License Server Admin returns MAC Address of "ffffffff"

[EdwardBlair]

Hi 

I'm trying to authorize licenses downloaded from my ESRI using LSAdmin.   I keep getting a message that the MAC address in the license file does not match the MAC address of the machine.  When I click on "Machine IDs" I get the message below saying the MAC address is "ffffffff".    When I issue ipconfig /all my Ethernet Adapter Physical Address is "00-00-00-06..blablah" -- a regular MAC address.   Not sure why LSAdmin is not picking this up.

If anyone has run into this and found a solution, any suggestions would be much appreciated.

Thx,

E

[RichardDaniels]

you are running into the dreaded ipconfig issue. New machines default to IPv6 and have IPv4 turned off by default in some environments. However, ESRI license manage software expects IPv4 by default.

Simplest way to fix this is to set IPv4 as preferred (BUT ensure IPv6 is still available). The cmd ipconfig can be used see your current settings. See Taking Control of Your Network: How to Set IPv4 as Preferred. and Configure IPv6 for advanced users - Windows Server | Microsoft Learn

[EdwardBlair]

Hey Richard -

Just saw your post.   Thanks much for responding.  I'll take a look at your link.

Ed

[EdwardBlair]

Hi Richard (or anyone) -

I followed you suggestion and made IPv4 preferred over IPv6 - as indicated in the screenshot below (I think).  The darn license manager still returns a MAC address of "ffffffff".   And when I try to authorize my license file I still get an error that the MAC address in the license does not match the address of the machine.

Any other thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

Ed

[RichardDaniels]

Have you reviewed Using the ArcGIS License Server Administrator—License Manager Guide | Documentation?

What is the file extension for the license file you are downloading/receiving from ESRI, if .prvs (provisioning) they actually don't contain any MAC addresses and you should be able to ADD them to your license server. 

If you have Maintenance I think this question merits one for support.esri.com  

[EdwardBlair]

Its a json file downloaded from my.esri. 

I've been working with ESRI tech support on this for about two weeks.   They're stumped, too.

I'm about to install the license server on another machine... which seems to work.

Thanks again,

Ed

[RichardDaniels]

One thing to check is 'Where' your ArcGIS License Server is located. I now recall that that the MAC address you were referring to is actually from the HARD DRIVE that the license repository is saved to on the License Server. Why can this be a problem? If your License Server is hosted in a Virtual Machine (VM), unless told otherwise, you cannot guarantee that the assigned physical hard drive will not 'change' every time you Reboot the Server. When this happens your license repository can become invalid.