Altera free web FPGA software license question

Hi list,
  I don't have ethernet connection though I do have an ethernet card
installed. My computer can boot either with linux or win XP. I have dial up
connection under linux only. I downloaded ALTERA software version 4.2
(yeah, overnight dialup), obtained the license (with an arbitrary ethernet
number), and copied the files to windows partition and installed. 
  The problem is now that under XP, when I run the software it does not
think the license is a valid one. My question is whether I really need
ethernet connection under XP to run ALTERA. If I obtain another license
with the correct ethernet card number I have, will this license be valid
when I don't really have ethernet connection?
  Too tired today to do the experiment. I will appreciate it if you have a
quick answer. Otherwise I will have to do the experiment and report the
result here.  

vax, 9000

vax, 9000 wrote:
> Hi list,
>   I don't have ethernet connection though I do have an ethernet card
> installed. My computer can boot either with linux or win XP. I have
dial up
> connection under linux only. I downloaded ALTERA software version 4.2
> (yeah, overnight dialup), obtained the license (with an arbitrary
ethernet
> number), and copied the files to windows partition and installed.
>   The problem is now that under XP, when I run the software it does
not
> think the license is a valid one. My question is whether I really
need
> ethernet connection under XP to run ALTERA. If I obtain another
license
> with the correct ethernet card number I have, will this license be
valid
> when I don't really have ethernet connection?
>   Too tired today to do the experiment. I will appreciate it if you
have a
> quick answer. Otherwise I will have to do the experiment and report
the
> result here.
>
> vax, 9000

Just a data point: I have an ethernet card, but use a wireless card to
access DSL. Quartus works fine with that card's number.
Wade H

Hiya,

> Hi list,
>   I don't have ethernet connection though I do have an ethernet card
> installed. My computer can boot either with linux or win XP. I have dial
> up connection under linux only. I downloaded ALTERA software version 4.2
> (yeah, overnight dialup), obtained the license (with an arbitrary ethernet
> number), and copied the files to windows partition and installed.
>   The problem is now that under XP, when I run the software it does not
> think the license is a valid one. My question is whether I really need
> ethernet connection under XP to run ALTERA. If I obtain another license
> with the correct ethernet card number I have, will this license be valid
> when I don't really have ethernet connection?
>   Too tired today to do the experiment. I will appreciate it if you have a
> quick answer. Otherwise I will have to do the experiment and report the
> result here.

The problem is that when the network card isn't plugged in, and is set to
get an IP address over DHCP, it doesn't give out a valid ethernet address.

You can disable the DHCP media sensing using the registry. Microsoft's
support website has an article about this at the following URL:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/q239924/

This boils down to:

Use Registry Editor (regedit.exe) to view the following key in the registry:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\Tcpip\Parameters

Add the following registry value:

Value Name: DisableDHCPMediaSense

Data Type: REG_DWORD

Value Data Range: 0, 1 (False, True) Default: 0 (False)

Description: This parameter controls DHCP Media Sense behavior. If you set
this value data to 1, DHCP, and even non-DHCP, clients ignore Media Sense
events from the interface. By default, Media Sense events trigger the DHCP
client to take an action, such as attempting to obtain a lease (when a
connect event occurs), or invalidating the interface and routes (when a
disconnect event occurs).

So if you create the key and set its value to 1, everything should work
properly.

Best regards,


Ben

> > If I obtain another license
>> with the correct ethernet card number I have, will this license be valid
>> when I don't really have ethernet connection?
>>   Too tired today to do the experiment. I will appreciate it if you have a
>> quick answer. Otherwise I will have to do the experiment and report the
>> result here.
>
> The problem is that when the network card isn't plugged in, and is set to
> get an IP address over DHCP, it doesn't give out a valid ethernet address.

I don't think this is relevant Ben, the license file is generated against the
12 hex digit MAC address of the ethernet card, not the IP address.

The MAC address should be unique for every piece of ehternet connectable
kit.

You can get your MAC address by opening a (windows) command window
and typing ipconfig -all, it's listed as Physical Address.


Nial.

Hi Nial,

>> > If I obtain another license
>>> with the correct ethernet card number I have, will this license be valid
>>> when I don't really have ethernet connection?
>>>   Too tired today to do the experiment. I will appreciate it if you have
>>>   a
>>> quick answer. Otherwise I will have to do the experiment and report the
>>> result here.
>>
>> The problem is that when the network card isn't plugged in, and is set to
>> get an IP address over DHCP, it doesn't give out a valid ethernet
>> address.
> 
> I don't think this is relevant Ben, the license file is generated against
> the 12 hex digit MAC address of the ethernet card, not the IP address.

