Installing and configuring PIPE-FLO using network licensing is usually uncomplicated. However there are a few problems that occur occasionally. This article presents a list of things to check if PIPE-FLO cannot access a network license.

1. Check your network connection to make sure that your computer can properly communicate across the network with the license server.


2. Make sure the program licenses are correctly installed on the license manager. Run WlmAdmin on the client machine either from the PIPE-FLO CD or from the "SentinelLM\English" directory. Make sure that the admin window displays your license server and shows active licenses for the programs you are trying to run. If WlmAdmin cannot find your license server, proceed to #3 and #4 listed below. If you do not see the appropriate licenses displayed below the server name, reinstall the license file.


3. Check the network communication ports. Sentinel LM requires the use of UDP ports 5093, 5094, and 5099. It also uses TCP port 5093. If any of these ports are blocked by firewalls or routers, the software may fail to function properly. XP Service Pack 2 turns on the Windows firewall by default so you will have to allow these ports to have access for the clients to communicate with the license server.


4. Make sure the license server is started. Make sure that the computer hosting your Sentinel LM software is running, connected to the network, and that the Sentinel LM service is listed as "started" in the services control panel.


5. Check that your software is set to query the correct license server. Open the file "default.cfg" located in the installation directory for your program. (This is normally "Program Files\Engineered Software\PIPE-FLO Professional"). Look for the line that begins "LicenseSvr=". Make sure that correct IP address for your license server is displayed immediately after the equals sign. If it is not there or is incorrect, please enter the correct address and save the file. Re-run the software to see if it can now access the license.


6. For users with "Small Office" versions of our software, compare the IP address of the license server to the IP address of the client computer that is having trouble finding the license. The first 3 octets of both addresses must be the same. For example, if the numbers were 10.0.1.100 and 10.0.1.200, the addresses are fine. If, however, the numbers were 10.0.34.100 and 10.0.33.100 your PIPE-FLO software will never connect to the license server. If this is the case, please contact Engineered Software Technical Support for further assistance.


7. Check for compatible versions of the license server. Make sure that the correct version of Sentinel LM is installed. If you are using an older version of Sentinel LM for managing other software, you will need to uninstall it and install the new version that is on your PIPE-FLO CD. You can then add the old licenses to the new license server software. Note: Sentinel LM installs by default into the folder "Program Files\Rainbow Technologies\SentinelLM version number info\English", where "version number info" represents the actual version of the LM software. So if you are unsure of your Sentinel LM version, you can check the install path for the numbers.


8. Run the Tester Program. Download the attached file which contains a tester program from Rainbow Technologies. Run the program included in this file and record any messages that you get. Contact Engineered Software Technical Support with the results of steps 1-9 and the messages from the tester.


9. Reinstall the Sentinel LM software. There are rare cases where the license server itself may become corrupted. To reinstall the LM software, first, browse to "Program Files\Rainbow Technologies\SentinelLM Server\English". Double-click the file "loadls.exe". Click the "Remove" button. Now close the dialog and uninstall Sentinel LM from the computer via the "Add/Remove Programs" control panel. Reboot the server and then reinstall Sentinel LM from the PIPE-FLO CD.


10. Edit the "hosts" file on both the license server and the client computer. In the license server's "hosts" file, add entries listing the hostname and IP address of the license server itself and all clients that are having trouble finding a license. In the "hosts" file of each client computer that cannot find a license, add an entry listing the hostname and IP address of both the client itself and the license server.