XPS 13 - Fingerprint reader Linux support

There is also a bug open here for this issue: bugs.freedesktop.org/show_bug.cgi

It seems that the communication for this particular series of fingerprint readers is encrypted and that there are no open source drivers (e.g. previous iterations like the device ID 183a:0090 still do not have open source drivers even though the hardware is not new).

It would be good if Dell could push for or develop these drivers? Failing that, if they included an alternate fingerprint reader on their Ubuntu devices that is actually supported..

I also just got a new XPS 9360 DE with the fingerprint reader and have this issue. Does anyone have an update for functionality? It's kind of absurd that the reader is even offered if it doesn't work...

@Community,

Thank you for your conversation regarding XPS 13 and Ubuntu fingerprint reader compatibility.

Dell officially does not support fingerprint reader functionality when running Dell OEM Ubuntu. Dell has removed fingerprint reader options from the XPS 13 9360 DE sales pages.  

We apologize for any confusion.

I have just purchased a Dell XPS 13 with OEM Ubuntu and a fingerprint reader. This means that the product was NOT removed from Dell.com and you are still selling useless hardware. It seems like this cannot be legal. I feel that I am entitled to a refund for the cost of the sensor.

I've been told they removed the option as well after I purchased my device. I'd prefer it if Dell actually made a difference here for once and pushed for a Linux driver! I simply cannot understand any reasoning why that would not be feasible. What are you so afraid of? Someone might copy your driver and make a better FP reader? It's called competition and it's a good thing.

On Oct 22nd, I ordered the Dell XPS 13 Ubuntu laptop. I was offered the fingerprint scanner as an option, and so assumed it would work without any issues. Sadly, I hadn't read this thread first.

When the laptop arrived on Nov 1st and I couldn't get the scanner to work, I discovered this thread after a bit of searching.

At that stage, I asked my Dell sales rep (Muhammed Ghufran) for a refund of the part (£20.84), as I believed it was sold to me fraudulently (as it could never have worked).

He insisted I give Dell technical support a chance to give me a solution. After lots of backwards and forwards with Alan Fletcher and one of his advisors, Mark (tech support call ref: 956111615), we realised that the suggested fingerprint-gui package just didn't work with the fingerprint scanner that came with the Dell (device ID: 138a 0091).

I went back to Muhammed and again asked for a refund. At this stage, he told me that he couldn't do anything as the order was placed online, and suggested I ring Dell customer care on 0844 444 4712.

I did that this morning (Nov 9th), and explained the situation. At this point, I was told that as more than 14 days had elapsed since placing the order, no refund could be given.

I mentioned that the Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013 give me 14 days to cancel the order from the date I received the laptop (Nov 1st), and the person on the phone stated that they would put me through to the UK customer care (so I've no idea where he was, given I dialled a UK number).

After explaining the whole mess yet again (customer care call ref: < >), and a lot of waiting on hold, I was told that after 1-2 working days a refund would be approved, and 3-5 working days after approval, I should get a refund.

Dell have done nothing but give me the runaround in trying to get a refund for this fraudulent sale. If it wasn't for me quoting the Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013, I'd have got nothing out of this. It's not even as if I'm going to get back any money for the phone calls or my time to resolve this.

All in all, I'm not very happy with Dell's stance on this, and certainly not happy with the fact that, as of this morning (Nov 9th), the fingerprint scanner is still being offered with a configuration under which it can never work.

Just notes as an outside observer:

@BillyRayPreachersSon: great post! Very useful log of information and details. It is easy to tell how frustrated you are (I will be extremely *** off), and you did not make the mistake of just saying stuff like "f you dell!". Instead, you calmly explained the horrible process you went through, and as a result, it looks like Justin is going to figure out what went wrong. Well done and thank you!

@Justin thanks for taking BillyRay's comments seriously. It would be great if you were able to update us on what you looked into and hopefully fixed.

In summary, great constructive conversation in this thread!

Billyraypreachersson,

Thank you for your feedback. I will send you a friend request shortly as I'd like to gather some information from you in order to drive correction.

Hi Justin,

I've accepted your request.

Thanks for looking into this.

Dan

@Relevant and BillyRayPreachersSon,

I can now confirm that Dell will be removing the Fingerprint reader option from the 9360 Dev. Edition configurations. This removal should be complete in a couple days.

Thank you both for your kind feedback.

Thanks for the update Justin!

I just bought an XPS13 DE Linux OS, and the salesman had absolutely no hesitation selling me the fingerprint option. Like the others in this thread, I just assumed a driver would/could be found for it. And, I had not found this site until now after a search for possible online explanations for fingerprint-GUI not being able to find any fingerprint devices on my Dell machine.

Will Dell EVER be acquiring/writing/reselling a driver for the fingerprint device?

Tony

I had a similar problem with a lenovo fingerprint reader and I assume the same/similar is used by Dell as well.

The reader is not built by the laptop manufacturers and the manufacturer of the fingerprint reader only offers windows drivers.

It is sad that this 19th century business behaviour is still present, but it is. I don't think that the number of linux users is big enough to convince Dell to change it's supplier, so we're stuck with that.

I had a Dell Precision M4500 from 2010 and successfully used the built in fingerprint reader with Windows and then Debian - in the latter case it worked as a login on boot for both my encrypted Samsung Drive and login to the OS.

Ready to retire that machine I have just bought a top spec Precision 7520 with Ubuntu and the fingerprint reader option but no sign of anywhere to enable it, which is why I'm here.

If the above posts represent the status quo - ie no way to use this very important to me feature, and a key reason I bought a machine with this option - I am very unhappy. The machine itself seems top notch, but selling options that don't work again and again is a major failure that deserves severe penalties, because obviously Dell has not woken up to this.

Or... is there a way to configure and enable the fingerprint reader for a brand new Dell Precision 7520?