Solid Edge Controlling the Order of Listed Network Adapters in GetCID Output

Customers often have questions about how the order of network adapters is determined in the GetCID output and how they can control or adjust this order. It is important to understand the order of network adapters for proper licensing, especially when it comes to wireless adapters.

To control the order of listed network adapters in the GetCID output, follow the steps below:

1. Understanding the Order of Network Adapters:

• GetCID.exe lists the network adapters in the order of startup when the system boots.

• The startup order is determined by the network adapter's Interface Metric.

• Licensing should be tied to the first or most appropriate network adapter listed in the GetCID output.

2. Avoiding Licensing Issues with Wireless Adapters:

• It is recommended not to tie licensing to a wireless adapter.

• Modern wireless adapters have built-in security features that cause the hardware details to change when switching wireless networks.

• This behavior is intentional to prevent spoofing and hijacking of the system.

• However, the change in hardware details causes the composite ID to change, which can break licensing.
• If you still wish to use a wireless adapter, refer to the article "Composite Hostid (CID) changing when switching WiFi networks" on how to prevent the composite ID changing.

3. Obtaining a List of Network Adapters:

• You can use various PowerShell commands to obtain a list of network adapters:

 Run the command "Get-NetAdapter" to get a list of network adapters.

 Alternately, run the command "Get-NetIpInterface" to get a list of network adapters along with their Interface Metric values.

4. Understanding the Sequence of CIDs:

• If multiple CIDs (Composite IDs) are listed, the sequence is based on the Interface Metric.

• A higher value of the Interface Metric parameter results in a lower position in the GetCID output.

5. Manually Setting the Interface Metric:

• By default, the Interface Metric is set to automatic, where Windows sets the value based on the speed of the connection.

• To control the sequence of network connections, you can set the Interface Metric value manually.

 Use the PowerShell command "Set-NetIpInterface -InterfaceIndex <index #> -InterfaceMetric <value>" to set the value manually for a specific network adapter.

 Alternately, you can adjust the Interface Metric value manually through the Windows Control Panel > Network Connections. 

• Note: In cases where two adapters have the same metric value, it is dependent on which adapter is first available to respond to the operating system during boot-up. This can be an issue for servers with multiple network adapters, as the first available adapter becomes the primary adapter. Consequently, the previously recorded composite may not match the primary adapter.

• It is important to set the Interface Metric values appropriately to ensure the desired network adapter becomes the primary adapter for licensing purposes.

If you have further inquiries about Solid Edge Floating Licensing please refer to the FAQs collection link below:

Solid Edge Floating License FAQs Collection