Hi,

despite their weird pricing and update policy I have bought some IK Multimedia plugins in the past and installed them on my offline production computer.
Since then they have switched from "Authorization Manager" to "Product Manager", the last only seems to work online.
If I want to use some of the newer IKM plugins, is my only option now to download [k]ed versions? Or is there still a official legal way?
Would be strange business tactics to force potential customers using cracks, but IKM seem to have a history of "facepalm" decisions.
But maybe I just did not understand how it is really working, offline auth is easy, and they will make some business with me within the next days. Any hints?

 

On principle this should work 'Save time with offline authorization. If the computer you want to activate IK products on is not connected to the Internet, the new Authorization Manager makes it easy to activate products on them.'

 

Not sure if I got your point and what you cited exactly. But I have zero probs with the Authorization Manager you mentioned that allows offline authorization of the plugins I've bought. But newer plugins seem to need Product Manager instead which seems to work online exclusively.

 

Maybe one should handle it like weed: If they refuse to provide a legal way, find a workaround and withhold potential taxes from them.

 

did you ask their support?
about their plugin managment. sounds you arn´t sure yourself.

 

you don't need to run your daw or plugins for activating ikm products.
connect computer to internet, run product manager, log into account, activate your legal products, close product manager, disconnect computer, run what want and enjoy.

 

I did not contact their support yet. Their FAQ seems quite clear to me saying you need Product Manager to run their newer software and it won't work offline. Effectively saying I will have a hard time, if I'm buying instead of using cracks or skipping it alltogether.
But I thought there may be some knowledge in this forum about a workaround.

Since they have a promo going on now I'm trying to find out if it's worth the time to demo their offers.
If I will not be able to use them on my offline computer anyway, I don't need to bother demoing them.

 

But that's exactly my problem. It's not about not giving internet access to my DAW (it's all quite legit anyway), but I cannot connect my production computer to internet easily. There may be some way to connect using my mobile phone, but I'm not sure I like having to do it that way and if it's worth it.
If there's really no offline option I'll rather skip their sale. They may have some great stuff, but not that great.

The reason for my original post was that I was ready to demo but it seemed like the plugins wouldn't work on my offline computer anyway.
It looked to me like IKM was offering no offline option and I posted to find out if that was really true or if I have overlooked something.

Seems like legal IK Multimedia plugins probably don't need a permanent Internet connection, but otoh cannot be authorized on an offline computer. Please correct me if I'm wrong!

Btw: it seems to be quite exotic to use any computer that's not connected to the internet nowadays.
But sometimes i want my electronics to behave and act just as a mixer and tape machine instead of demanding their skynet connection.

 

2 ways%
1st - if you have wi-fi card (or usb wi-fi adapter) you can use ap mode (network settings => turn on access point)
2nd - connect mobile to computer via usb cable and use usb modem mode (network settings => turn on usb modem)

a lot software required internet connection at least for activation (native instruments, steinberg, any ilok protected software, and other) and don't support offline activation. come on, windows os reqiuire internet for activation =)))

ahhhh, I can't hear and read these words anymore, come up with something new

 

Last edited: Aug 26, 2021

I'm sorry, I cannot help you with your exact problem but:

It can be strange, even bizarre.. but that's the game of many big players. @Talula already mentioned some and gave you the solution. They will say like - if you really can't connect your comp to the internet, use the phone as access point and an Wi-Fi USB adapter. (NI)

You're indeed lucky, if it's only for the activation.. I would have to download TBs of content this way
(and I do, but not over the phone..)

Since this practice is only getting worse (cloud based, etc.), soon you won't have any choice. If these are really your tools of choice and have to have legit SW (like running a business, studio, teaching online,..) you will eventually have to give in.

 

This year I finally gave up trying to keep my music PC 100% offline. It just got too difficult so now I'm a slave to the firewall, micromanaging exactly what apps can access the net and when. When Skynet becomes self-aware troublemakers like me will be first up against the wall...

 

LOL... he is happy to be a slave...

I'll tell you a secret: your smartphone constantly sends all your information via the Internet (including all your movements, all your messages and every word you uttered), and you worry about how to hide your IP and MAC-address, which you still can't hide - they first appear in the databases of providers and manufacturers, and only then you get the ones that were assigned to you.

And I'll tell you a secret as a bonus: 80% of major developers who release top-end and popular software DO NOT spend time and money on individual monitoring and blocking of already installed pirated copies. they don't even always fight against pirated copies of their programs.

when will you all understand this, huh? ...

 

Last edited: Aug 26, 2021

• Save time with offline authorization. If the computer you want to activate IK products on is not connected to the Internet, the new Authorization Manager makes it easy to activate products on them.

Source: https://www.ikmultimedia.com/products/authorizationmanager/

 

Regarding Steinberg elicenser and ilok: One thing I actually like about dongles is that I can activate them on any online computer and carry them around afterwards.

Not using windows here.

Problem is, the new Authorization Manager is regarded as the legacy Authorization Manager now and replaced by Product Manager.
From their FAQ:

"Which products are supported by the IK Product Manager?
The IK Product Manager is designed to support all current product versions; therefore, all the legacy products are not supported and will continue to be handled by the previous Authorization Manager. You will see all supported products in the SOFTWARE section of IK Product Manager. Moving forward, all new app releases will utilize IK Product Manager.

Does IK Product Manager replace the Authorization Manager?
IK Product Manager will replace the Authorization Manager for our current product line. Legacy software will still require use of the Authorization Manager.

How can I authorize and register products that are not supported by IK Product Manager?
Legacy products are still handled by and require the Authorization Manager to register and authorize products. Find more information, click here."
​

It does not help that the last link leads to a 404 page.

I've started this thread to find out if anyone had success authorizing a new IKM product offline. Last April this was still an option, but it seems that Product Manager is obligatory now and I'm not ready to do deeper research just to install some plugins. Still I will read the manual of one new plugin and if there is a clear path described for offline auth I'll report back here. Thanks to everyone who answered!

​

 

elicenser and ilok - are not dongles =)
usb-elicenser and pace ilok - are dongles =)

and

 

https://www.ikmultimedia.com/registration/ - only for hardware serial number registration and this link is working =)

 

Seems like they restrict Manual download to buyers of the plugin, probably to secure their intellectual property.
Life is too short to make business with some companies. I'll continue to use what I have from them and start looking out for long-term alternatives.

 

True.

 

That's why many only use cracked software.

 

This https://audiosex.pro/threads/legal-ikm-on-offline-computer.60351/#post-577376
Additionally on that page: The Authorization Manager allows users to manage all current IK Multimedia products registration and authorization processes in one simple interface.
Looks like IKM is posting contradictory statements.