SOLIDWORKS PDM Connectivity Troubleshooting Guide

When working with SOLIDWORKS PDM, maintaining reliable connectivity between server and client is crucial. This guide will help you diagnose common network issues using tools like ping and Telnet in the Windows Command Prompt application, while highlighting key ports and services to check.

1. Ping a Server By Name and IP Address

Pinging a server is one of the easiest ways to verify network communication. You can ping by server name (which relies on DNS resolution) or directly by IP address. Pinging by name helps test DNS, while using the IP bypasses DNS, providing more direct results.

Pinging a server by IP Address shown above

Pinging a server by Server Name shown above

When troubleshooting, if pinging by name fails but pinging by IP succeeds, it might indicate a DNS issue. In these cases, it’s also essential to consider the Fully Qualified Domain Name (FQDN) to ensure proper resolution.

2. Common Errors: Ping request could not find host

If you receive an error stating that the host cannot be found, it could mean that your computer cannot properly resolve the Server Name (DNS issue) and you may need to update your host file. 

Use caution and consult your IT professional if possible when modifying your Host file. 

To update your Hosts file.

1. Navigate to this location, C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc
2. Copy the hosts file to your desktop and open it with Notepad.
3. Add the following lines to the end as shown below.
4. After adding the lines below, Save the file and copy it back into the “etc” folder.
5. Accept all prompts that pop up.

#

IP Address     Servername

#

3. Telnet: Testing Port Connectivity

Telnet is a useful tool to check if a specific port on a server is open. You can use Telnet to test communication to key ports used by SOLIDWORKS PDM, such as port 3030 for PDM, or 25734 and 25735 for the SOLIDWORKS License Manager. To enable Telnet on Windows, go to “Programs and Features,” click “Turn Windows features on or off,” and select Telnet Client.

Once enabled, open the Command Prompt application and enter the following command and press enter:

telnet [server_name or IP] [port]

This command allows you to test connectivity to specific ports, helping identify if they’re blocked.

If the port is open and telnet is enabled, the Command Prompt screen will go blank.

4. Check your PDM Version

To check the version of SOLIDWORKS PDM that you're using, you can follow these steps:

From the PDM Administration Tool

1. Open the PDM Administration Tool - On your machine, launch the SOLIDWORKS PDM Administration tool.
2. Check the Version - Once the tool is open, click on the Help menu at the top of the window. From the drop-down, select About SOLIDWORKS PDM.
3. View the Version Information - A pop-up window will appear, displaying the version and build number of your installed SOLIDWORKS PDM software. This will give you detailed version info, including the major release, service pack, and build number.

5. Key Ports for SolidWorks PDM

To maintain proper PDM functionality, specific ports must be open and accessible:

• SQL Server: 1433 (default port), 1434 (UDP)

• PDM: 3030

• SolidWorks License Manager: 25734, 25735

These ports should be configured and open on your firewall to ensure proper communication. You can use Telnet to test each port and confirm accessibility.

6. SolidWorks Connectivity Tool

SolidWorks offers a useful Connectivity Test Tool that can help diagnose connectivity issues between clients and servers. This tool checks essential communication pathways, such as ports and server access. Request access to this tool from our experts at support@converge.design

7. ODBC Connection Testing

Another useful diagnostic is the ODBC connection app, which checks the SQL database connections for SolidWorks PDM. If users are experiencing SQL-related errors, testing the ODBC connection can help determine if the database server is properly configured and accessible.

ARTICLE BY Phillip Lewis, CSWE