Craftsman EntryEase Fingerprint Keyless Entry Pad rarely works. April 03, 2011

I purchased the Craftsman EntryEase Fingerprint Keyless Entry Pad because I liked the idea of the higher security, the low sale price and the fact that it is a cool technology. It was very deeply discounted ($35 with a regular price of around $110), where a comparable keypad was $40, so I took a chance on it. Other reviews talked about how difficult it was to get a good scan, but I assumed that the other reviewers were doing something incorrectly, and that since I'm an engineer, I could figure out the right way. I was wrong.

On the positive side, it installs easily, is well made, and was a great price. It synchronized with my Craftsman garage door opener on the first try.

The negatives all have to do with the actual scanning. I'm sure you've seen fingerprint scanners on TV. You will notice that these scanners have a moving light/sensor of some kind, very similar to the way a computer scanner works. With those scanners, you hold your finger steady and the scanning sensor moves across your finger. The Craftsman EntryEase Fingerprint Keyless Entry Pad does not work this way. You provide the scanning motion by placing your finger over a narrow, horizontal sensor strip and moving your finger downward. The key is that you must move your finger at a steady speed, and that this speed must match the speeds and exact position that you used when you first set the device up. This seems to be the source of all the difficulties. I have spent as long as 10 minutes scanning my finger over and over again before it finally recognizes my finger and opens the door. I have also had it open on the first scan, but this only happened once. I have tried a variety of tricks, including positioning my other fingers to force the scanned finger into the same position every time I scan. (You must do this when you first set the device up so that the "sampling" scans match what you do when using the device.) The device stores four different fingerprints, so I have also tried to increase the odds of getting a good scan by saving my fingerprint four times, but this didn't seem to help much. So I would strongly recommend, unless you are buying it to experiment, that you wait until this technology has been improved further before buying it.

If you choose to buy one anyway, I'd like to provide a few hints here that I did not feel were clearly called out in the instructions.

1. There is a yellow LED labeled "Retry" that sometimes comes on after you scan your finger. (During initial programming, this LED is supposed to come on repeatedly as an indication to scan an additional time, as three samples are needed. My comments here are related to this LED in normal use.) I initially thought that this meant the scanner did not recognize your fingerprint, but this is not what it means. It seems to mean that the speed at which you moved your finger was outside the range of the device. Usually, it means you are moving your finger too fast. If you continually cause this LED to light, after some period of time (maybe 30-60 seconds), the device will stop scanning, and you will have to hit one of the other buttons ("Resend" or "Enroll") to reactivate it. If you get the yellow light, try slowing down. The time for your finger to cross the sensor area should be about one second. The red "Fail" LED will come on if the fingerprint scans but is not recognized.

2. I am a gadget nut, and couldn't wait to try the scanning out, so I scanned my fingerprint before I actually mounted the device. This was a mistake, because the position of my finger was completely different than it would after the device was mounted. Therefore, after it was mounted, I couldn't get a successful scan. Don't succumb to temptation and make the same mistake I did.

3. Be sure to apply adequate pressure so that your finger is pressed to the sensor strip window.

4. Keep your finger flat against the device while scanning.

5. Make sure the tip of your finger clears the sensor strip during all scanning, especially while setting the device up. The fact that your finger clears the sensor strip seems to indicate that the scan is complete.

I hope that the foregoing has helped, and good luck!

Opening the Garage with this device is Undependable!!! July 21, 2010

I bought this for my son to get in the house after school. It's very undependable. I can't get it to work at all. My son have a little more success with it  than i do. I thought it would be more secure than the number pad.Well i was right. It's so secure we can't get in. I wouldn't recommend it. I will be exchanging it for a number pad soon.

Works ok EXCEPT... July 03, 2010

...that you need to realize that, although you are gaining superior security with this device, you are giving up the ability to allow someone into your home via the normal keypad when you are away from the house (i.e.:  running late and meeting someone at your house and want to allow them access).  

For example: I was meeting the baby-sitter at my house after work one day (she was taking care of our 1 year baby on a rare Saturday in which I had to work a half-day).  I wanted her to meet me at the house at a certain time.  Of course, I ran into weekend road construction and was about 20 minutes late.  In the old days, I would've called and gave her a code (I later simply change the code) that would have allowed her into the house, rather than her having to wait in her car in 95 degree weather w/my infant daughter.  I never thought of this situation when I bought this device.  So just be forewarned.  

You get something (the neat factor and some convenience), but you give up something too (rare situations in which you WANT to allow someone access)!   

The Fingerprint keypad is foolproof! July 01, 2010

Great product! No codes to forget, or get compromised by getting passed around by children, or adults!