This guide is written for SOLIDWORKS network licenses version 2022 and newer.

Who this is for: If you 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 installed your license manager yet, or if your existing license manager is an older year version, please see our SolidNetWork License Manager Server installation guide for instructions on installing the license manager.

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 knowledge base for “SolidNetWork Troubleshooting.”

Activation Over the Internet

The following steps should be done from the server machine hosting the network license. If the server machine does not have internet access, please review the E-mail Activation section of this document.

1. Go to Start > All Programs > SOLIDWORKS Tools 20xx > SolidNetWork License Manager Server 20xx. 20xx corresponds to the year version in use.
2. The SOLIDWORKS SolidNetWork License Manager should open.

3. Before updating the SolidNetWork License (SNL) Manager, it is important to verify that no users are currently borrowing any licenses. If any licenses are borrowed, they should be returned using the Return button.

   

4. After returning any borrowed licenses, navigate back to the Server Administration tab.

5. In SOLIDWORKS 2022 and newer, the SolidNetWork License Manager includes a Reactivate button. This allows you to bypass the previous method of using the Modify License Information button and will proceed to reactivate existing license(s) through the internet.

   

6. In the Reactivate Licenses window, you have the option to reactivate all available serial numbers or select a single item using the Serial Number drop-down menu. Select the Reactivate button to proceed.

   

7. 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 in use by another software. 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 implemented an Options File to control license usage, please leave the check mark and file path in place.

   

8. Click the Next button to continue.

9. The SOLIDWORKS Product Activation window will appear. Make sure that Automatically over the internet is selected. Please click Select All, enter your email address, and select Next.

   

10. Your SOLIDWORKS network license is now reactivated.

    

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 SolidNetWork License Manager Client installation guide for instructions on how to install SOLIDWORKS when using a network license. Alternatively, please review our documentation on modifying SOLIDWORKS if you are changing an existing client installation.

E-mail Activation

1. Refer to steps 1-6 of the Activation Over the Internet process to start the activation process.

2. The SOLIDWORKS Product Activation window will appear. Make sure that Manually via e-mail is selected. Only one serial number can be reactivated at a time with manual activation. Please select one serial number, enter your email address, and select Next.

   

3. The Manual Activation dialog will now open. Press the Save button to create a request file.

   

4. Select a location to Save the activation request .txt file. Keep the activation window open in the background while you proceed with the next steps.
5. Send an e-mail with the request .txt file attached to activation@solidworks.com. Once created, this .txt file can be sent via e-mail from any machine with internet access.
6. You will receive a return e-mail from SOLIDWORKS that has a .txt file attached. This may take a few minutes to complete.
7. Save this .txt file to the server or PC hosting the SolidNetWork License Manager.

8. Now go back to the manual activation window and press the Open button. This will launch a File Explorer window that you can use to open and read the .txt file received from SOLIDWORKS.

   

9. Your SOLIDWORKS network license 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 SolidNetWork License Manager Client installation guide for instructions on how to install SOLIDWORKS when using a network license. Alternatively, please review our documentation on modifying SOLIDWORKS if you are changing an existing client installation.

For additional support, existing customers can submit a ticket or new customers can contact Hawk Ridge Systems.