• Synology Camera License Hack
• Synology License Pack

Bluesync wrote:I'm gonna write a complaint to the reseller and see how he reacts.Yep I agree its crap, I also would be upset if my licences got blocked for no reason as well.I'm not saying you knew that you brought fake licences, I'm just saying that if your licences have become blocked, history has shown us there is a very good chance somewhere in the supply chain bad licences got inserted unknowingly to everyone and ended up in your hands. See above, yes its crap for you and yes doesn't help you out either.As I said in posts before, I really think Synology should look at tossing some 'good will' here for those that bought licences via valid/approved resellers and replace the licences for free.Sure, write a letter to your supplier and see what they say. But first I would write to synology and ask them to confirm they are invalid licences. Send this reply along to your supplier and ask for 'replacement' licences, as you had been sold counterfeit ones.

Nyknicks8 wrote:so you dont succumb to fraud by synology.Still don't get it do you. Synology hasn't done any 'fraud' to you directly.

They have blocked licence keys that have been abused by others. You're just the victim of this abuse, but are too silly to know where to direct your rage.Question for you. Would you jump up and down at Nike if you brought knock off shoes via a 3rd party and demand a new pair from Nike? As this is what you're asking.Instead of searching for 'hacks', why don't you go look up the meanings of some of these words you keep tossing around and using wrongly.

Nyknicks8 wrote:so you dont succumb to fraud by synology.Still don't get it do you. Synology hasn't done any 'fraud' to you directly.

They have blocked licence keys that have been abused by others. You're just the victim of this abuse, but are too silly to know where to direct your rage.Question for you. Would you jump up and down at Nike if you brought knock off shoes via a 3rd party and demand a new pair from Nike?

As this is what you're asking.Instead of searching for 'hacks', why don't you go look up the meanings of some of these words you keep tossing around and using wrongly.You still don't get it. I bought it from amazon.com - sold and shipped. They're an authorized dealer. If amazon itself sold me a fake license, synology should honor it and sue amazon. And why did it work for 4 years? How did my legitimate license become fake after so long. It was ok when upgrading from SS 6 to 7, then upgrading the diskstation itself.

Now when I update from 7 to 8 it became counterfeit. I doubt it had anything to do with counterfeit and more to do with upgrading the diskstation and synologys poor implementation and instructions.I only blame synology and they should pay the price. TDimi wrote:I never considered the potential risk of licensing when investing so much.Its a very small number of people reporting issues. So I wouldn't skip using the product based on a few users here and there.Even with the mass crack down of v6-7 licence upgrade issues, the number of users who complained about licence issues was sub 100 in the threads. So out of the many many many units there, less than a 100 had issues. TDimi wrote:The problem is the riskDon't disagree.

And thanks for explaining your view. But everything has risks. I feel the chances of your licences being blocked if buying from APPROVED suppliers TODAY, would be extremely low.

We are talking well under 100 people reporting blocked keys out of millions of NAS units sold.All keys reported blocked have a purchase date from 2+ years ago. I haven't heard of any recent keys purchases being blocked. So 2+ years ago was before synology started blocking keys, when people thought they could just pump out the same key to every man and his dog and no one would notice!Anyhow, your NVR unit has a risk of dropping dead and not supplying 24x7 too. So no solution is fail safe, and you have weigh up the pros and cons of each.Oh One way to massively reduce the risk, is stop the synology unit from auto updating. TDimi wrote:The problem is the riskDon't disagree. And thanks for explaining your view. But everything has risks.

I feel the chances of your licences being blocked if buying from APPROVED suppliers TODAY, would be extremely low. We are talking well under 100 people reporting blocked keys out of millions of NAS units sold.All keys reported blocked have a purchase date from 2+ years ago. I haven't heard of any recent keys purchases being blocked. So 2+ years ago was before synology started blocking keys, when people thought they could just pump out the same key to every man and his dog and no one would notice!Anyhow, your NVR unit has a risk of dropping dead and not supplying 24x7 too. So no solution is fail safe, and you have weigh up the pros and cons of each.Oh One way to massively reduce the risk, is stop the synology unit from auto updating.Yes I agree with all of your responses - everything has risk associated and not running beta or auto updating production systems.I personally think it would be possibly easier to replace/recover from a dead or problematic NVR.

