Easy steps to enable Finger Print Reader on Linux Mint / Ubuntu

Here I am using Linux Mint 14 ( Mint is very similar OS to Ubuntu) on Lenovo ThinkPad machine.

Step 1 - is your Finger print reader detected by system...?

First check whether your figer print reader is recognized or not by the system. for this open terminal and run command.

$ lsusb

  

It shows information about USB buses in the system and the devices connected to them. Then look for your finger print reader device. (My finger print reader device, Upek is listed in device list.)

.. 

Bus 004 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0003 Linux Foundation 3.0 root hub
Bus 001 Device 003: ID 147e:2020 Upek 
Bus 001 Device 004: ID 04f2:b2eb Chicony Electronics Co., Ltd 
..

Step 2 -Installing fPrint

Use following commands to install fPrint.

$ sudo add-apt-repository ppa:fingerprint/fprint

$ sudo apt-get update

$ sudo apt-get install libpam-fprintd  

if Installation is success, the needed lines in common-auth should now be present. for that type following command in terminal

$ grep fprint /etc/pam.d/common-auth

you should observe similar output like this,

auth [success=2 default=ignore] pam_fprintd.so 

Final (Fun) Step - configure fPrint

Now run

$ fprintd-enroll

swipe your right index finger until process is completed.

Using device /net/reactivated/Fprint/Device/0
Enrolling right index finger.
Enroll result: enroll-stage-passed
Enroll result: enroll-stage-passed
Enroll result: enroll-stage-passed
Enroll result: enroll-stage-passed
Enroll result: enroll-stage-passed
Enroll result: enroll-stage-passed
Enroll result: enroll-completed

Now you should be able to authenticate (Login, Terminal,  Lock screen, and everywhere ) by swiping your right index finger.

see how it works on terminal authentication.

( Note: If finger print fails, then system automatically prompt you to enter password. )

Have fun...

Alternatives for fPrint:

I found another GUI client called Fingerprint GUI.( http://www.n-view.net/Appliance/fingerprint/ ) it has some advance features, compare to fPrint.

Reference: 

1. http://www.thinkwiki.org/wiki/How_to_enable_integrated_fingerprint_reader_with_fprint