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orangepeeleo
03-01-2011, 07:01 AM
Hi Guys,

I have a registered copy of HEM (HE + Omaha) and thought i'd try and get it set up at work so that I could review things on lunch.

I am having problems activating it though because of restrictions at work, I am behind a proxy but I know all the details for it (2nd line support so have admin rights to all machines) and even though I have entered everything correctly (pressing Ctrl-F7), and tried all of the troubleshooting methods on these forums, it is still have problems connecting to the remote server.

I think that this is something to do with the firewall blocking comms but I can't go and ask for portxxx to be opened as it justs not going to happen!

Is there anyway for you to unblock my trial? You have all my licence information on here, and i'll give you the machinecode of my work machine to add it manually, if you can do that, but aside from this, the only other way I can think of is to search around for some hack of some sort for a piece of software that I have a full licence for!

netsrak
03-01-2011, 08:34 AM
HM usually uses the same proxy settings as configured in the internet explorer.
Can you access the internet via internet explorer?

Did you check our FAQ? http://faq.holdemmanager.com/questions/24/I+Can%27t+Activate+%26+Register+Holdem+Manager

orangepeeleo
03-01-2011, 10:04 AM
Yes, I am answering this through IE at work now so normal browsing works fine.

EDIT: So this could suggest that it is more to do with firewalls and ports being blocked?? Rather than the proxy?

Veteran68
03-01-2011, 05:03 PM
AFAIK HEM phones home on every launch and after not getting through a few times, reverts to trial or lock-out mode until it can reach its activation server again. I've never been a fan of such active DRM and have voiced my complaints since the early days of it, but it's their decision.

I would have assumed (hoped?) that HEM would be communicating over port 80 for exactly such reasons, i.e. it's ubiquitous and open across nearly all firewalls. I haven't Wiresharked a session to confirm though.

(btw if you're the orangepeelio from CC... hi, from dmorris68 ;) )

orangepeeleo
03-02-2011, 07:05 AM
So no update on this from HEM support??

I pay for a full Omaha and HE licence and this is the help I get when i'm having problems using HEM behind work firewalls. Fwiw, I just googled PT3 behind proxy and they'll even give you a licence key file so that you dont have to contact their server everytime you start it.

Is there literally no way around this then at all?? Nothing you can do?

Patvs
03-02-2011, 07:04 PM
Read: http://faq.holdemmanager.com/questions/24/ICan%27tActivate%26RegisterHoldemManager


For the current HoldemManager license system being able to check the license:
-proxy must be turned off (in the Internet Explorer settings)
-VPN client must be turned off
-firewalls (=firewall on computer, firewall in router/modem, external "work"/office firewall) must have holdemmanager.exe to their exceptions list.

orangepeeleo
03-03-2011, 05:46 AM
I can't get HEM added to any exception list, we have 1 very strict server admin guy who just won't do that. Is there no way at all that the licence can be verified locally by the program? Or the trial version extended, all I am wanting to do here is import hands from the prev session that i've emailed to my work account from home, so that I can review my session over lunch.... thats it, and I can't b/c of the activation bit, this is so f**kin frustrating. You have my details, you have my licence key and where it has been activated before, i'm not trying screw you over, all I want is either a way to extend the trial on my work machine, or a way for it to activate locally with no communications to an outside server.

Here are the details that I am getting when it is failing.



License Failure Details
--------------------------------------------------
3/3/2011 9:23:31 AM
cx
--------------------------------------------------

Errors connecting to the server.

DETAILS

Could not activate license at server.
Unable to connect to the remote server

System Info
--------------------------------------------------

Timestamp: 2011-03-03T09:23:31 / 2011-03-03T09:23:31
Entry Assembly: HoldemManager, Version=1.11.5.3537, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=null
Base Directory: C:\Program Files\RVG Software\Holdem Manager\
Platform: Windows Vista Media Center 32-bit [6.1 Build 7600]
OS Version: 6.1.7600.0
CLR Version: 2.0.50727.4927
Process Bitness: 32-bit
Culture: en-US / en-US
Encoding: Western European (Windows)
IIS Available: True
Machine Code: 7DW4S-X2DF3-F381A-UUEVT-3P7H3

Assemblies
--------------------------------------------------

Accessibility *
2.0.0.0 / 2.0 R 4927 for .NET 2.0
C:\Windows\assembly\GAC_MSIL\Accessibility\2.0.0.0 __b03f5f7f11d50a3a\Accessibility.dll

DeployLX.Licensing.v3 *
3.2.2000.0 / 3.2 R 3813 for .NET 2.0
C:\Program Files\RVG Software\Holdem Manager\DeployLX.Licensing.v3.dll

