[dowNNshift]

I am running new Apple-store bought copy OS X Tiger Server 10-client -- and even after setting up the Firewall function to allow port 626 UDP I am locked out of the Server Admin console with a "Invalid Serial Number" error.

I have tried flushing the firewall manual via Terminal app, but with no success. Oddly, every 40 min or so I get a minute window of time that the Server Admin console actually recognizes the license as being legitimate. I have triple checked that port 626 UDP is allowed and that UDP packets are allowed in general -- but then less than a minute after restarting the firewall I get locked out again.

After reading I have learned that Apple has embedded a tool that searches within your subnet using Port 626 for other machines running with the same license -- nope, no piracy happening on this ship.

As a point of reference, I running Tiger Server 10.4.8, build 8L2127.

Anyone else experiencing this or have a work around? My next window should be coming up soon

[dowNNshift]

Apple acknowledges that this is (yet another) intel mac issue... (This migration has been a nightmare between this issue and SWsoft Plesk 8 not being intel Mac compatible either)

Oh, and disappointingly 10.4.8 server update did not fix this issue.

After rooting around the 'net I discovered a temporary fix...

Step 1. Flush the firewall by doing sudo ipfw -f flush

Step 2. Open the locked out Server Admin Console, click refresh and it'll unlock

Step 3. Quickly turn off the firewall and then deselect (uncheck):

a. UDP outbound and responses
b. UDP fragments
c. Serial number support (UDP 626) (a.k.a. serialnumberd)

Before re-firing up the firewall, double check the allowed ports so that you don't lock yourself out of remote desktop and/or your other services.

Step 4. Re-start the Firewall

If you watch the Active Rules, the Serial Number Support entry will "magically" replace itself as the top priority entry: 00001 0 0 allow udp from any 626 to any dst-port 626

Mac OS X v10.4.x does not "phone home" to Cupertino. The Serial number support (UDP 626) function searches for other rogue machines within the subnet using the same serial number. Apple's way of thwarting piracy -- It's sad that OEM's have to sabatoge their own software to ward off pirates.

Bottom line, if you're running UB Mac OS X Tiger Server on an Intel Mac you'll have to modify your firewall until Apple publishes a fix for the serialnumberd bug.

[vcoleman]

Hi, Just got OS X Server 10.4.8 several days ago. I'm used to Linux flavors for running LANS. After searching/reading and dinking with settings I am unable to get Server Admin to function except for a brief period after booting. Everything else works satisfactorily: NAT, DNS, DHCP, WEB, etc. When I want to make changes I'm obligated to visit /private/etc/* and play the terminal-restart service game; which is OK since I like to know what's behind the scenes. Still, it's nice to have the GUI convenience; and it's disconcerting to have the OS change rules without adequate documentation or an explanation/example of how to play the game effectively. Any more thoughts out there on this issue?