Milind Mohan Koyande

BlueProximity: Lock Computer using your Phone

BlueProximity is a tool which detects your mobile phone via bluetooth and locks your computer when your bluetooth phone is out of bluetooth reach. If you move away from your Desktop of computer and the distance between you and computer is more than a certain limit for a given time, BlueProximity will lock it automatically. You can also execute or start any shell command using this software. Once the administrator/User come nearer than the configured level for a set of time, the system will gets unlock automatically.

Things required

1) Bluetooth Dongle

2) Mobile Phone with Bluetooth.

Steps to Install BlueProximity

Automatic (For Hardy or newer version)

BlueProximity is included in the repos of Hardy or newer version of Ubuntu and it can be installed using "apt-get":

sudo apt-get install blueproximity

Manual Installation

For older version of Ubuntu (Older than Hardy) you will have to manually install blueproximity.

1) First you have to install Dependencies

sudo apt-get install bluez-utils python-gtk2 python-glade2 python-configobj python-bluez

2) Install latest version of python-support package from security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/pool/main/p/python-support/ and install it using command "sudo dpkg -i"

3) Install BlueProximity

Download BlueProximity from http://sourceforge.net/projects/blueproximity/files/ OR http://mirrors.kernel.org/ubuntu/pool/universe/b/blueproximity/ and install it using "dpkg"

Pair Devices

1) Insert Bluetooth Dongle on your System and enable it (and set it Visible)

2) Activate Bluetooth on your Mobile and Scan for your computer.

3) Authorize and Pair both the devices using PIN.

Steps to Configure BlueProximity

1) Open blueproximity from Accessories or execute the command "blueproximity"

2) Scan for the devices and Select the device you want to configure. (Make sure that the device is Paired with Computer Already)

3) BlueProximity Settings/Configuration/Details: Click on Proximity Details which will show following options

Set Following

Lock:

Distance: 7

time: 10

Unlock:

Distance: 3

time: 3

4) Locking and Unlocking: By Default Proximity uses following commands to lock and unlock your screen automatically.

Locking Command: gnome-screensaver-command -l

Unlocking command: gnome-screensaver-command -d

But you can turn your monitor off at the time of lock which will save Electricity when you are away from your computer and switch it on when you return. Using Following Commands to lock&turn off and "unlock & turn On the monitor

Locking Command: gnome-screensaver-command -l && xset dpms force off

Unlocking command: xset dpms force on && gnome-screensaver-command -d

Now, get up from your chair and move few steps back!!!!

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