This guide is written for SOLIDWORKS 2023. If you are using an earlier version of SOLIDWORKS, please download our earlier installation documents.

A SolidNetWork installation allows a company to install more seats of SOLIDWORKS than the number of licenses they have. The licenses are metered out by a server computer to make sure that only the number of licenses purchased is running at any given time.

The license manager software must reside on a server that all SOLIDWORKS users have access to over a network connection.

This is not a troubleshooting guide. If you have any technical issues with SOLIDWORKS, please contact Hawk Ridge Systems technical support.

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

Contents

Before Installation

Basic Install

Activating Your Server

E-mail Activation

Before Installation

Hawk Ridge Systems highly recommends taking a moment before installing SOLIDWORKS and checking that you are ready to load your new software.

1. First, check links to ensure minimum system requirements and that your video card is compatible.
2. Next, please confirm that the hard drive has enough space to end up with at least 15% free space, after the full installation has completed so your new software will work as expected. Back-up any older SOLIDWORKS data such as any working files, custom toolbox items, saved template files, design library, or other related data files. You can also save your settings with the Copy Settings Wizard. SOLIDWORKS CAD is year specific, IE: not forward compatible, meaning older versions of SOLIDWORKS cannot open files from newer versions.
3. Login to your computer with full administrative rights.
4. Turn down the User Account Control setting (found in the Control Panel). To do this, press your Windows button, either on the screen or on the keyboard. Then type “UAC” followed by the enter key. The window that follows shows a vertical scroll bar. Make the setting “Never Notify” for the installation (requires restarting the computer to take effect) and change it back after installing, if you prefer.
5. Disable all anti-virus and anti-spyware tools.

Basic Install

The SolidNetWork License Manager is installed from the SOLIDWORKS installation download or disc. It uses the same installation manager as other SOLIDWORKS products. You will need to download the SOLIDWORKs Installation Manager to download and install SOLIDWORKS. Beginning with SOLIDWORKS 2021, DVD distribution media is provided only on request.

1. Please go to the SOLIDWORKS download page and choose the SOLIDWORKS year version that you would like to install. (Please note that you will need to login before you can get to that website.) Follow the instructions to download and start the executable. Also, if you have one, you can put in the SOLIDWORKS installation disc and start the Setup.exe. Hawk Ridge Technical Support can also supply you with a download should you be unable to access this page at the moment.
2. The Welcome page of the installation manager will ask you to specify the type of installation you would like to perform. Select the Install server components radio button. Select the Install SolidNetWork License Manager checkbox.

8. Press the Next button to continue.
9. The Summary page will appear and show your basic installation information. Under the SolidNetWork License Manager information, the installation location can be specified. If you wish to edit this, you can press the Change link on this line and return to the server options page. You can also edit the Download Options if you would like by pressing the Change button.
10. If you wish to view your Download Options or Install Locations, you can press the arrow symbol (>) in front of the desired item. Press the CHANGE button on any of these summary items to customize them.

13. Press the Install or Download and Install button to continue.

14. Your installation will begin at this point.

15. When the installation is finished, you will be asked if you would like to participate in the Customer Experience Program. This will periodically send fault and user information to Dassault Systems SOLIDWORKS Corporation to improve product performance. You can answer Yes, No, or Remind me later to this option.
16. Press the Finish button to complete the installation.

The SolidNetWork License Manager is now loaded on your server but you will now need to activate your licenses to properly give clients access to using SOLIDWORKS.

Activating Your Server

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

1. Go to Start, All Programs, SOLIDWORKS 2023, SOLIDWORKS Tools, SolidNetWork License Manager Server.
2. You will be asked if you would like to activate your licenses. Press the Yes button to continue.

3. The SNL Server Information page will ask for your computer name and port numbers. We suggest using the default ports unless it is currently in use. Also, most servers now have firewalls that will block the ports needed for networking. Turn on the option A firewall is in use on this server to lock these ports for use. Note: This is recommended for a computer without a firewall as well to lock the software to these two ports only.
4. Click the Next button to continue.

5. Click Add on the list to put your companies network serial numbers in the activation manager, each additional entry should be on a new line.

6. Select Automatically over the internet (recommended), and enter your E-mail.
7. Click the Next button to continue.
8. You will now connect to SOLIDWORKS over the internet and the product will be registered and activated. (Do not press the pictured Cancel button unless necessary.)

8. Your SOLIDWORKS is now activated.

9. Press the Finish button to complete.

SOLIDWORKS is now properly registered and activated. You can now load and run the SOLIDWORKS client machines that have access to this server.

E-mail Activation

If you do not have internet access, the e-mail activation can be used.

Note: The very first time a server is activated via e-mail, this process will need to be done twice.  Subsequent activations will only require a one request.

1. Go to Start, All Programs, SOLIDWORKS 2023, SOLIDWORKS Tools, SolidNetWork License Manager Server.
2. You will be asked if you would like to activate your licenses. Press the Yes button to continue.

3. The SNL Server Information page will ask for your computer name and port numbers. We suggest using the default ports unless it is currently in use. Most servers will have firewalls that will block the ports needed for networking; check on the A firewall is in use on this server to lock these ports for use. Note: This is recommended for a computer without a firewall as well to lock the software to these two ports only.

4. Click the Next button to continue.
5. Click Add, and place in your serial numbers. If you have multiple serial numbers, start a new line for each entry.
6. Choose to activate Manually via email.

6. Click the Next button to continue.
7. On the next page, press the Save button to create an activation request file. 

Warning! Once you’ve saved this file, do not exit out of the activation window until you have completed the process and read in the response e-mail from SOLIDWORKS or you will not be able to run SolidNetWork License Manager.

8. Browse to a location on your computer to store this .TXT file and press the Save button. Copy this text file on to a disk or removable storage device and move it to a machine with internet access.
9. Send this file as an attachment to an e-mail and send it to activation@solidworks.com.
10. SOLIDWORKS will send a return e-mail with a different text file attached. Save this text file to a disk or removable storage space and move it to the machine awaiting activation.
11. In the activation wizard, press the Open button on the e-mail activation page.
12. Browse to the response file and press the Open button.
13. The next page will show you that your activation is complete.
14. Press the Finish button to complete.

SOLIDWORKS is now properly registered and activated. You can now load and run the SOLIDWORKS client machines that have access to this server.

For further assistance, please contact our support team at support@hawkridgesys.com, or 877-266-4469 (US) or 866-587-6803 (Canada).