Troubleshooting Activation Issues


Reference Number: KB-01191
Last Modified: October 15, 2024

The information in this article applies to:

Chief Architect Premier or Chief Architect InteriorsHome Designer Professional or Home Designer Architectural or Home Designer Suite



QUESTION

I receive one of the following error messages when I attempt to activate the license for my Chief Architect software: 

  • "#272030035 - Cannot connect to the Internet. Make sure you have a default Internet browser installed and that you are able to access the Internet through it."

  • "#272032396 - Could not Register Online"

  • "#272032328 - The primary registration server could not be contacted. Please check your internet connection and firewall settings. Would you like to try connecting to the secondary server?"

  • "#272032304 - Chief Architect needs to re-establish an Internet connection in order to verify security and check for new updates. You must connect this computer to the Internet and run Chief Architect prior to "DATE". If these operations are not performed, this program will terminate and this software may require re-registration."

  • "#272032310 - Online Authentication could not be verified. Please contact Chief Architect Technical Support."

  • "#272032309 - Online Authentication is required to run this program."

How can I resolve this?


ANSWER

Please use the following troubleshooting steps to resolve the activation issue you're experiencing. Try each step in the order presented here.


Reboot the system

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.


Verify internet connectivity

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.


Adjust Private Wi-Fi address setting*

*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. 

Disable Private Wi-Fi Address


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 firewall and other security software settings

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.


Log in as the Administrator

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.


Safe Mode/Safe Mode with Networking

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.


Router or Modem

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.


ADVANCED TROUBLESHOOTING

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.

  1. If you are receiving an error or warning, attach a screenshot image of the message.

    See Knowledge Base article: Creating a Screenshot.


  2. Locate and save the program's Message Log.

    See Knowledge Base article: Locating the Message Log.



  3. Export or save your System Information.

    See Knowledge Base article: Retrieving System Information to Send to Technical Support.


  4. Sign in to the Technical Support Center and create a new support case to send to Technical Support.

    See Knowledge Base article: Using the Technical Support Center.


  5. Give the case a short but descriptive title.

    In the text of the case, include the results of the troubleshooting you've already completed based on this article, including the computers default web browser, firewall software on the system, if you are connected from behind a proxy server, signed in to the computer as an administrator, what the results of Safe Mode were, and if you were able to connect via a wired connection.

    Click the Browse button and attach the Screenshot ImagesMessage Log, and System Information files to your case, then Submit it.

    Note: Some of the requested information may identify you, as well as specific information about your computer, but it will also help us determine the source of the problem. Please be assured that any files submitted to Chief Architect Technical Support will be used for troubleshooting purposes only.