SolidNetWork License (SNL) Manager Troubleshooting Tips

The aim of this blog is to aid in any issues which may arise when using the SOLIDWORKS SolidNetWork License (SNL) manager.  Below, you’ll find highlights of the main areas that sometimes cause trouble with obtaining a license.

Please note that you may need to speak with your IT department before performing some of these tests and always make sure you consult with them before any changes to your hardware or settings.

Firewall considerations

For additional security, using a firewall is great for protection however it may cause a roadblock at times for the SNL manager. We recommend you enable the selection ‘a firewall is in use on this server’ in the Activation Manager to avoid any blocking

In addition, the firewall could be blocking the port numbers required for access to the SNL manager. It is recommended to add both inbound and outbound rules for port number ‘25734’ and ‘25735’ to the exceptions list.

PING test

There may be times that the issue may not stem from SOLIDWORKS or the SNL manager but instead from external problems like hardware or server connections. The easiest way to check for this is by using a Ping test which can also help you see if the client machine is talking to the server.

To start a ping test, open a command prompt by going to Start > All programs > Accessories > Command Prompt and perform the following:

Type “ping <server_name>” without quotes and without <> (example: ping Machine123)

For successful ping tests, you’ll see the replies for each packet sent in the ping test. A Windows ping test will typically send 4 packets (see image below).

This is great for troubleshooting for any typical latency issues, but the fact that the ping test returned results means that your computer can connect to the server.

TELNET test

Telnet is a useful network protocol to test the connection to a server and find out if a specific port is open. In regards to the SNL manager; it’s great for testing if the ports ‘25734’ or ‘25735’ are open or not.

To perform a Telnet test, the Telnet Client needs to be turned on by going to the Control Panel > Programs > Turn Windows features on or off. In the list of Windows Features, check the box beside Telnet Client to enable the feature.

Afterwards, launch the Command prompt and type in the command telnet, followed by a space then the server name, followed by another space and then the port number. This should look like: telnet host_name port_number (see image below for example). Press Enter to perform the telnet. If the telnet succeeds the prompt will display a flashing cursor, if it fails it will report that it cannot open the connection.

Is the registry key correct?

If all the tests are successful and you are still having problems checking out a license from the server, the next step is to review the license manager registry key to make sure the server name is entered correctly:
1. From the Windows Start menu, select Run and type regedit:
2. In the Registry Editor find these keys:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\FLEXlm License Manager
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\FLEXlm License Manager
3. Double-click on the string SW_D_LICENSE_FILE and make sure the server name is right. Otherwise, overwrite the server name (25734@server_name).
**Check with IT before making this change**

Remember: your SOLIDWORKS reseller should be the first point of contact if you’re experiencing any trouble with accessing a license.

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Andrew Tsim is an Applications Engineer at TMS CADCentre, a SOLIDWORKS Value Added Reseller in Scotland.  You can read more from Andrew on the TMS CADCentre blog.