Application trial version and Activation code from MAC address

[battler.]

Hi there,

I want to do two things:

1.  I want the users of my application to be only able to use the software on a single machine. 

I propose to use the MAC address of the PC using ipconfig /all.  Will this return the same MAC address every time or will it change for different network configurations?

I would take the MAC address and manipulate it to produce an Activation code which the user must enter.  How is the best way (algorithm) to manipulate the MAC address (e.g. 00-A3-6B-77-6D) to produce a unique and un-crackable Activation code.  Any suggestions?

2.  Anyone who has a copy of my application can use it as a trial for say 20 instances or a certain number of days.

Where and how could I store such information?  In the Windows registry?  For example, ever time the user runs the program without entering the Activation code (i.e. under Trial mode) a number would be added to a hidden number stored in the registry.  When that number reaches say 20 then the program would no longer be able to be run until the user activates.

How best to implement this Trial arrangement and where best to store the data?

Please help.

Thanks.

[MikeS81]

Hi battler.,

there are different solutions to make a trial version of your software. You can store a value inside the registry, you can register on an external server or you can use a HW dongle.

Maybe some of these results help.

Mike

[smercurio_fc]

This is a duplicate post.

[GerdW]

Hi battler,

you ask a lot here in an open forum: "to produce a unique and un-crackable Activation code"

To produce unique code you could create hash-values  from the MAC address. Read wikipedia for "hash functions"...

To produce un-crackable codes, hmm, that's a different beast. There are other organisations really busy on this field of research - and spending a lot of money on this. Do you know the movie "Sneakers" with Robert Redford?

[battler.]

Thanks GerdW.

That is something I am looking for; functions such as hash-values.  I need a function I can apply to the MAC address which produces a unique and must be fixed activation code.  I need a funtion which can be varied so that I can use the same function to the same MAC addresses to produce a different set of activaion codes (i.e. for different versions of the software).

Do you have examples of the application of these hash values in LabVIEW?  Perhaps I will get onto IEEE Explore.

No time for movies 😉

[battler.]

Where is a good place to hide things in the windows registry?  It needs to be accessible for all users and it needs to stay there permantently.  I suppose this will be a problem with Vista.  Then trial versions of software are out all together?

[battler.]

NI uses the MAC address to produce activation codes for their software.  Who know what algorithms they apply to the MAC addresses?

Perhaps an AE could expand;-)

[smercurio_fc]

This discussion is getting very confusing since it's also being discussed in the original post.

Please pick one place. 

[Hueter]

Battler, unfortunatly the algorithm we use to generate the activate codes is poprietary information, and we will not release details about it for our protection.

[smercurio_fc]

For anyone else who desires to answer questions posted by battler, you should read this thread, especially this response.