This is partly true. If an IP address hasn't been set through DHCP, the
interface gets an 169.x.y.z IP address. However, at the same time, the MAC
address for the interface can for some reason not reliably be obtained
anymore - at least not by FlexLM.

Best regards,


Ben

The basic problem is that the user is trying to use a license created for a 
different NICID than what the computer running Quartus has. Quartus does not 
require the card to be plugged into the network to check the license. A new 
license should be issued for correct NICID. The easiest way to get a license 
is to connect your computer running Quartus to the network, go to 
Tools->License-Setup and do a Web License Update.

Hope this helps,
Subroto Datta
Altera Corp.

"vax, 9000" <vax9000@gmail.com> wrote in message 
news:d1aud6$bf2$1@charm.magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu...
> Hi list,
>  I don't have ethernet connection though I do have an ethernet card
> installed. My computer can boot either with linux or win XP. I have dial 
> up
> connection under linux only. I downloaded ALTERA software version 4.2
> (yeah, overnight dialup), obtained the license (with an arbitrary ethernet
> number), and copied the files to windows partition and installed.
>  The problem is now that under XP, when I run the software it does not
> think the license is a valid one. My question is whether I really need
> ethernet connection under XP to run ALTERA. If I obtain another license
> with the correct ethernet card number I have, will this license be valid
> when I don't really have ethernet connection?
>  Too tired today to do the experiment. I will appreciate it if you have a
> quick answer. Otherwise I will have to do the experiment and report the
> result here.
>
> vax, 9000 

vax, 9000 wrote:

> Hi list,
>   I don't have ethernet connection though I do have an ethernet card
> installed. My computer can boot either with linux or win XP. I have dial
> up connection under linux only. I downloaded ALTERA software version 4.2
> (yeah, overnight dialup), obtained the license (with an arbitrary ethernet
> number), and copied the files to windows partition and installed.
>   The problem is now that under XP, when I run the software it does not
> think the license is a valid one. My question is whether I really need
> ethernet connection under XP to run ALTERA. If I obtain another license
> with the correct ethernet card number I have, will this license be valid
> when I don't really have ethernet connection?
>   Too tired today to do the experiment. I will appreciate it if you have a
> quick answer. Otherwise I will have to do the experiment and report the
> result here.

Thanks to those who replied. I today obtained under linux a new license file
using the correct ethernet card mac number, and the license file works
correctly under XP.

vax, 9000


> 
> vax, 9000

>> I don't think this is relevant Ben, the license file is generated against
>> the 12 hex digit MAC address of the ethernet card, not the IP address.
>
> This is partly true. If an IP address hasn't been set through DHCP, the
> interface gets an 169.x.y.z IP address. However, at the same time, the MAC
> address for the interface can for some reason not reliably be obtained
> anymore - at least not by FlexLM.


If you look at an altera license file it's generated against the MAC address
(or dongle ID), the IP address has nothing to do with it.


Nial. 

On Wed, 16 Mar 2005 22:48:30 -0500, vax, 9000 wrote:

> Hi list,
>   I don't have ethernet connection though I do have an ethernet card
> installed. My computer can boot either with linux or win XP. I have dial up
> connection under linux only. I downloaded ALTERA software version 4.2
> (yeah, overnight dialup), obtained the license (with an arbitrary ethernet
> number), and copied the files to windows partition and installed. 
>   The problem is now that under XP, when I run the software it does not
> think the license is a valid one. My question is whether I really need
> ethernet connection under XP to run ALTERA. If I obtain another license
> with the correct ethernet card number I have, will this license be valid
> when I don't really have ethernet connection?
>   Too tired today to do the experiment. I will appreciate it if you have a
> quick answer. Otherwise I will have to do the experiment and report the
> result here.  
> 
> vax, 9000

It's the MAC ID that is used. To get it under Linux all you have to do is

ifconfig eth0

The HWaddr is the number you need. It doesn't matter if the card is up or
not.

Nial Stewart <nial@nialstewartdevelopments.co.uk> wrote:
> 
> The MAC address should be unique for every piece of ehternet connectable
> kit.

at least in theory. most cards support changing it because well... 
its just in a serial eeprom that can be read/written from the host.
which is so because nobody wants to have two serial eeproms per card.

-- 
	Sander

+++ Out of cheese error +++