The problem is do you consolidate and leverage the advantages of consolidation at the expense of significant increase to risk (BIG BANG) or take the appliance route and have many more risks to mitigate the 'BIG BANG' at the expense of administration, possibly complexity and financial investment. Who knows - it always comes down to what your are trying to achieve in terms of outcomes, deliverables and budget - never an easy answer.I think the problems is process:1. Synology - do not terminate licenses BUT allow the customer 14 or 28 days to respond so any potential licensing related issue which would ultimately result in outage can be managed accordingly.2.

Synology - possibly have an online portal for registering/managing licenses. This might yield an outcome where by abused licenses can be flagged hopefully immediately. Briboynyc wrote:Stop with the accusations of counterfeit keys.I've never accused ANYONE of counterfeiting, please get your facts straight.It is what it is. If your keys have stopped working, then Synology has deemed them to be counterfeit/pirated/abused and have been added to a blacklist of 'bad' keys. Simple as that.If they have stopped working highly likely you have been a victim of counterfeiting entering the supply chain somewhere. This is not a mass reported issue. Sub 100 users between the V6- v7 upgrade and now the v7-v8 upgrade.

Yozz wrote:Today I upgraded on my DS916+ Surv. Station to Version 8.0.0.-5122 with my 4 pack license. After upgrading my licenses got invalid and are blocked when I remove/add the key again. I have a legit key and still have the license key card. I sended out a report like 30 minutes ago to tech support.I posted earlier in this thread, as I had this problem with the 8 Beta. I reluctantly applied the official 8 release today hoping they fixed the issue, but I am back in the same boat now as well. Also opened a ticket and pretty much expecting them to tell me to bugger off like they did the last time, but maybe I'll get lucky.

I unfortunately never saved my license key card, not that is seems to make a difference for some others that have also contacted support. Let's see what happens!I got positive respons from synology support. After I've had submitted a scan of the original license key card + the receipt from purchase, they have unblocked my license keys and all is working again for me. In my case it turned out that when I bought the DS916+ unit, I should not just have swapped my disks from the old unit, but also had to uninstall the license jet from the old unit prior to swapping disks. When you enter your license key, it will get locked with the serialnumber of your device.I hope this will help others, too. License Activation and RestrictionsIn Surveillance Station, go to Main Menu License then click Add.

An installation wizard will guide you through adding device licenses into Surveillance Station.The license key can only be applied to one Synology product, however to satisfy special requirements from users, each license key can be migrated once.Note:Online connectivity is required for license activation.License migration count is restricted to one since Surveillance Station 8.0./sizeIf there are more than one Synology product under the CMS setup, the included device license can be shared among the CMS cluster. Learn more about CMS. So basically this new find as part of SS8 changes everything. Back in the SS6-SS7 synology the blocked keys are because of counterfeit but it seems now with SS8 they seem to be locking down and wanting users to buy 'new' ones.This is totally unacceptable change to the licence agreement. Plus we're going to see a stream of 'issues' around this two usage policy for users who reinstall DSM, get warranty replacements or upgrade that licences suddenly stop working without warning.

It'll drive more users to the 'darker' side on how to get free licences.With products like milestone offering 8 cameras FREE, unlimited recording, full use of mobile apps etc, I will be reluctant to continue down the synology path when/if my licences fail. I'm looking at about $400USD in replacement costs for new licences. Not happy.Sure lock down licences so they can only be active on one NAS at a time, got no issues with that!

But don't turn licences into a 'leasing' product. But looking at the recent synology changes, they want to nickel and dime everyone all the way. Level380 wrote:So basically this new find as part of SS8 changes everything. Back in the SS6-SS7 synology the blocked keys are because of counterfeit but it seems now with SS8 they seem to be locking down and wanting users to buy 'new' ones.This is totally unacceptable change to the licence agreement. Plus we're going to see a stream of 'issues' around this two usage policy for users who reinstall DSM, get warranty replacements or upgrade that licences suddenly stop working without warning. It'll drive more users to the 'darker' side on how to get free licences.With products like milestone offering 8 cameras FREE, unlimited recording, full use of mobile apps etc, I will be reluctant to continue down the synology path when/if my licences fail. I'm looking at about $400USD in replacement costs for new licences.

Not happy.Sure lock down licences so they can only be active on one NAS at a time, got no issues with that! But don't turn licences into a 'leasing' product. But looking at the recent synology changes, they want to nickel and dime everyone all the way.It all sounds very disturbing. Now if surveillance station was merely a nice to have then the availability is not as high concern BUT given these are solutions being used for commercial use is very unsettling.I agree with your comments and it seems Synology should have consulted and communicated better with its customers.I don't think I am confident in recommending this solution for commercial installation whereby I am the consultant/installer given the content/discussion in this thread.

