Solutions for Firewalls & Proxy Servers

To install Vectorworks, activate a license for the first time after installation, or to install many of the older updates; you MUST be connected to the internet. If you have problems connecting, please check the parameters below.

Firewalls

Add these URLs to your FireWall’s safe list:

• activation.vectorworks.net
• connect.vectorworks.net
• installer.vectorworks.net
• notify.vectorworks.net
• release.vectorworks.net
• api.bimobject.com
• api.vectorworks.net
• sso.vectorworks.net
• site-activation.vectorworks.net
• installers.designexpress.eu
• updaters.designexpress.eu
• packages.designexpress.eu/updaters
• packages.designexpress.eu/packages
• help.designexpress.eu

Open these ports for all filters / routers / firewalls:

• Port 80 (UDP and TCP)
• Port 75 (UDP and TCP)
• Port 475 (UDP and TCP)
• Port 1045 (UDP and TCP)
• Port 1947 (UDP and TCP)
• Port 5053 (UDP and TCP)
• Port 5054 (UDP and TCP)
  

Proxy servers

Proxy Servers and the Vectorworks Updater

Some installation problems with the Vectorworks updater are due to a proxy server that intercepts your connection. An interruption caused by the proxy server can prevent your serial number from being verified and, as a result, cause your update to fail.

How do I know if my problem is caused by the proxy server?

The easiest way to find out if you have a proxy problem, is by reading the error message. If you get a notification saying ‘The proxy server refuses connections’, the problem is probably caused by a proxy server that intercepts your connection. If you get a different message, the problem is probably elsewhere.

The proxy error message displays on your screen, but is also logged to the file ‘UpdaterLog.txt’. You can find this log file in the program folder. If you are not sure which message you received, it is useful to open this log file or to trigger the error message again.

If there is indeed a proxy server problem, read the paragraph below on how to solve it.

Solve Proxy Problems

The easiest way to solve proxy-related issues is through the installer which you can find here. You can also ask your company's network administrator to make an exception for the Vectorworks updater to go around the proxy. Or, you can update off the network (if you are using a laptop, for instance).

Another alternative is to use the configuration file ‘VWProxy.txt’ so that the updater recognizes the proxy. Configure the text file in a way that it reflects the environment in which the update is being run. This often means involving the network administrator, who knows the specifics of the proxy server address, port, type and other settings. In the absence of a network administrator, it can be useful to check your browser settings (Internet Explorer, Safari, Chrome, Firefox...) to learn more about proxy server settings.

However, if the proxy settings are configured automatically, the updater will not detect the proxy settings. If the settings are determined automatically by a Proxy Automatic Configuration (.pac) file, you can manage the settings by downloading this file.

Once configured, place the file in the Vectorworks user folder. Please, make sure to choose the root folder as the location and not one of the subfolders corresponding to the different release versions (2020, 2021...). The file belongs to the root directory: This way it can be used for multiple releases.

• Mac: (user name): Libraries:Application Support:VectorWorks:VWProxy.txt
• Windows: C:\Users\ (user name) \AppData\Roaming\Nemetschek\Vectorworks
  

This path is linked to the value for CSIDL_APPDATA and can be changed by the system administrator or user. It is also possible that newer versions of Windows have a different default location for this directory. To be sure of the location, open a command prompt and type ‘echo %APPDATA%’ to find the program folder. Then proceed to ‘\ Nemetschek \ Vectorworks’. This will lead you to the user folder.

If the VWProxy.txt file is in the right location, the message ‘Proxy Settings File detected’ appears in the ‘UpdaterLog.txt’ when updating. If you do not see this message, the VWProxy.txt file was not added in the right place. If this message is present and the file ‘VWProxy.txt’ is configured correctly, the update will be successful. If you still receive an error message indicating a proxy error, please check if the proxy settings are correct.

If you cannot obtain this file from Technical Support, you can simply copy and paste the following text into a text document with the name "VWProxy.txt":

• proxytype http
• address 192.168.1.71
• port 3128
  

# Uncomment the line below to do local dns queries, instead of on the proxy.
#dns local
# Username and Password for proxies that require it #username testuser
#password testpass