2018 Network License Update

This guide is written for 2018. If you are using an earlier version of SOLIDWORKS, please download our earlier installation documents to correctly load and administer your version of SOLIDWORKS.

This is intended for users who have purchased additional user licenses for your SOLIDWORKS network installation, or if you have upgraded any existing network seats, you will need to update your SolidNetWork License Manager to allow it to serve the new license counts.

If you have not yet installed your license manager, or if your existing license manager is an older year version, please see our 2018 Network Server installation document for the steps needed to install this version of the license server.

Notice: This document is for internet or email activation-based licensing.

This is not a troubleshooting guide. If you have any technical issues with SOLIDWORKS, please contact Hawk Ridge Systems Technical Support or search our knowledgebase for “SNL Troubleshooting”

This document is only to be distributed and used by Hawk Ridge Systems customers. Any other use is prohibited.

Contents

Activation Over Internet

E-mail Activation

Activation Over the Internet

If you do not have internet access, see the E-mail Activation section of this document.

1. Go to Start > All Programs > SOLIDWORKS 2018 > SOLIDWORKS Tools > SolidNetWork License Manager Server 2018. 

2. The SOLIDWORKS SolidNetWork License Manager should open. Navigate to the Server Administration tab and click Modify.

3. In the window that opens, select the radio button for Activate/Reactivate your product license(s). Click the Next button. 

4. The next page will ask for your computer name and port number. We suggest using all the default values listed on this page, unless the ports here are currently in use by other software.  Also, it is recommended to select A firewall is in use on this server. This will allow the SolidNetWork License Manager to work through a firewall, using only ports 25734 and 25735 inbound to the server.

Note: If an engineering manager or administrator has created and put an “Options File” in place to control license usage, please leave the check mark and file path in place.

5. Click the Next button to continue.

6. If you have internet access at this computer, choose to activate Automatically over the internet. If you are offline, see the next section on e-mail activation. Press Next.

7. Input a valid e-mail address into the Contact Information field.

8. Click the Next button to continue.

9. You will now connect to SOLIDWORKS over the internet and the product will be registered and activated.

10. Your SOLIDWORKS program is now activated.

11. Press the Finish button to complete. 

SOLIDWORKS is now properly registered and activated.

Any new or upgraded network seats will now need to be installed on client machines. Please review our 2018 Network Client Install Guide for instructions on how to install SOLIDWORKS when using a network license. Alternatively, please review our documentation on modifying SOLIDWORKS if you are upgrading an existing installation. 

E-mail Activation

1. Go to Start > All Programs > SOLIDWORKS 2018 > SOLIDWORKS Tools > SolidNetWork License Manager Server 2018. 

2. The SOLIDWORKS SolidNetWork License Manager should open. Click Modify.

3. In the window that opens, select the button for Activate/Reactivate a software license. Click the Next button.

4. The next page will ask for your computer name and port number. We suggest using the default port unless it is currently in use. Also, most servers now have firewalls that will block the ports needed for networking. Check on the A firewall is in use on this server checkbox to allow the SNL to work through the firewall, using only ports 25734 and 25735 inbound to the server.

Note: If an engineering manager or administrator has created and put an “Options File” in place, to control license usage, please leave the check mark and file path in place.

5. Click the Next button to continue.

6. If you do not have internet access at this computer, choose to activate Manually via email.

7. Input a valid e-mail address into the Contact Information field.

8. Click the Next button to continue.

9. The Manual Activation dialog will now open. You will want to press the Save button to create a request file. 

10. Next, select a location to Save this activation request .txt file.

Note: Keep the activation window open in the background while you proceed with the next steps.

11. At this point, open your e-mail program and send an e-mail with the request .txt file attached to the message to activation@solidworks.com.

NOTE: Once created, this .txt file can be sent via e-mail from any machine with internet access.

12. You will receive a return e-mail from SOLIDWORKS that has a .txt file attached. This .txt file must be moved back over to the server if it was emailed from a different computer. 

Your return email will look like this:

13. Download this .txt file and place on the server or PC hosting the SNL manager.

14. Now, go back to the manual activation dialog on the SNL server, press the Open button. This will bring up a browser to select and read in the .txt file you have been sent.

15. Click Next.

16. Your SOLIDWORKS is now activated. Press the Finish button to complete.

SOLIDWORKS is now properly registered and activated.

Any new or upgraded network seats will now need to be installed on client machines. Please review our 2018 Network Client Install Guide for instructions on how to install SOLIDWORKS when using a network license. Alternatively, please review our documentation on modifying SOLIDWORKS if you are upgrading an existing installation.

 
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