Joe Cool wrote:Hi!A lot of updates came in today.SS is DEFINITELY one I have kept away from but most of the time. Nevertheless I just read to see 'what I am missing'.You can read this BEFORE installation:What´s new in version 7.1-4056:Point 26 of Compatibility and Installation. (as a matter of fact it was de last point of all the 'new' things this version does)26.

Online activation is now required for adding camera licenses to indemnify user´s rights and interests.So there!!! The most possible explanation is something went haywire with licenses been blacklisted. SS is calling home!!!

There goes privacy questions and issues too! But that issue belongs on another thread lol). Perhaps the proofs of purchase and the temporary licenses they are asking/giving for might trigger some kind of suit to the vendors which might have done something wrong and conned (maybe) legitimate buyers. (?) Or could be something is definitely wrong with the license validation on their side too.I have been very disappointed since version 6.3 on. I have stayed on the last version of 6.2 ever since. Perhaps one day Synology will force upon us some kind of update (DS Cam not working on previous versions, or an update to DSM, etc) but for the time being. My advice is.

STAY AWAY from the newer versions. If you have a couple of Synos like I do.

Keep the main one with the old version working and doing the job and a secondary one BETA testing SS. If you do not. My advice is. Stay with the latest 6.2Are you FRUSTRATED (like I was some time ago?) take the time, pull everything back to 6.2, take your time, breathe and keep it working.

I know, I know. This is not the best advice, but I would hate to throw the Syno off the window and not enjoy the rest of things (at least for me) it does pretty well just because some department is not.yet. doing a good work.Regards!AFAIK, SS was always phoning home with license checks. This is nothing new.

Maybe they just started cracking down on illegal sales.If you purchased an SS license, and didn't get sealed card in mail, I would be suspicious. HiI am not completely sure about this. But through reading for some time now in this forum, I believe each release previous to 7.1-4056 contained some kind of hash which validated/invalidated licenses either valid or known 'blacklisted' (to Synology). Hash that got updated upon every release.

Whereas if you use previous versions IOW roll back your setup to previous versions (again, I think, because of my experience reading) people who are having this invalid problem should not have it from the version they were coming from (or previous to that for that matter).I have seen these reports before on the forums where people complained and resolved by rolling back just after an update. Yet again, people who claim to have bought valid licenses. Never before (I might be wrong) have I read expressly from Synology, that 'online activation' is requiered, cause if this was true before. Why state this again?: 'Online activation is NOW REQUIRED for adding camera licenses to indemnify users rights and interests.'

(An why I expressed 'WOW Synology phones back home!' Theme which will be discussed in my next session with my psychologist). I am just being sarcastic LOL.Yet again, rolling back to previous versions has ALWAYS been a drag if you want to keep everything clean and dandy as it is/was before this.

This is why I stress on relaxing, breathing and coming to terms to having to start clean. Rolling back will certainly be best thinking that you have to start up with a clean slate and stay tight until this roller coaster (which for me started since 6.3 onwards) comes to more stable grounds. I think most certainly you could back up recordings for future reference without a problem before the rollback, but you might most certainly can not make them accessible through the installed SS database that you rolled back to.Point number 4 (of the 5) of the Compatibility and Installation of version 7.1-4056 states: Surveillance Station 7.1 cannot be downgraded to Surveillance 7.0 once it´s installed. (I just realized point 26 that I mentioned on my earlier post belongs under the heading: 'Whats New' not 'Compatibility and Installation').Before rolling back be sure to have your licenses backed up (if for any reason you lost your card) because I have read too on the forums about people who see their licenses vanish doing a rollback. So back this up as well as those recordings you do not want to lose before the roll back. Lacibaci wrote:AFAIK, SS was always phoning home with license checks.

This is nothing new. Maybe they just started cracking down on illegal sales.If you purchased an SS license, and didn't get sealed card in mail, I would be suspicious.That is NOT correct, the license check started with SS 7, not before that.And not all legit licenses are accompanied with a sealed card, that is the problem in 'proving' it afterwards.

Synology Camera License Hack

It is a mafia kind of thing Synology is pulling here, and they do not reply to support with a decent answer simply because, as usual, they do not have any! HiI will admit, furthering the complications on this license thing, and very possibly the implications of this really being a true mess, is that I received my licenses VIA EMAIL (quite some time ago.) from what to this day I still do believe is a 'valid' distributor. But via email?

