CodeMeter over the Internet

[Marton Kiss]

Running a CodeMeter network server - accessible over the Internet - may be useful if an office has more subsidiaries or a large number of workers working from home. With this solution they can use a central license key.

The Wibu version of this article can be found here, with more detailed network description: Using Wibu key Over the Internet

Important to know

This is not an officially supported method of use. Most of the potential problems are network setting related ones. We suggest using license borrowing or single keys to avoid network related issues.

Available options

• Running a public CodeMeter server
• Using VPN (Virtual Private Network) connection to access the server

Advantages and disadvantages of a Public server

Advantages

• The key is accessible from anywhere

Disadvantages

• The access to the server needs to be controlled, the allowed client's IP addresses have to set one by one. It is important to know that most of the internet service providers are distributing dynamic IP addresses - which makes hard to handle the rights
• An active Internet connection is needed when ARCHICAD is running - any connection problem will prevent the client from using ARCHICAD
• The network latency between the server and the client can slow down the work - ARCHICAD accesses the key after regular commands, and the user must wait for the server's answer

Without setting the allowed IP addresses, anyone who knows the server's IP address can use a license.

Setting up the connection

Server side

CodeMeter settings

• Open CodeMeter Webadmin (right click on CodeMeter icon on tray/run CodeMeter application and click on WebAdmin)
• Define the network port on configuration/network tab - by default it is 22350
• Check 'Run Network Server' checkbox - without that the server will be only accessible from the local network (LAN)
• Apply
• Restart CodeMeter service in CodeMeter Control Center on Windows and in System Preferences/CodeMeter on OSX.

Here is an example screenshot of a server's settings:

Network settings

• Make sure that the defined port is open on the server's firewall in both directions
• If the server is behind a router or a gateway the port needs to be forwarded (In Wibu article you can read about how to set NAT/port forwarding: Using Wibu key Over the Internet)

Client side

CodeMeter settings

• Open CodeMeter Webadmin (right click on CodeMeter icon on tray/run CodeMeter application and click on WebAdmin)
• Define the network port - the same as on the server
• Add the server's public IP address to the Server Search List
• Apply

Here is an example screenshot of a client's settings:

Network settings

• Make sure that the defined port is open on the client's firewall in both directions
• If the client is behind a router or a gateway the port needs to be forwarded (In Wibu article you can read about how to set NAT/port forwarding: Using Wibu key Over the Internet)

Managing the rights - who can use a license from the server

In CodeMeter WebAdmin/Configuration/Access Control tab the allowed user IP addresses can be defined. The empty list means that anyone can use a license from the server.

Sometimes a re-plug of the key is needed to run the server with new access rights.

Advantages and disadvantages of a VPN Connection

Advantages

• The key can be accessed only by users who can access the VPN network, CodeMeter server side access control may not even be required
• The CodeMeter server is not a publicly available server

Disadvantages

• A VPN solution is required that needs to be set up correctly
• The VPN connection needs to be alive for the time of the ARCHICAD usage - network licenses, or for the period of license borrowing and returning - this also means that for these periods active Interned connection is required as in the previous case

Setting up the connection

The required setup is quite similar to the previous - public - case. The server needs to be set up and then the VPN connection needs to be fine tuned to allow the communication between the clients and the server. In case only those have access to the VPN network who should be able to use a license from the CodeMeter server the server side access control possibility can be even skipped.

Borrowing and returning of licenses should be tested as described here.