You try using Trados Studio 2017 (or later) that you activated with a Freelance or Starter Edition license on a Microsoft Windows domain-based network. You receive an error message saying that it is not possible to run the Freelance version on your network:

Your current license does not allow you to run Trados Studio when connected to a corporate domain-based network.
Disconnect from the corporate network domain and restart Trados Studio to continue, or consider upgrading your license.


 

NOTE: When you are connecting to the company network via a VPN connection, the above applies too as you are connecting to the corporate domain.

When you click on OK you will see the Product Activation dialog with the message:

Active License:
Trados Studio 2017 or  Studio 2019 Freelance or  Studio 2021 Freelance or  Studio 2022 Freelance
(Invalid - on domain-based network )

There are 2 options to enable the use of Trados Studio:

Disconnect from Domain Network

Leaving a domain has significant consequences for the machine and should be discussed with your IT department.

If you believe you are not part of a domain, follow these steps to verify the connection to a domain:

1. Go to Control Panel > System and Security > System.
2. On the Device specifications menu, check the Full computer name to see if it has a domain entry.

If you are certain that your computer should not be part of a domain, but you found a Domain entry, you can leave the domain following these additional steps:

1. Close Trados Studio
2. Go to Control Panel > System and Security > System and open Advanced System Settings from the right side. 
3. Under Computer Name tab, click Change
4. Under Member of select Workgroup 
5. Select a workgroup name and confirm 
6. Start SDL Trados Studio

Upgrade license

Consider upgrading your license to a Professional or Workgroup license.

 

Do you still require help?

If this article has not solved your issue or if you require assistance, contact the Support Team:

• For customers holding a support contract:
  1. Log in to the RWS Gateway with your RWS Account.
  2. Click on the blue Log a Case button.
• For customers without a support contract: request support through our Web Form for TP Licensing & Installation Issues on https://gateway.sdl.com.

Trados Studio Professional and Workgroup licenses allow you to work on a workgroup or domain-based network. The Freelance version and Starter Edition only work on workgroup-based network (such as a home wireless network) and cannot be used on domain-based networks. Again, this is by design and is part of our license policy.

The difference between a workgroup and a domain-based network in a nutshell:

- A workgroup is two or more computers networked together. A workgroup is often called a peer-to-peer network because the computers are all peers to each other. No computer is in charge and security and other settings have to be made on each individual computer.

- In a domain the networked computers have a definite hierarchy in that computers are either servers or clients. Domains have a unified security policy set on the domain controllers (servers) and users on client computers are authenticated by a server when logging on.