Render servers and VRay license

[jsr]

I have installed all my render servers to use hardware license and ask the license from one server that has the wibu system installed, dongle attached and license service running.

Now I have a problem that the dongle needs to be attached all the time during network rendering. If I remove the dongle the servers fail because they don't get the license.

Is there an easy way of configuring render servers so that they don't need the license check from that dongle machine (like VRay 1.4x used to work in network mode, no licenses needed)?

I would like to take the dongle with me at home and still be able to network render at office.

Is the only way to install VRay again to all servers and select the software license or is there other easier ways so I don't need to run the installer for each machine again? Some registry setting / file to edit that would change the license type from hardware to software?

Or is it impossible to network render with VRay without dongle?

[Dynedain]

The renderfarm has to be able to get to the license server. This was true even in 1.4X. Whether the license is dongle controlled or software controlled doesn't matter.

What you could do is open up a port in your work firewall to allow your home computer to access the license server. That way you don't have to move the dongle around.

[jsr]

That is not typical for max plug-ins. At least all other plug-ins I have don't need a license in network rendering mode. Not even max require a license for network rendering servers.

I think VRay 1.4 rendered in network without a license, not 100% sure though. Anyway then I was able to take my laptop with the license back to home and render servers continued rendering. Render servers even started new jobs, which means that max restarts and vray would ask for a license, which doesn't exist on network any more, but vray still worked.

Maybe I need to buy a second license for the render farm if there is no other solution. VRay doesn't cost so much... But this is not fair for single person users who have a render farm and a mobile working machine. So basically you need two licenses to be able to work mobile and network render at the same time?