Not 'as' but 'like' who sends their credit card number this way right?.sigh.I do not even want to THINK (nor try) my luck upon newer iterations of SS!!! (furthering my psycological problems and fattening my psychologist´s wallet LOL) not!!!

I am just joking here!But yes!!! I do really think this IS a mess.Then again I am a positive thinker and I truly believe Synology has very capable people. I am hopeful that one day, on a brainstorm meeting somewhere in Taiwan, they will finally come to terms and broaden their horizons getting rid of this license mess with SS.Regards! Lacibaci wrote:AFAIK, SS was always phoning home with license checks. This is nothing new. Maybe they just started cracking down on illegal sales.If you purchased an SS license, and didn't get sealed card in mail, I would be suspicious.That is NOT correct, the license check started with SS 7, not before that.And not all legit licenses are accompanied with a sealed card, that is the problem in 'proving' it afterwards.

It is a mafia kind of thing Synology is pulling here, and they do not reply to support with a decent answer simply because, as usual, they do not have any!I am not sure about license checks before 7.0 but l am almost certain that all licenses should come in snail mail in a sealed card.Lac. It's 2015, almost 2016!It has been years since I received anything on paper!

Microsoft, Adobe, FileMaker, Apple, need a few more big names? Everything is done via Email or secure web and there is nothing wrong with that.Besides that, the Synology website did (or does) not state this anywhere on their site, I just heard about it when the previous problems started, then they asked for a 'card'. Is it because I am in Europe, but we are a dealer and even we never heard of it.

Synology License Pack

Our own supplier, top - level distributor does not issue cards, so, where does that leave us? We resell, but now of course, WE are the bad guys!?! Go try and explain that to the customer!We are slowly switching away from Synology for Surveillance solutions.

It is a big shame that it has to come this far, again, because the Synology devices are really neat regarding their original NAS functions. Update: They've now agreed that I can return the licence to Synology UK, which I've done. Although I suspect they'll still need to send it on to Taiwan.

More delay?In my most recent exchange with them, I made the mistake of drawing their attention to the increasing number of people posting on this forum with the same problem after upgrading. Interestingly, you get an insight into their attitude to customers problems from the quote below taken from their reply.' Thank you for the reply.Please be aware that whilst users maybe posting onto a forum, we have not had many tickets raised with us as a support department and we do not monitor the forum web site. The forum is a user-to-user environment only which is stated at the top of each thread to make users aware that they will need to contact us directly for support.I appreciate your concerns but I can assure you that we are investigating this matter throughly but unfortunately this isn't something that can be solved without a clear and concise investigation. We need to isolate why this issue has occurred and what can be done to ensure that it doesn't happen in the future for yourself and other users'I can't help feeling that we, the customers, are a real nuisance to them. Synology know best eh!

Yep, after all, they do indeed not look at this, or, don't care. Although it covers the thoughts of many users, they choose to ignore this, as it is not 'official'.If it isn't, well, they would better no even provide it and let someone make a neutral one.you would expect that any self respecting company would care what the thoughts of their customers are, but no, not these people, Chinese, Taiwanese, and anything else in those regions really believe they know better but DO NOT understand the Western businesses!Not that many tickets? I know of 17 myself, and that is just me!!!! I'm going to post my experience here because I believe I have reached a non-resolution with tech support.A. Over a year ago when I bought my Synology, I bought a 4-camera license pack from ebay for $111.36 USD from a UK seller.B. I applied the code I was sent, It worked fine until 7.1 upgrade.C.

I filed a ticket asking what gives, about 5 days later, support asked me to send a copy of my invoice and photos of my license card.D. No idea where the card is or if I even received one. Maybe it was a card? I sent a copy of my ebay receipt but support basically said I am out of luck because, based on the price I paid, I probably bought a counterfeit code.-Well.@#$.

I do recall the difficulty of finding an online retailer when I wanted to buy the license pack, they all seemed shady as hell, with either no online shop or just a phone number to call. This is what led me to Ebay to buy the license pack (Trusted market, use paypal and if the codes were no good, ask for a refund).Now I either buy another camera license pack FROM AN AUTHORIZED RETAILER(?? - still, not sure where this is done or whom is authorized) or just find another Network DVR provider.Since someone above me posted that this forum isn't even monitored, I'm feeling even more out in the cold on this issue now.