DevComponents.DotNetBar2 *
8.3.0.0 / 8.3.0.0 for .NET
C:\Program Files\RVG Software\Holdem Manager\DevComponents.DotNetBar2.dll

HoldemManager *
1.11.5.3537 / 1.11.5.3537 for .NET
C:\Program Files\RVG Software\Holdem Manager\HoldemManager.exe

mscorlib
2.0.0.0 / 2.0 R 4927 for .NET 2.0
C:\Windows\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v2.0.50727\msco rlib.dll

r689vwx- *
3.2.2000.0 / 2.0 R 4927 (NetFXspW7 050727-4900) for .NET 2.0 (NetFXspW7 050727-4900)


System
2.0.0.0 / 2.0 R 4927 for .NET 2.0
C:\Windows\assembly\GAC_MSIL\System\2.0.0.0__b77a5 c561934e089\System.dll

System.Configuration
2.0.0.0 / 2.0 R 4927 for .NET 2.0
C:\Windows\assembly\GAC_MSIL\System.Configuration\ 2.0.0.0__b03f5f7f11d50a3a\System.Configuration.dll

System.Drawing
2.0.0.0 / 2.0 R 4927 for .NET 2.0
C:\Windows\assembly\GAC_MSIL\System.Drawing\2.0.0. 0__b03f5f7f11d50a3a\System.Drawing.dll

System.Web
2.0.0.0 / 2.0 R 4927 for .NET 2.0
C:\Windows\assembly\GAC_32\System.Web\2.0.0.0__b03 f5f7f11d50a3a\System.Web.dll

System.Web.Services
2.0.0.0 / 2.0 R 4927 for .NET 2.0
C:\Windows\assembly\GAC_MSIL\System.Web.Services\2 .0.0.0__b03f5f7f11d50a3a\System.Web.Services.dll

System.Windows.Forms
2.0.0.0 / 2.0 R 4927 for .NET 2.0
C:\Windows\assembly\GAC_MSIL\System.Windows.Forms\ 2.0.0.0__b77a5c561934e089\System.Windows.Forms.dll

System.Xml
2.0.0.0 / 2.0 R 4927 for .NET 2.0
C:\Windows\assembly\GAC_MSIL\System.Xml\2.0.0.0__b 77a5c561934e089\System.Xml.dll

Veteran68
03-03-2011, 01:04 PM
Guys, you can't "exclude" holdemmanager.exe with external firewalls. All they see is network traffic across a port, they don't have any visibility of processes which are executing on the local machine. That's strictly a function of a local/personal firewall app that is running on the PC, like Windows Firewall. Presumably OP either isn't running a local firewall or has already added the exception.

If HEM's licensing library is talking over port 80, then there's probably nothing to be done at the external firewall since it almost certainly allows port 80 access.

My guess would be something along the lines of:

1. The IP endpoint has been blacklisted by a firewall filter, like WebSense. That's how my company's firewall works. It subscribes to a regularly updated list of blocked IP's, and yes there are often falsely blocked IP's and unvetted user-submitted blocks.

2. HEM is using a non-standard port for its activation connection.

3. If it is using an allowed port (say port 80), perhaps the firewall is validating the protocol flowing across the wire, and if it doesn't match the protocol assigned to the port, it's blocking it. So if on port 80 the licensing traffic doesn't look like HTTP, it gets blocked (this keeps rogue protocols from hijacking commonly open ports). Our corporate firewall does this too -- for instance, if I attempt to connect to a remote SSH server over port 443 (normally used for SSL traffic), I cannot. I used to be able to, but after a firewall upgrade it started blocking me from doing so. I have to use stunnel to connect over 443 using SSL, and then run SSH through the tunnel.

My issue with this kind of DRM is that it ties you to the internet which keeps you from using the tool locally like OP is trying to do here. It's just way too heavy handed -- you alienate and inconvenience your honest customers, trying to stop the pirates who are going to defeat you anyway. It's pointless, really.

At the very least, HEM should give verified customers in these situations a way to circumvent the activation check, as PT3 apparently does.

morny
03-03-2011, 05:25 PM
Were having a look at what options we have available, ill let you know when the developer responds if its possible or not

orangepeeleo
03-08-2011, 10:23 AM
Just to let you know, I have resolved this, although not an ideal way to use my work machine I have got HEM working by:

Took my machine off the network (remove network cable)

Used my mobile as a wifi hotspot (HTC Desire ftw)

Connected to hotspot, authenticated HEM and opened it up.

Disconnect from hotspot and plug back into the work network.

Everything is now working fine so thought i'd update as a work around for people who stumble upon this thread from google or w/e

netsrak
03-09-2011, 04:39 AM
Thanks for the feedback but HM checks the license periodically so i guess it will only work some days.
I'll forward it to Morny again.