It is legal to use SmarterX to share a dongle (or dongles) between multiple machines providing the application licensed to a single user runs on one machine at the time (non-concurrently).
SmarterX allows concurrent* running of applications software on multiple machines using a single dongle. Since this is true with a significant number of applications software we strongly recommend that the user be aware of this and make sure that the device is used within the terms of the license agreement that comes with the application software.
Please note: the purchase and use of SmarterX is legitimate and legal since it can be used legally and within the terms of your license agreement. This is contrary to possessing and using a "cracked" software (dongle free) which can never be justified to be legal. SmarterX is not a dongle emulator or dongle replacement. It can only be used in conjunction with your dongle and your licensed software that you have legally purchased.
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1) We have a single CAD/CAM system and I am the main user of the program. I have used your device successfuly to share my dongle with another light user. This has stopped him unplugging my dongle every time he wanted to use the program. This smart device has helped both of us.
2) Thanks to the SmarterX. It has saved us lots of fumbling around under the desk. I am extremely pleased with it.
3) I run a small business in Birmingham and have 2 seats CAD/CAM program installed on two computers at work. I often work at home after leaving work. This was meant to take one of our dongles with me every day when finished work and remember to bring it back to work the next day. Not anymore, thanks to your device. I have now kept one of our dongle at home and have used your device to share the other dongle at work.
4) We purchased our CAD/CAM program several years ago which came with a dongle.
We needed an additional seat due to our increased workload. The company that we
purchased the CAD system from no longer supply dongles to clients. Fourtunately help was at hand and we have successfully used your device to gain an additional user to help us to overcome our workload.
5) A few years ago we purchased a two seats CAD/CAM systems with dongles. We lost one of our dongles two weeks ago. This had massive impact on our work. We desperately needed a solution. I am glad to say that we have successfully used your device to overcome this loss by sharing the remaining dongle. We have asked our software vendor for a replacement. The initial indications are that we most likely have to pay a full price for it.
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The only common thing between the two is the similarity in looks. However, from a functionality point of view they are a world apart. Parallel auto switch devices such as Belkin F1U115E is basically a data switch with a preset timer. These devices are produced to share a printer manually or automatically but not a dongle. SmarterX is a sophisticated device with built in data monitoring and protocol analysing tools, it uses a proprietary multilevel arbitration scheme to route data intelligently from multiple machines to the dongle and vice versa.
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Yes, you can do it with the parallel port version of SmaretrX you can attach (stack up) several parallel dongles of different make to SmarterX. Any user is able to run any one of the several dongle based application software on his/her machine automatically. For example: you only need a single SmarterX-2 unit to run several different dongle based applications on two machines.
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No, the design of the paralell port version of SmarterX is based on ultra low power technology. It only needs micro-amps of current to operate. It is solely powered from the data lines of the PC parallel port. The USB version is powered by the USB port on the PC.
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Use USB over network software. Using this software USB devices connected to remote computers (in local network or internet) can be accessed as if are locally plugged in. This software is available form many vendors. We recommend to use the software from SysNucleus which is reasonably priced. The link to this site is:
http://www.sysnucleus.com/usbshare/
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A two ports and a three ports USB version of SmarterX are currently available for evaluation and purchase. A five ports version will be available in May 2009.
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Yes, SmarterX is transparent to a printer. That means you can connect your parallel port printer to the dongle attached to SmarterX and use it. Please note that SmarterX is not a printer sharing device. The user who has access to the dongle can use the printer attached to the back of the dongle.
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This is very straight forward. Before connecting your PCs to SmarterX-2 you need to do the following:
1- Install a copy of your application software on to a second PC. Use the same license file used to install the application on your original PC.
2- make sure that your application runs Ok with the dongle directly attached to parallel port of this second PC.
3- Connect both computers (use cables supplied) to SmarterX-2 ports labeled A and B (the order does not matter) and your dongle to the dongle port of SmarterX-2.
4- Switch on both PCs and you are ready to go.
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* concurrent use of a dongle-base single user licensed software on two or more computers may constitute a violation of the licensing agreement. Please read your software license terms and conditions.
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