Autocad 2014 Borrowed License fails with Wireless network ON, Works with it OFF!

[Anonymous]

Hello,

We have an unsual problem for someone to patch.   This problem turned up with the current version of Autocad, not prior versions.

One of our staff has connected her laptop to our network (by cable) and borrowed a license.

It would work ok here connected or disconnected.

When she would return home, it would give her an error it could not find a license server.

On Testing her PC here we found that:

We could repeate the error occasionally if the wireless was on and the units was not connected by cable.

Our next test involved turning off the wireless adapter.

When the adapter was turned off would NOT get the error.

For now we will have the user turn off her wireless, open the autodesk application she has borrowed, then turn it on.

However, could you please find and repair this bug?

Thank you much,

Garry J. Schindler

IT - MSC SouthEast Technical

[dgorsman]

I don't think its a bug.  The network adaptor and other hardware in laptops is frequently turned off by default when its not connected.  This constitutes a system change so the borrowed license sees itself on a system which is different that what it was assigned to, and won't function.  As we  only borrow licenses with a hardwire connection, we go into the power options and ensure the network adaptor is left on even when not connected.  You'll need to do something similar - ensure the laptop hardware is in the same state when offline as when borrowing.

[Anonymous]

Sorry, let me clarify.  The license was borrowed when wired prior.  We found that we had to have the WIRELESS NOT CONNECTED to any network to stop from getting the error.   Connect to a wireless network and the load will fail every time.  When most homes are wireless people have their laptops set to auto-connect.   If our users have to disconnect, load, then re-connect....  its extra steps that will make for more support calls.  I would think that something could be improved in the software.     

[TravisNave]

If the wireless disables the physical NIC and the MAC address no longer is listed, then your license will fail.  Since it is highly unlikely that both NICs will be used at the same time, you could probably clone the physical NIC to the WiFi adapater and always be good to go.  I know on our latest Dell laptops, connecting one will disconnect the other.  Docking stations also exhibit the same issue because the physical NIC on the dock is not the same as the one on the actual laptop.  I have also seen this happen with turning BlueTooth off.  Basically, any hardware changes will affect licensing.  Likewise, logging in as another user does the same.

This is not a software design flaw. It is a means to prevent piracy. 

[Anonymous]

Sometimes well intended engineering leaves a bit to be desired by the end user.  

So it may be functioning as intended, but still cause the end user issues.

Please remember that my users are not software engineers, support techs, or computer gurus.

They do not care why something is the way it is.

The just want it to work easily and get done what they need to.

In most cases, they expect the software to guide them and be intuative.

If something had prompted my user to try this or that, and it worked... I would not be asking.

I was hoping there might have been some improvements to make things easier, and make my users more content.