Client ID overview

The client ID is a unique identifier for the computer that you assign when you initially install the Anywhere USB Manager. When you launch the Manager for the first time and log in, the Manager creates a secure identity certificate that is associated with the client ID. This certificate is used to validate your account with the Hub.

• Stand-alone: If you installed the Manager as a stand-alone, the client ID and the certificate identify the user on the computer.

• Service: If you installed the Manager as a service, the client ID and the certificate identify the computer.

When the client ID and certificate have been created, the computer is able to connect to the Hubs that recognize that client ID. Any other computer with the same client ID will be rejected.

Note In some cases, multiple computers may inadvertently be used by multiple users that have the same client ID. To fix this issue, see AnywhereUSB Manager client ID is not unique.

Client ID length

The number of characters allowed in the Client ID field is variable and is dependent on UTF-8 encoding of the characters. Note that some characters are multi-byte characters, which reduces the number of characters that are allowed in the field. Currently, the Client ID field is a maximum of 63 bytes encoded in UTF-8.

Assign a client ID to a user account

A client ID is assigned to user credentials the first time a user logs into a computer and launches the AnywhereUSB Manager.

WARNING! Digi recommends that you use a private network to connect the computer to the Hub. This ensures that only clients IDs with known user credentials can connect to the Hub. The first time that a client ID on a computer connects to the Hub, the unique credentials for this known user are stored in your Hub. If you do not use a private network, an unknown computer with the same client ID may happen to connect to the Hub before the known computer connects. In this case, the known computer will not be able to connect and authenticate.

Step 1: Create a client ID during initial launch of the AnywhereUSB Manager

The AnywhereUSB Manager can be initially opened by a user in one of the following ways:

• Installation: When the AnywhereUSB Hub software is installed, the Launch AnywhereUSB Manager option is selected by default. When the installation completes, the client ID confirmation dialog appears. The user enters a client ID, and then the AnywhereUSB Manager is automatically launched.

Note If the user deselects the Launch AnywhereUSB Manager option during installation, the AnywhereUSB Manager does not automatically open after the installation process completes. In this case, the client ID dialog does not display.

• New user logs in: After the AnywhereUSB Hub software is installed, any user can log into that computer and open the AnywhereUSB Manager. The first time a new user opens the AnywhereUSB Manager, the client ID dialog appears. The user must enter a client ID before the AnywhereUSB Manager will open.

After the initial launch of the AnywhereUSB Manager, the next time the user logs in, the computer is able to connect to the Hubs that recognize that client ID.

Step 2: Manually add a client ID to the client ID list in the Hub

You can manually add a client ID to the client list before a new user launches the AnywhereUSB Manager for the first time. In this situation, the certificate is unavailable until the first time a computer with the new client ID connects to the Hub. The new client ID is associated with the credentials for the user currently logged on to the computer.

When the computer connects to the Hub for the first time, the identity certificates are exchanged between the computer and the Hub. After the initial connection, only that computer with the client ID and unique identity certificate is able to connect to the Hub.