The information in this article applies to:
I receive one of the following error messages when I attempt to activate the license for my Chief Architect software:
How can I resolve this?
Please use the following troubleshooting steps to resolve the activation issue you're experiencing. Try each step in the order presented here.
Reboot your computer, then attempt to activate your license.
If you're unable to activate your license after restarting, please continue to the next section.
Launch a web browser and browse to: https://www.chiefarchitect.com/ or https://www.homedesignersoftware.com/
If you can connect to one of the websites above on the problem system, attempt to activate your license again. If the activation does not complete successfully, then continue to the next section.
If you're unable to connect to one of the websites above, please contact your Internet Service Provider (ISP) for further assistance.
*Applies to macOS Sequoia (15) and newer.
On Mac computers, a feature called Private Wi-Fi address may cause issues with activation or authentication if you're connected to a network wirelessly.
If you are met with one of the messages above, you may need to turn off this network feature. Please see the following link for more information, along with the image for reference.
Once disabled, restart your Mac, then attempt to activate your license. If a message states the license is already active on a system, please follow the instructions here to deactivate it, then attempt reactivation once again.
If you're on a Windows computer or you're still unable to activate your license, then continue to the next section.
Check your firewall settings to ensure that it allows for access across Ports 80 (HTTP) and 443 (HTTPS).
Add an exception to allow connections to *.chiefarchitect.com and *.amazonaws.com
For a complete list of endpoints, please see the following link:
Contact the manufacturer of your currently installed security software, malware/spyware protection, and other similar applications, to determine how to configure them properly to allow the Chief Architect program to contact the internet.
Once you have correctly configured your firewall and other security software, attempt to activate your license.
If you're still unable to successfully activate the license, continue on to the next section.
After receiving the error message, reboot the computer and log in under the Administrator account.
If you have questions about this process, please stop now and consult with your network administrator or a local computer technician.
Once you have logged in under the Administrator, open the Chief Architect program and attempt to activate your license.
If you're still unable to successfully activate the license, continue on to the next section.
If you are connected to the internet through a wireless connection, before proceeding, plug an Ethernet cable into the computer directly.
There may be a process running in the background on your system which is stopping the activation information from being sent out, or returned, correctly. In which case, you should be able to ensure that this process is disabled by rebooting your system in Safe Mode on a Mac or Safe Mode with Networking on a Windows computer.
For instructions on this process, please see the appropriate resource for your particular operating system below:
Once you have booted your system up into Safe Mode on a Mac or Safe Mode with Networking on a Windows computer, open your Chief Architect program and attempt to activate your license.
If you are able to successfully activate the program, complete the activation process and then reboot the system back into the normal startup configuration.
If you're still unable to successfully activate the license, continue on to the next section.
It may be necessary to reboot the router or modem.
If you are connected via a wireless connection, connect to the internet directly using an Ethernet cable.
Once you have connected the system to the internet, and rebooted the router or modem, open your Chief Architect program and attempt to activate your license.
If you are still unable to successfully activate the license, please contact our Technical Support team and include all of the information requested below.
If you have followed all steps listed above and are still unable to activate your Chief Architect license, please contact Chief Architect Technical Support using the Technical Support Center, and include the information mentioned below.
