Frequently Asked Questions

What is additional authentication protection in user account?

This option hardens security of authenticated account by checking and comparing user's system fingerprint stored in login cookies. Technically speaking, if someone manages to steal authentication cookies from user's computer and starts using them on his own system (which will obviously have a different fingerprint), authentication module will terminate unauthorized cookies. Keep in mind that application will also terminate valid cookies if any part of user's fingerprint (IP address, browser, etc.) is changed. Hence, user will need to login again to confirm his new fingerprint.

What is Whitelisted Access Only option for?

If whitelisted access is enabled using Software Settings » Security Settings tab, only users from whitelisted IPs will be able to use application. Hence, if someone tries to access any part of administration dashboard and his IP is not whitelisted, he will see a blank page.

This option is slightly different from Allowed Login IP(s) option in user account because it completely blocks access to all parts of administration dashboard (including login/lost password sections), while Allowed Login IP(s) option allows access to login section, so anyone can try to login (but login will only be accepted if IP is allowed). That is to say, Whitelisted Access Only option prevents 3rd parties from even accessing login section, making it virtually impossible to even start hacking application.

What's the difference between personal and anonymous license?

Personal licenses are issued when basic client's details (such as name and email) are known, so client's profile can be created and stored in the database. In order to activate product, client will only need to enter his licensed email address during installation; therefore, this method is always recommended for easier licenses management.

However, there might be some scenarios when you want to issue a license to anyone who knows activation code (for example, when you sell license keys without asking for personal buyer's information). This is called an anonymous license and doesn't require a client's profile to be created. Instead of this, you simply generate a unique license code when issuing a new license. Once someone enters this code during installation, product gets activated. Needless to say, the code must match licensed product - if code is generated for product A, it will not work with any other product.

No matter which method you choose, all the additional licensing options work equally.

Can both email address and license code based license be issued?

License can only be either personal (client-based) or anonymous (code-based), which means issuing both email address and code based license is not possible.

However, it's perfectly fine to ask client to enter his email address during installation when anonymous license is issued. It's the default way Auto Faveo Licenser itself works: email address is used to login to the administration dashboard, and code is used to verify license (don't worry, Auto Faveo Licenser will determine if license is personal or anonymous).

What are limitations for license code?

None. You are welcome to use any format for license code to suit your personal needs. You can even use order number as license code (so client can activate his script by entering his order ID). The only requirement for code is to be unique for each license. For your convenience, Auto Faveo Licenser will return duplicated data error if some code already exists in the database.

Can multiple IPs and/or domains be assigned to the same license?

Yes, a single license can have an unlimited number of allowed IPs and/or domains. Just separate each authorized IP/domain with comma (,) symbol and you are done.

How installations limit works?

Limiting the number of total installations is the easiest way to add maximum protection to your script without a need to bind license to IP address and/or domain. For example, if you don't want end user to share his copy of script with 3rd parties, but you don't know what IP and/or domain user will install script on, simply set installations limit to 1. This way, user will be able to install script on any IP/domain, but if he tries to install another copy, new installation will be blocked.

If user decides he wants to have script running on another IP/domain later, old installation needs to be deleted by you using the Installations » View Installations tab, so the license becomes "available" and another installation can be performed again. If user wants to re-install script on the same IP/domain, he can do so at any time; if the same old application is used, Auto Faveo Licenser allows an unlimited number of re-installations on the same computer. However, if the same computer is used, but IP address and/or domain is changed, re-installation will be counted as a new installation just as you would expect from a sophisticated protection algorithm.

The limit can also be modified after some installations were performed. For example, if user performed 3 installations, and limit is set to 1 later, all installations will stop working until 2 installations are removed using the Installations » View Installations tab.

What's the difference between license, support, and updates expiration?

License expiration is used to set a date after which protected script will stop working and user will need to renew his license.

Support expiration is used to set a date after which protected script will continue working, but user will need to renew his support contract in order to receive further support from you. If you provide scripts with time-limited support service, you can use this feature to check if user, who asks for some assistance, is eligible for this. You can also automatically check user's support contract status in your support ticket system by calling Auto Faveo Licenser API.

Updates expiration is used to set a a date after which protected script will continue working, but no updates will be available. This way, you can ask users to pay for updates after X days/weeks/months/years since original purchase. Needless to say, Auto PHP Licenser allows setting all the dates independently from each other.

How to disable IP verification for individual installation?

IP verification can be disabled by activating Disable IP Verification option when editing existing installation.

By default, Auto PHP Licenser locks each installation to specific IP address used to perform installation. For example, if user installs application at https://www.Domainname.com and this domain points to IP address 198.27.126.153, license verification will only succeed when domain matches IP. If https://www.Domainame.com starts pointing to another IP later (for example, website was moved to a new server), protected script will stop working. If user wants this installation to work, he needs to update his license (by contacting author or using automated update feature available in Auto Faveo Licenser user module). Once update is completed, protected script starts working again.

Since user can never fake IP address of his installation (because IP is determined by author's server), IP verification ensures that unauthorized copies don't work even if user clones/fakes other data. Disabling IP verification greatly reduces overall protection; therefore, authors should enable this option in critical situations only.

What's the difference between license uninstallation and termination?

License uninstallation is a graceful way for user to reset/uninstall his own license. Uninstalling license means that user will be able to re-install protected script on different domain later. Uninstallation does not delete user files or database; it simply removes installation details from your licensing server and marks license as "free". Even if no files are deleted, protected script stops working right after license is uninstalled. This way, you can add uninstaller to your script, so users can release their own licenses without interrupting you. License termination is anti-hacking feature, which is only executed when hacking attempt is detected or user tries using protected script after his license was marked as cancelled by developer. This feature automatically deletes all the files of protected script in user's server and removes all the data from MySQL database (if script uses it).

What are Smart Reports and how do they work?

This option prevents excessive callbacks and reports from being stored in Auto Faveo Licenser database when same client connects to your server multiple times a day. By default, Auto Faveo Licenser logs every license verification, so you can track protected script usage. However, if some client has an inactive license, he might generate hundreds of excessive reports a day. Let's say client runs some website with your script installed, and script is not licensed anymore (or you accidentally enabled forced license check). Every time someone visits client's website, license verification is triggered and new report is stored on your server.

Smart Reports ensure that only one report will be generated a day. In other words, if client performs hundreds of license verifications 7 days in a row, only 7 reports will be stored in database. This feature has no effect for properly activated licenses because verification is only performed every X days/weeks/months (defined by you) and doesn't cause excessive connections and reports.

What is Envato API token and how to obtain it?

Envato API token is used by Envato Purchase Verification Plugin to fully automate licensing for authors who sell their products on Envato. This is how it works:

• User is asked to enter his purchase code before using application. If code doesn’t exist in Auto Faveo Licenser database, plugin looks for a matching purchase on Envato. If purchase exists, plugin issues a new license for corresponding product and application starts working. Otherwise, user can’t run protected application until he enters a valid purchase code.

• Plugin starts monitoring license on Envato. If purchase is cancelled or reversed, plugin automatically deactivates a corresponding license in Auto Faveo Licenser database and application stops working on user’s machine.

• In case of any event (license activation or deactivation, support contract renewal, connection failure, etc.) plugin generates comprehensive reports in Auto Faveo Licenser administration dashboard, so authors can track all activities easily.

API token can be obtained at Manage Your Apps section on Envato website. Click the Create a new token button and grant at least these permissions: View and search Envato sites, View your items' sales history, Verify purchases of your items. Once token is created, you will see its secret key. Copy/paste this token into the Envato API Token field at Software Settings » Advanced Settings tab and save the changes.