Why do I get License Manager Error -96?

Why do I get the following error? 

ERROR: License checkout failed. Server node is down or not responding. License Manager Error -96

Answer 1

[MathWorks Support Team]

This error message indicates that there is a problem resolving the hostname of the license manager machine. The license server's hostname must be resolvable for MATLAB to connect to it. 

This article will provide information on:

• How to test the Hostname Resolution
• Ping Failed Possible Solutions
• Ping Successful Possible Solution

How to test the Hostname Resolution

Note: If you are working remotely and your organization requires a VPN, please ensure you are connected to the VPN, then attempt to start MATLAB before continuing.

To test the hostname, we need to use the ping application, which is a command line utility:

• On Windows 10, press the Windows key to invoke a global search, and then type in "cmd" to open Command Prompt.
• On Mac OS X, launch the application "Terminal.app," located in the /Applications/Utilities folder.
• On Linux distributions, launch Terminal.

After launching the command line interface, enter this command:

ping <hostname> 

where <hostname> is the hostname of the license server as it appears on the SERVER line of your license file. The license file is named network.lic and is found under $MATLAB/licenses where $MATLAB is your root MATLAB installation directory.

If the output of the above command comes back as 'unreachable' or 'unresolvable', then proceed to the Ping Failed Possible Solutions below.  If the ping is successful and you are still unable to connect, proceed to the Ping Successful Possible Solution below. 

Ping Failed Possible Solutions

1) The best way to resolve the network connection issue is to contact your System Administrator.

2) Alternatively, if you are unable to resolve the hostname of the license server, but can ping the IP Address of the license server, you can replace hostname in the SERVER line of your local license with the IP Address of the license server. To do so:

1. Navigate to $MATLAB/licenses on your machine.
2. Open network.lic in a text editor e.g. Notepad, Notepad++
3. In the SERVER line, the second item is the hostname. Replace this with the IP address.
4. Save the file and launch MATLAB to test if MATLAB was able to connect to the license server.

NOTE: If your license server does not have a static IP, then this workaround will stop working when the DHCP lease is updated. You should contact your license administrator to try and resolve the issue with hostname resolution if your license server does not have a static IP.

Ping Successful Possible Solution

If MATLAB is still unable to connect to the license server even though you can ping it successfully, there may be one or more firewalls blocking the connection between the MATLAB client and the MATLAB license server. The network license manager communicates on two ports that must be opened through the firewall(s). If there is a firewall running, contact your System Administrator to open the necessary ports in the firewall.

For more information about the port the license manager uses, see the following Article:

What ports does the Network License Manager use, and how can I set those ports?

For more information about checking your ports::

How can I check if the ports between Network License Manager and client are blocked?

[Andreas Goser]

For step 1 not all end users are aware of how exactly do this. On Windwos 7 e.g. you click on the Windows icon in the lower left corner and type 'cmd' in the edit field 'Search programs and files". The black command window appears and you can type system commands.

For more help, reach out to your IT department.

[Yoontae]

Regarding to the below sentences in the article;

-----------

Alternatively, if you are unable to resolve the hostname of the license server, but can ping the IP Address of the license server, you can replace hostname in the SERVER line of your local license with the IP Address of the license server.

-----------

You can follow the 4 steps in an order.

-----------

1. Move to $MATLAB\licenses of your PC

2. Open network.lic with the Notepad program. Then You can see the following in the 1st line of network.lic

SERVER hostname XXXXXXXXXXXX 27XXX

3. Replace 'hostname' in the above line to the IP address of the server PC and save network.lic file.

4. Check whether MATLAB is running succesfully or not.

-----------

[Vaishnavi]

how to edit network.lic file... if i edit access denied error coming

[Andreas Goser]

Can be multiple things - in any case can be resolved by your IT staff.

[Dharmeshkumar Patadiya]

If you are using Linux then network.lic file will be in file system. Only root can edit files available in file system. You have to be super user to edit system files.

    $sudo gedit network.lic
    [sudo] password for xxxxxx:

After this file will open in "gedit" window. You can make required changes and save it. I am using "gedit" editor. You can use any editor of your choice like VI, gvim, medit, etc.

