Host-ID

[sandra1]

Hello maybe you can helb me with my Host-ID.

I am new at mathcad and so I have a question to the licensing.

First I had to log in and then I have to enter the productcode and pick a Host-ID.

2 different Host-IDs are suggested but I just dont know for what I need it and which one I should pick.

[LucMeekes]

From the installation guide:

To request a license, know the Host ID of the computer to which you intend to
assign the license. In most cases, the Host ID will be the MAC address of the
active network adapter. For more information on types of licenses and the Host
ID, see Obtaining a License.

Is it possible that the computer you are using has two network (ethernet) interfaces, one for wired (LAN) the other wireless (WiFi)?

I think I would supply the MAC address of the wired interface in your case (having the option to choose), because that one is bound to stay with the computer. The wireless network adapter is more probably interchangeable, and then it's MAC address would be changed as well, with all its consequences.

Success!

Luc

[MJG]

You can run getmac /v from the command prompt to get information about your computer's MAC addresses.

I have three: Ethernet (my Mathcad license is linked to this one), Wi-Fi, and VPN.

Edit:

The default display format (table) cuts off long text.  use the following command to see the full text:

getmac /v /fo list

[RichardJ]

If it's a notebook computer, and you unplug the network cable then the wired network adapter may shut off, and "poof" goes that MAC ID. So I would choose the WiFi MAC ID.

[MJG]

This is not the case.  The WiFi, Ethernet, and VPN MAC addresses are all constant regardless of network connection.  I'd stick with a WiFi or Ethernet MAC address, but I think you'd be safe using either one.

[RichardJ]

Sorry. Got it backwards.

Currently, my PC shows three MAC IDs: wired, wireless, and Bluetooth. If I turn off the WiFi the wireless MAC ID vanishes. There have been at least a couple of other reports of people having licensing problems because of this. So Luc is correct. Do NOT tie the license to the WiFi MAC ID. Tie it to the wired MAC ID (I think you can turn that off too, but you have to do it manually).

[LucMeekes]

You can turn off 'manually' either network, depending on how you define 'manually'.

For the wired network, you have to go to hardware configuration and disable the driver (use your hand and mouse to select and click a couple of times at least => manually).

For the wireless network, on many laptops, there is a button you can press (with a finger => manually) to disable the wireless interface. That can even happen inadvertently....

To turn off the wired network requires deliberate actions.

Take your pick.

Success!
Luc

[Werner_E]

I am confused as you say, that you are offered two different Host-IDs.

As was already said, Host-IDs usually means the MAC-Address of a network interface.

But as I remember, the way this Host-ID is derived has differt from Mathcad 15 and Prime.

In Mathcad 15 a license file bound to ANY network interface present (even a virtual adapter 😉 would be accepted.

In Prime they used a mechanism to determine a so called "primary" network interface and only a license bound to that very interface would be accepted.

So people with more than one NIC (wired, WLAN, Bloototh) ran into troubles, when the deactiveated one of them and it happend to be the one which was determinded as "primary". If this adapter is deactivated, another is detected as "primary" and the license is not valid anymore. It was reported, that for some people PTC support created an additional license file for each possible NIC and they had to point Prime to  the correct one, depending on which one was active or deactivated - what a hassle. I guess using an environment variable this process could be made automatic and transparent.

PTC had provided a utility called cpu_id.exe to list the "primary" MAC-Address -> http://support.ptc.com/WCMS/files/90575/en/cpu_id.exe

Has the behaviour of the single "primary" NIC been changed in Prime 4?

[VladimirN]

If you run the installer of Mathcad 15 (link is: http://download.ptc.com/products/mathcad/trial/mc15/Mathcad15_EN.zip ) then at the first step of the installation you will see your network card address (in the lower left corner).

[Daniel_MathMan]

I've experienced much confusment on registering a license, but I found the only way was with a license file. The file is named (something like) Math***license.dat and can be found after mathcad installation in the \windows\program data\mathcad\license folder. You can then copy it to you documents folder for easy access. Choose "license file" for registration/license  method, not a server, and browse/point to the *.dat file when directed. These notes may not be exact, but it's enough to get you there if you have some computer savvy. PTC makes it difficult to register the license. Lousy protocol.