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Sachin
Asked: 2019-01-08 08:39:37 +0800 CST

Fingerprint reader in ubuntu 18.04

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I'm using a Lenovo Thinkpad e580 with Ubuntu 18.04

I tried fingerprint-gui but it says "no devices found!".

lsusb command results this:

Bus 002 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0003 Linux Foundation 3.0 root hub
Bus 001 Device 004: ID 06cb:00a2 Synaptics, Inc. 
Bus 001 Device 003: ID 04f2:b604 Chicony Electronics Co., Ltd 
Bus 001 Device 005: ID 8087:0a2a Intel Corp. 
Bus 001 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub

I suspect my device is Bus 001 Device 004: ID 06cb:00a2 Synaptics, Inc.

I tried a few online solutions, but I'm not able to find proper driver support for my system.

I found this link for Lenovo Thinkpad L390, it also has the same fingerprint device and it is certified by the ubuntu, given all hardware support.

As I understand the driver support is available for Synaptics, Inc. 06cb:00a2, but I'm not able to find it.

Please help me in figuring this out.

lenovo drivers fingerprint-reader synaptics 18.04

2 Answers

  1. As far as I know you don't need fingerprint-gui in 18.04.

    You need to install these packages to get it working:

    sudo apt install -y fprintd libpam-fprintd

    and then update your PAM configuration.

    sudo pam-auth-update

    Then you need to open Settings - Users, enable Fingerprint Login.

    P.S. (if you use gnome-keyring)

    Gnome-keyring is still cannot be unlocked with the fingerprint, you will need to enter your password at login or in the gnome-keyring propmt window to unlock it.

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  2. UPDATE: Some readers work with https://github.com/uunicorn/python-validity . It is your best bet to use in thinkpads produced between 2017 and 2019.

    There are no Linux drivers for these fingerprint readers. There's a reverse engineering project that is in progress. Also Lenovo support staff made a claim that drivers are being developed for some of the synaptics fingerprint readers. Right now these devices are not usuable in any Linux distro. There is no point to try.

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