[Shawn Lyons]

@Dharmeshkumar Patadiya

Please be aware that not all linux distributions will behave in this manner. And, as always, be careful when using sudo or root.

[Prachi Sharma]

I am getting "Access Denied" while changing the network.lic file in wordpad. What to do?

[Walter Roberson]

Run As Administrator on wordpad to make the change, perhaps?

[Josue Labaki]

I found that modifying the network.lic file somewhere else and then replacing the one in the licenses folder works.

[Yue Zhao]

I was doing exactly what tha answer suggested,but it dose not work.

[Walter Roberson]

ping matlab.laib.polito.it

with no < or series of zeros or 1700

[Justin Ghetti]

Hi,

If you are still experiencing this issue, please contact MathWorks support:

http://www.mathworks.com/support/contact_us/

-Justin

[Naif Alsalem]

Thank you very much! I just pinged my hostname and got the echo back. Then I modified my netowrk.lic file by replacing the host name with the ID address of the hostname and saved the file.

I launched it again and it worked just fantasticily

Answer 2

[Dharmeshkumar Patadiya]

I am using Matlab R2014a on Ubuntu 12.04 machine in my laboratory. Matlab is provided in my laboratory through institute's central computing department. Matlab was working fine on my computer but it suddenly stopped functioning. I received following error message.

    $ matlab
    License checkout failed.
    License Manager Error -96
    MATLAB is unable to connect to the license server. 
    Make sure that the MATLAB client machine can communicate with the hostname listed in the        SERVER line
    of the license file, and that the port listed in the SERVER line is not blocked by a firewall.

    Troubleshoot this issue by visiting: 
    http://www.mathworks.com/support/lme/R2014a/96

    Diagnostic Information:
    Feature: MATLAB 
    License path:      /home/dharmesh/.matlab/R2014a_licenses:/usr/local/MATLAB/R2014a/licenses/license.dat:/usr/local/    MATL
    AB/R2014a/licenses/network.lic 
    Licensing error: -96,7. System Error: 2
    $

I visited the link mentioned in error message. I opened network.lic file. It reads

    SERVER sunlx2_17 00E0815E826E 27000 
    USE_SERVER

I followed the procedure suggested:

    $ ping sunlx2_17
    ping: unknown host sunlx2_17
    $

It is working fine with other computers in my laboratory.

[Dharmeshkumar Patadiya]

I came to know from one of my institute senior that I have to do some change in network.lic file. He suggested me to change host name (here it is sunlx2_17) to its IP address in network.lic file. It is working now.

Thank you.

[obad eshrabasy]

What should i do the matlab 2013a does not work although i activated it?

[Colin Fraser]

If you are still experiencing this issue, please create a service request below.

https://www.mathworks.com/support/contact_us.html

-Colin Fraser

Answer 3

[Christopher Andrews]

The ping test just means you can get tot he the server, you will also need to test the port access. On a Windows computer you can use the Telnet Client to test this (this might need to installed, see https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc771275(v=ws.10).aspx) then you need to use the license server name and port from the license file you have been given. Start a cmd window and type:

telnet servername serverport

For example:

telnet matlablicensing 27000

You will either get:

• A blank screen - this is a successful connection, no firewalls in the way
• "Connecting To matlablicensing ...Could not open connection to the host, on port 27000: Connect failed" - you have the wrong port or there is a firewall blocking you.

Even after getting the firewall port working, you could still get the -96 error. The Flexera licensing software that MathWorks uses is very picky. The following line from the MathWorks answer is super important:

"2. Open network.lic with WordPad (Windows) or TextEdit (Mac). Do not open the file with Notepad."

Notepad and Wordpad use different kinds of line breaks. I had to open my network.lic file on my client with Wordpad and then save it. I made no changes to the contents. Suddenly MatLab works correctly and can talk to the license server. May be MathWorks could generate a better error message. It would be trivial for them to code a ping check, port check and line break check of the license file. Also may be talk to Flexera about this issue and

[Alexander Audet]

I think that there should be more discussion as to why MathWorks is not providing a better error message.

[Walter Roberson]

The error message in question only appears in the circumstance that the license file refers to a licence server by host name, but MATLAB cannot find an address for the host. In this combination of circumstances, MATLAB cannot tell what the ip address of the host is.

ping does not have any hostname resolution that is not available to the system calls that MATLAB uses for resolution, so doing a ping would not help, and doing a traceroute would not help.

