Chief Architect X1 Network License Setup

I recently had the enjoyment of setting up the network license HASP key and server software for Chief Architect X1 Full. While there are no direct instructions in the manual for a network setup (that I could find) I WAS able to find the instructions on the Chief Architect website on How do I install a network hardware lock?. While this gives a great step-by-step on how to install and setup the hardware lock, (I followed the instructions to a "T"), it would only produce the wonderful error of: "No appropriate hardware lock found" when installing a network usb hardware lock on the client computers.

Theoretically, the Network License "Service" is supposed to Multicast through UDP, letting the clients know it's available and the clients then authenticate to the Hardware Lock (HL). This is all fine and dandy if you are on the same subnet / vlan of a network, however in my case, it did not work even though I was on the same subnet. I pulled my hair out for several hours trying to figure out why the "host" Laptop was not being seen by all of the "Client" Laptops (Not my decision to have this software on laptops...) Yeah, they are all hooking up through wireless, but I didn't have a problem with them seeing each other via ping. I did notice in the How do I install a network hardware lock? section, something about forcing them through TCP instead of UDP. It wasn't until I was at my final wits end, that I decided to go this route. I later found out that the whole reason it wasn't working was because multicast was turned off for all wireless connections... Ergo UDP was out of the question.

What I ended up doing, was to move the ALMS (License Service) over to an actual Windows server, because it maintains a static IP for the building location. Once this was complete, I downloaded the latest NetHASP License Manager (HASP HL). I personally recommend uninstalling the server & drivers (Control Panel -> Add Remove Programs) that were installed from the DVD and use the updated versions from Aladdin.

Install Note
I highly recommend NOT installing the Hardware Lock (HL) until the ALMS software is finished!! During the ALMS install, it will automatically install the HL drivers and this process takes a LONG TIME... (3-5 min) Once the software is complete, you should be safe to install the HL.

Once the new NetHASP LM is installed and running, download the updated tcpip.zip file from the Aladdin Support page, extract it and copy the NETHASP.INI to the ROOT of the Chief Architect program folder on EACH CLIENT'S COMPUTER. For example:

C:\Program Files\Chief Architect Inc\Chief Architect X1\

Open NETHASP.INI and you will find:

[NH_COMMON]
;; This NetHASP.INI file is configured to TCPIP. 
;; Please enter the address of the machine which the NetHASP key is connected to;

NH_TCPIP = Enabled; 			; Use the TCP/IP protocol


[NH_TCPIP]

NH_SERVER_ADDR = xx.xx.xx.xx; 	 	; IP addresses of all the NetHASP 
					; License Managers you want to search.
					; Unlimited addresses and multiple
					; lines are possible.
					;
					; Possible address format examples:
					; IP address:      192.114.176.65
					; Local Hostname:  ftp.aladdin.co.il

NH_TCPIP_METHOD = UDP			; Send a TCP packet or UDP packet
					; Default:  UDP

					; Note: HASP API v8.x supports UDP,
					; it doesn't support TCP.

NH_USE_BROADCAST = Enabled 		; Use TCPI/IP Broadcast mechanism.
					; Default:  Enabled

Notice the string that shows: NH_SERVER_ADDR = xx.xx.xx.xx;
change the xx.xx.xx.xx to the IP of your ALMS server. (Make sure to leave the ending ";")

Next, find the NH_TCPIP_METHOD = UDP string and change it to TCP

Save the file and open Chief Architect!