Using a Mastercam Software Network License with a Virtual Private Network (VPN)

Using a Mastercam Software Network License with a Virtual Private Network (VPN)



Mastercam licensing can work with a Virtual Private Network (VPN), however, configuring VPN settings are not supported by MCAM Northwest, and you will need to contact your VPN support for assistance.
  1. Step 1 is to confirm that Mastercam Licensing is working on your network.  This is something that MCAM Northwest can assist with.  Our article on setting up Network Software Licensing for Mastercam can be found here:  https://mcamnorthwestinc.zohodesk.com/portal/en/kb/articles/licensing-network-software-license-software-license-updating
  2. Step 2 once computers are confirmed able to access the License Server, it's time to connect to your VPN and try launching Mastercam.  If computers connected to the VPN can still access the license server and launch Mastercam, no further action is needed.   If computers connected to the VPN can no longer launch Mastercam and receive a "No License Found" error, then it is time to contact your VPN provider for support.  The likely issue is that port forwarding rules (inbound and outbound) for UDP/TCP need to be created for port 22350.  This is the port CodeMeter uses for license communication.
  3. Step 3 Mastercam's Knowledgebase Article on setup for VPN can be found below.  Please share this information with your VPN provider.



Problem

Mastercam needs to be used after moving from a physical office to a work from home environment.

Solution

If the Mastercam licenses are on a networkable software license, the client machine needs to have access to the network the server is broadcasting the license across. This can be achieved by the client system connecting to their work network via a Virtual Private Network (VPN) connection and the CodeMeter WebAdmin configured to point directly to the IP address of the license server. Due to the VPN connection, the automatic search will not find the license, so each client must be configured to look for the server’s IP address.

    1. To point a client directly to the network software license host, launch the CodeMeter Control Center from the Windows Start menu, CodeMeter folder.
    2. In the lower right corner of the CodeMeter Control Center, click WebAdmin. The default web browser of the system will open to the following address: http://localhost:22352

    1. Click the Configuration tab on the top of the WebAdmin page. Select <strong”>add new Server.</strong”>

    1. Type the IP address of the server hosting the Mastercam software license.

  1. Once the IP address of the server is entered, click Apply before exiting the WebAdmin page. Now, Mastercam will look for that IP address when trying to find an available license.

Note 1: Nothing on the server needs to change to work remotely from it. If the license is broadcasting across the Network, and VPN clients are allowed access to port 22350 on the server, they will be able to check a Mastercam license out from the server. If this setup does not work, make sure there are no firewall settings treating remote connections differently than onsite ones.

Note 2: If a customer wants to Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) into a computer still in the office, Mastercam will run on this system over a Remote session. This is because the host computer still has direct access to the network that the network software license is broadcasting across. This is not an optimal situation, but it will work.