stable than the above open-source drivers.
  
 
==Links==
 
==Links==
* [http://www.reactivated.net/fprint/wiki/Main_Page fprint project]
 
 
* [http://biomark.org.ru/en/ A (Russian) project that provides support for a (different model) of fingerprint scanner] (also a USB device, though)
 
* [http://biomark.org.ru/en/ A (Russian) project that provides support for a (different model) of fingerprint scanner] (also a USB device, though)
 
* [http://www.qrivy.net/~michael/blua/ A branch of the BioAPI reference implementation]
 
* [http://www.qrivy.net/~michael/blua/ A branch of the BioAPI reference implementation]
* [http://www.pdfserver.net/fingerprint A Gui using the Bioapi driver on thinkpads. Windows like GDM login]
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* [http://www.pdfserver.net/fingerprint A GUI using the BioAPI driver on thinkpads. Windows-like GDM login]
 
* [http://www.n-view.net/Appliance/fingerprint/ Fingerprint GUI Project. Allows to use the fingerprint scanner for Login (GDM) and authentication in (sudo, su). Seems to work with T410 and Ubuntu 10.04]
 
* [http://www.n-view.net/Appliance/fingerprint/ Fingerprint GUI Project. Allows to use the fingerprint scanner for Login (GDM) and authentication in (sudo, su). Seems to work with T410 and Ubuntu 10.04]
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[[Category:HOWTOs]]

Latest revision as of 15:10, 2 December 2015

Sub-howtos for enabling the integrated fingerprint reader on ThinkPads:

Free software

fprint

The most current effort to support fingerprint readers is the fprint project. The fprint software comprises the libraries libfprint and libpam-fprint (which provides authentication via PAM) and the daemon fprintd.

It seems that lately this project has stalled; no support for newer chips has emerged for some time.

Fingerprint GUI

Makes use of libfprint.

Feb 2011: The following works as smoothly on Ubuntu and T410s: https://launchpad.net/~fingerprint/+archive/fingerprint-gui

Be aware the above packages (and the Fingerprint GUI project) include non-free drivers as indicated on the project About page.

ThinkFinger

An earlier effort was the ThinkFinger project. It only supports the first-generation reader and has not been updated since 2007. See the How to enable the integrated fingerprint reader with ThinkFinger for detailed instructions. It was included in Debian Lenny but has since been removed from Debian.

Non-free software

A closed source driver for the UPEK device is available. It interfaces to the hardware as a user-space USB driver through /proc/bus/usb and provides a BioAPI 1.10 device, which can then be interfaced to pam for authentication by user programs. The driver can be downloaded from http://www.upek.com/support/downloads/linux/. It however tends to be less stable than the above open-source drivers.

Links