What are you using (Standalone, Network SNL, or 3DEXPERIENCE Cloud)?
The symptoms of the SolidWorks Host File Block issue can vary, but common indicators include:
Dassault now uses SSL certificates. Even if you redirect licenses.solidworks.com to 127.0.0.1 , the software checks the SSL certificate. If it receives a localhost certificate (or none), it immediately flags the license as revoked.
Modifying these files to bypass licensing is a violation of the software's Terms of Service. For official support or license management, refer to the SolidWorks SolidNetWork License (SNL) Manager documentation. If you'd like, let me know: Are you trying to block activation Are you using a standalone Solidworks Host File Block
After removing the block, you may need to repair the license:
: After saving, open the Command Prompt and type ipconfig /flushdns to apply the changes. 3. Common "Blocks" and Issues
I can provide specific firewall rules or network troubleshooting steps based on your infrastructure. What are you using (Standalone, Network SNL, or
| Context | Legitimacy | Technical Outcome | |--------|------------|-------------------| | | Illegal | Prevents online validation checks that would flag a cracked license. | | Corporate lab / air-gapped PC | Potentially allowed (check EULA) | Stops unnecessary outbound connection attempts, reducing firewall logs. | | Privacy-focused user (legit license) | Grey area | Blocks telemetry but may violate license terms. | | Troubleshooting connectivity issues | Legitimate | Temporarily overriding DNS to test local license server resolution. |
Change the file type dropdown menu in the bottom-right corner from Text Documents ( .txt)* to .
: If the Hosts file doesn't fix it, ensure your firewall isn't blocking the specific ports SOLIDWORKS needs, such as 3030 (Archive), 1433 (SQL), or 25734/25735 (Licensing). If it receives a localhost certificate (or none),
| Domain to Block | Purpose | | :--- | :--- | | 127.0.0.1 im.solidworks.com | License validation and instant messaging services. This is one of the most commonly cited domains to block. | | 127.0.0.1 crashdiag.solidworks.com | Crash diagnostic reporting. Blocking this prevents the software from sending error and crash reports to Dassault Systèmes. | | 127.0.0.1 performance.solidworks.com | Performance data collection. This domain is associated with gathering performance analytics. | | 127.0.0.1 help.solidworks.com | The main online help and support portal. | | 127.0.0.1 www.solidworks.com | The main SOLIDWORKS website. |
user wants a long article on "Solidworks Host File Block". This likely refers to blocking SolidWorks license validation or online features by editing the Windows HOSTS file. I need to provide a comprehensive article covering the purpose, steps, risks, ethical considerations, and legitimate alternatives. To gather the necessary information, I will perform a series of searches. I will search for general information on "Solidworks Host File Block" and related techniques. I will also search for the domain to block, related ethical and legal discussions, and guides to ensure comprehensive coverage. search results for "Solidworks Host File Block" show some relevant pages, but not all are directly about blocking activation. The search for "SolidWorks hosts file block list site:reddit.com" returned no results. The search for "Solidworks host file block fix" returned some relevant results, including a GoEngineer article about creating a local host file workaround for PDM. The search for "Solidworks hosts file block legal" returned some results, including a Chinese forum post about blocking background networking functions. The search for "Solidworks license server host file" returned results about network licensing. The search for "solidworks flexnet licensing hosts file" returned results about FlexNet licensing. The search for "Solidworks host file block method" returned some results, but not directly about blocking activation. I need to open some of these results to get more details. GoEngineer article explains how to use the hosts file as a workaround for PDM connectivity issues. The Chinese forum post lists specific domains to block. The Javelin-Tech article provides similar instructions for PDM. I also need to search for other relevant domains, such as those used for license validation. I'll search for "solidworks license validation hosts file" and "solidworks activation servers list". search results for "solidworks license validation hosts file block" and "solidworks activation servers list hosts file" did not yield comprehensive lists of domains to block. I might need to search for "solidworks hosts file block list" or "solidworks block list hosts". I'll try that. search results show some relevant pages. I'll open result 6. page lists several domains to block. I'll also search for "solidworks block hosts file github". GitHub search results are not relevant. I'll search for "solidworks license server list hosts". search results are not providing a comprehensive list of domains. I will search for "solidworks telemetry hosts file". have gathered some information. Now I need to write a comprehensive article. The article should cover: what the hosts file is, why people might want to block SolidWorks activation or telemetry, the ethical and legal implications, a step-by-step guide on how to edit the hosts file, a list of domains to block, potential risks and side effects, and alternatives like using a firewall. I will structure the article with an introduction, sections on what the hosts file is, why people block, how to do it, a list of domains, risks, and concluding with ethical advice. I will cite the sources I have found, such as the GoEngineer article for the method, the Chinese forum post for the domain list, and the ikuju page for additional domains. I will also cite the legal notices. I will need to ensure the article is long and detailed. I will also need to search for additional information on the legal aspects and maybe some user experiences. I'll search for "solidworks hosts file block reddit". will also search for "solidworks firewall block hosts file". will also search for "solidworks block activation hosts file 2025". have gathered enough information to write the article. I will cite sources such as the GoEngineer article for the hosts file editing method, the Chinese forum post and the ikuju page for the domain lists, the legal notices, and the article about activation. I will also mention the risks and ethical considerations. Now, I will write the article. the Windows Hosts file to block server domains is a quick technical fix often found in online discussions for dealing with software license issues. However, it's crucial to understand that using it to circumvent licensing with any unlicensed version of SOLIDWORKS is a violation of the End-User License Agreement (EULA) and can lead to serious legal and financial consequences. This guide provides a comprehensive overview of this method for informational purposes only, detailing the technical steps, the common domains targeted, and the significant risks involved.
Modern iterations of SolidWorks rely heavily on cloud integration, particularly through the 3DEXPERIENCE platform. Blocking background internet traffic disables collaborative tools, cloud storage access, data management add-ins, and online component libraries like 3D ContentCentral. Startup Delays and Timeouts
Navigate to: C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc\hosts Note: There is no file extension (like .txt).
If you are a student, your university likely offers it for free or for $50.