The only thing that might help is doing an nslookup and showing the results — results that are notoriously difficult for beginners to interpret.

Answer 4

[Juan Britz]

I am using Windows 10, and have access to an academic license server. I originally got this error and resolved it as follows:

1. Move the license.lic or license.dat file into the %Matlab\licenses folder.
2. This file should be with the network.lic file.
3. I pinged the server address, (ex. RE412251) and got no response
4. Contacted admin and got the actual IP address of the server, (ex. 146.000.000.01)
5. Pinged the server IP instead, got a response
6. Changed server address in network.lic and license.lic files to IP address (RE412251 to 146.000 etc.)

This seemed to work, which may be mean it's a windows thing or perhaps it was just my network being fickle.

[Nagarjuna]

how to ping the server address,i finished first two steps

[Walter Roberson]

https://www.computerhope.com/pinghlp.htm

Answer 5

[Emad Eiisa]

I got the same error I just had to connect to my school VPN since the license bought under school name, so if you have the same situation log in to the owner VPN and you will be good to go.

[Devki Talwar]

MatLab is not opening

Answer 6

[randy mada]

I am using Matlab R2013a on windows 7. I use matlab for data processing of my research focuses on fuzzy logic and its application to the determination of the amount. In the install process goes well but when it finishes installing and want me to open, a message like above.

    License checkout failed.
    License Manager Error -96
    MATLAB is unable to connect to the license server. 
    Make sure that the MATLAB client machine can communicate with the hostname listed in the        SERVER line
    of the license file, and that the port listed in the SERVER line is not blocked by a firewall.

    Troubleshoot this issue by visiting: 
    http://www.mathworks.com/support/lme/R2014a/96

    Diagnostic Information:
    Feature: MATLAB 
    License path:      /home/dharmesh/.matlab/R2014a_licenses:/usr/local/MATLAB/R2014a/licenses/license.dat:/usr/local/    MATL
    AB/R2014a/licenses/network.lic 
    Licensing error: -96,7. System Error: 2

Like Dharmeshkumar Patadiya, I visited the link mentioned in error message. I opened network.lic file. It reads

    SERVER sunlx2_17 00E0815E826E 27000 
    USE_SERVER

I followed the procedure suggested:

    ping sunlx2_17

and when i clicking the enter emerging

 ping request could not find host sunlx2_17. Please check the name and try again.

I tried to find another solution, and I get the following ways:

I tried to follow the command and the response I get is:

please help me...

Answer 7

[Ricardo Terini]

I am trying to use Mathlab R2015a-win64, but I am having troubles with licence.

I tried to use HOST adress from network.lic file, like explained before. Image shows what I get...

So, what can I do now ?

[Walter Roberson]

Image was not enclosed

Answer 8

[Mukesh Jadhav]

your matlab might be instolled on server if their are comes on clients , restart server to solve the problem. otherwise reinstolled matlab on client, make sure that you not use creak version of matlab

Answer 9

[Awik Dhar]

I used a guide to edit the 'hosts' file in C:\WINDOWS\System32\drivers\etc\hosts

Added the line : 10.0.137.114 WIN-M5CNITGRVDB at the end

Could be different for you.

It works now.

Answer 10

[ayudita ardila]

licence manager error-96

[Walter Roberson]

The reasons are explained above, along with debugging steps and solutions. What did you find when you used the debugging steps described?

Answer 11

[Robert Plemmons]

VPN needs to be updated on my computer.

Answer 12

[BHULI DHAKER]

Error using ==> open at 164 invalid figure file format

[BHULI DHAKER]

please how to remove this problem help me

Answer 13

[Sabelo Mthembu]

Matlab doesnt wanna open it say troubleshoot licence

Answer 14

[RAMKHELAVAN KANAUJIYA]

mathwork support

[Walter Roberson]

This is not an official support venue. You should contact Mathworks Support for free license assistance.

