zeke 693 Posted June 7, 2011 Share Posted June 7, 2011 I was looking for a way to convert my node locked CCS license into a floating license when I stumbled across a really good idea. This article on e2e suggests a novel way of using a node locked license as a pseudo-floating license using a USB WLAN stick. The node lock uses the PC's ethernet MAC address. If you use a USB WLAN stick then you can move that stick from PC to Laptop without any licensing issues. Cool! Time to go and get a USB WLAN stick. bluehash 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
zeke 693 Posted June 7, 2011 Author Share Posted June 7, 2011 I got an ASUS USB-N13 Wireless-N adapter for $30 and installed in my new host. Then I went over to the TI myRegistered Software page and managed my license so that the primary MAC address was the new USB wireless adapter's. I can now confirm that this method works. This is an very inexpensive floating license. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
bluehash 1,581 Posted June 8, 2011 Share Posted June 8, 2011 Thanks zeke. I'm going to do this now. Also, do you to how many times they limit changing your MAC address in the login panel? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
gordon 229 Posted June 8, 2011 Share Posted June 8, 2011 The article zeke linked suggests three. bluehash 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
zeke 693 Posted June 8, 2011 Author Share Posted June 8, 2011 Don't you think that this will be the last time you ever change the MAC address when you use this method? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
bluehash 1,581 Posted June 8, 2011 Share Posted June 8, 2011 Hehe.. it would. Until I loose the dongle. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
gordon 229 Posted June 8, 2011 Share Posted June 8, 2011 So for the replacement get one that allows changing its MAC address . Out of curiosity, since lots of NICs (both wired and wifi) allow changing their MAC addresses, can't you just change the MAC and be done with it? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
bluehash 1,581 Posted June 8, 2011 Share Posted June 8, 2011 In some companies, hardware macs are recorded for authentication. If I keep changing my hardware mac, I'll have to keep bugging IT to change it in their backend. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
gordon 229 Posted June 8, 2011 Share Posted June 8, 2011 I'd have guessed that the kind of place you need to tell IT about a changed MAC address is the kind of place where plugging in a wifi adapter is closely followed by a long and utterly inconvenient talk with SecOps. At least that's how we do it . On the more constructive side, plugging in the wifi adapter doesn't mean it has to actually be used, does it (from CCS' license checking perspective, that is)? If not, there's the simple answer. You can also promise IT to unsolder the radio, they might recall the black helicopters . Quote Link to post Share on other sites
zeke 693 Posted June 8, 2011 Author Share Posted June 8, 2011 No, the MAC address just has to be present on the machine. Instead of butchering the radio, you could also disable the radio in the hardware properties. It's an option for this ASUS N13 unit. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
gordon 229 Posted June 9, 2011 Share Posted June 9, 2011 Or have a friend write you a skeleton NDIS driver. It need not do anything except for having a settable MAC address (so it could unconditionally lie not having a link, for example). Publish it on the Internet for everyone to mirror. Spend the $30 on reward beer for the friend. I'm guessing for someone familiar with Windows driver writing it would be like good pastime for a slow saturday afternoon. That is hard to lose . And, thinking about it, it's actually not even a bad idea... Anyone with such a friend up his sleeve? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
zeke 693 Posted June 9, 2011 Author Share Posted June 9, 2011 In that case, couldn't you just use virtualbox then? You can set the MAC on a virtualbox virtual ethernet adapter. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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