Answer 15

[Andy Turner]

Just to add some help. While im relatively new to linux we installed the lmtools onto a centos7 server. We initially got a -96 error on the initial machine we installed MatLab. I installed it onto my own workstation to test (im a sys admin so didnt actually need it!). I got a -15 error with slightly different text. The fix for us was DNS name resolution. While we assumed our server was called (for example "centos") the DNS resolution was not dynamic so after speaking to our network admin he informed me that the server had a different name so we had an addtitional dns entry to line up with the licence file. Ironically when we tried to switch to the ip in the licence config file that didnt work. Hope this helps someone out there...

Answer 16

[Mikhail Ostrovskiy]

License checkout failed.

Answer 17

[Nehal Shukla]

Matlab is not opening it says troubleshoot license

Answer 18

[Trevor Williams]

Just installed malab on a mac running 11.6.2 . It will not connect. Gives error code 96, 7 system error 2. The same error whether the machine is on Nasa Goddard VPN or just my local network.

[Sathish Kumar]

Gives error code 96

Answer 19

[Dwayne]

I am a student

[Walter Roberson]

You will need to get the IT people of your university to assist you.

• they might need to update the license file on your machine to indicate a different license server
• they might need to update an environment variable on your machine to indicate a different license server or different license file
• they might need to fix a problem their infrastructure that is interfering with mapping host names to IP addresses
• they might need to unblock firewall entries on your system that are interfering with mapping host names to IP addresses

Answer 20

[shiva rama krishna]

License checkout failed. Server node is down or not responding. License Manager Error -96

Answer 21

[shiva rama krishna]

$ matlab

License checkout failed.

License Manager Error -96

MATLAB is unable to connect to the license server.

Make sure that the MATLAB client machine can communicate with the hostname listed in the SERVER line

of the license file, and that the port listed in the SERVER line is not blocked by a firewall.

Troubleshoot this issue by visiting:

http://www.mathworks.com/support/lme/R2014a/96

Diagnostic Information:

Feature: MATLAB

License path: /home/dharmesh/.matlab/R2014a_licenses:/usr/local/MATLAB/R2014a/licenses/license.dat:/usr/local/ MATL

AB/R2014a/licenses/network.lic

Licensing error: -96,7. System Error: 2

$

[Walter Roberson]

Look for license files in

• /home/dharmesh/.matlab/R2014a_licenses/
• /usr/local/MATLAB/R2014a/licenses/license.dat
• /usr/local/MATLAB/R2014a/licenses/network.lic

The first one that exists in that sequence refers to a network license server. For the particular error message you report, typically it would be the network.lic file that would be referred to.

The license file that is being found has a SERVER= entry that probably has a server name. However, for that error message, typically the problem is that the server name cannot be resolved to an IP address, but there are other possibilities:

• the SERVER entry might refer to a bad or incomplete name. For example, it might refer to one_ring.asd when it needed to refer to one_ring.asd.sauron.com . The name on the SERVER line should either have no periods or else it should be the full name of the host
• the DNS infrastructure might temporarily be having problems resolving the name to an IP address
• the name being referred to might be the old name for a system that was renamed and either the IT people forgot to add a CNAME entry or else the renaming was long enough ago that they assumed that everyone was updated by now
• the name being referred to might have been name of a previous license server, with them now using a different server, but your license file did not get updated
• DNS resolution might perhaps be fine, and it might be referring to the right server name, but there might be a firewall blocking the connection
• Similar to the previous, but possibly you are trying to connect from off-campus and you need to create a VPN connection to connect to the license server
• Or, every once in a while you see this error message when using cracked MATLAB software (though other error messages are more common.)

Most of the time you end up needing to get assistance from IT people to solve this problem -- but sometimes fixing up the server name in the license file can end up being easy if you know something about the IT infrastructure.

Answer 22

[Aqa Shirin]

Please I am one of the engineering student I wanna install the mathlab program But need the license

[Walter Roberson]

I cannot tell which country you are in. I find people with names similar to yours in:

• Afghanistan: use the online store, or contact the Ireland office for sales
• Iran: licenses are impossible for Iran
• Uzbekistan: must use the distributor in Russia

[osman mohammed]

my name is osman mohammed from The Uk i am studyig at coventry university

Answer 23

[Fekade]

matlab2022b linsense key

Answer 24

[osman mohammed]

i need matlab

[Walter Roberson]

https://www.mathworks.com/academia/tah-portal/coventry-university-906313.html