License Issues

This guide covers common license-related problems and their solutions.

⚠️ IMPORTANT: The license file must be kept EXACTLY as provided by the arb-assist team. Do NOT rename or modify the license file in any way. The filename format is: license_username_serverIP_expiration.json

License Validation Errors

Invalid License File

Error:

Error: Invalid license file

Common Causes:

1. Wrong IP address in license

2. License file not found

3. Corrupted license file

4. Expired license

Solutions:

1. Verify server IP:

# Check your server's public IP
curl ifconfig.me
# or
curl ipinfo.io/ip
# or
wget -qO- https://api.ipify.org

1. Check license filename:

# License filename format: license_username_serverIP_expiration.json
# Example: license_myusername_192.168.1.100_1234567890.json
# DO NOT rename the file - keep it exactly as provided
ls -la license_*.json

1. Verify license location:

# Must be in same directory as arb-assist
# Keep the license file in the same folder without moving it
pwd
ls -la arb-assist license_*.json

License File Not Found

Error:

Error: Cannot find license file

Troubleshooting Steps:

1. Check file exists:

# Check for license file
find . -name "license_*.json" -type f

# Check current directory
ls -la | grep license

1. Verify permissions:

# License needs to be readable
chmod 644 license_*.json

# Check ownership
ls -la license_*.json

1. Correct placement:

# Ensure in same directory
cd /path/to/arb-assist
ls -la
# Should see both arb-assist and license_*.json

IP Address Mismatch

Error:

Error: License not valid for this IP address

Common Scenarios:

1. Dynamic IP changed:

   • VPS provider assigned new IP

   • Server migration

   • Network configuration change

2. NAT/Proxy issues:

   • Behind NAT

   • Using VPN

   • Cloud provider networking

Solutions:

1. Verify current IP:

# External IP (what license should match)
curl ifconfig.me

# Internal IPs (for reference)
ip addr show
ifconfig

1. Check for IP changes:

# Check your license filename
ls license_*.json
# The IP in the filename should match your current server IP
# Example: license_myusername_192.168.1.100_1234567890.json

1. Request new license:

   • Contact support with new IP

   • Provide server details

   • Explain IP change reason

License File Management

⚠️ WARNING: Never modify the license file content. Always keep the original file exactly as provided by the arb-assist team.

Backup Procedures

Always backup your license:

1. Local backup:

# Create backup directory
mkdir -p ~/licenses/backup
cp license_*.json ~/licenses/backup/

# With timestamp
cp license_*.json ~/licenses/backup/license-$(date +%Y%m%d).bak

1. Secure storage:

# Encrypt before storing
tar -czf - license_*.json | gpg -c > license-backup.tar.gz.gpg

# Decrypt when needed
gpg -d license-backup.tar.gz.gpg | tar -xzf -

Multiple Licenses

Managing licenses for multiple servers:

1. Naming convention:

licenses/
├── production/
│   └── license_produser_192.168.1.100_1234567890.json
├── staging/
│   └── license_staginguser_192.168.1.101_1234567891.json
└── development/
    └── license_devuser_192.168.1.102_1234567892.json

1. Deployment script:

#!/bin/bash
# deploy-license.sh
SERVER_IP=$(curl -s ifconfig.me)
# Find the license file for this IP
LICENSE_FILE=$(find licenses/production -name "license_*_${SERVER_IP}_*.json" | head -1)

if [ -f "$LICENSE_FILE" ]; then
    cp "$LICENSE_FILE" .
    echo "License deployed for IP: $SERVER_IP"
else
    echo "Error: No license found for IP: $SERVER_IP"
    exit 1
fi

License Security

Protect your license files:

1. File permissions:

# Readable by user only
chmod 600 license_*.json

# Or readable by user and group
chmod 640 license_*.json

1. Access control:

# Create dedicated user
sudo useradd -r -s /bin/false arb-assist

# Set ownership
sudo chown arb-assist:arb-assist license_*.json

1. Audit access:

# Monitor license file access
auditctl -w /path/to/license.file -p r -k license_access

# View audit logs
ausearch -k license_access

License Validation Process

How License Validation Works

1. arb-assist startup:

   • Looks for license file matching pattern: license_*.json

   • Extracts IP from filename

   • Compares with server IP

   • Validates license content

2. Validation checks:

   • File integrity

   • IP address match

   • Expiration date (if applicable)

   • License signature

Debugging License Issues

Enable verbose logging:

1. Check startup logs:

# Run manually to see all output
./arb-assist

# Look for license-related messages
[INFO] Looking for license file...
[INFO] Found license: license_username_serverIP_expiration.json
[INFO] Validating license...
[INFO] License valid

1. Common error patterns:

[ERROR] No license file found in current directory
[ERROR] License does not match server IP
[ERROR] License validation failed: Invalid signature
[ERROR] License expired on 2024-01-01

Server Migration

When moving to a new server:

Pre-migration Checklist

1. Note current IP:

echo "Current IP: $(curl -s ifconfig.me)"

1. Backup current setup:

tar -czf arb-assist-backup.tar.gz arb-assist config.toml license_*.json

1. Request new license:

   • Get new server IP

   • Contact support

   • Provide migration timeline

Migration Process

1. Setup new server:

# Install dependencies
# Copy arb-assist binary
# Copy configuration

1. Test with new license:

# Don't delete old server yet
# Run test on new server
./arb-assist

# Verify it starts correctly

1. Cutover:

# Stop old instance
pm2 stop arb-assist

# Start new instance
pm2 start arb-assist

Post-migration

1. Verify operation:

   • Check logs

   • Monitor performance

   • Ensure bot connects

2. Cleanup:

   • Remove old license

   • Update documentation

   • Notify team

Cloud Provider Specifics

AWS EC2

Elastic IPs and licensing:

# Check if using Elastic IP
aws ec2 describe-addresses --filters "Name=instance-id,Values=$(ec2-metadata --instance-id)"

# Note: Elastic IPs persist across restarts

Google Cloud

External IPs:

# Get external IP
gcloud compute instances describe INSTANCE_NAME --format='get(networkInterfaces[0].accessConfigs[0].natIP)'

DigitalOcean

Floating IPs:

# Check droplet IP
doctl compute droplet get DROPLET_ID --format PublicIPv4

License Troubleshooting Checklist

When experiencing license issues:

• Verify server's external IP

• Check license file exists

• Confirm file follows naming format: license_username_serverIP_expiration.json

• Verify file permissions (readable)

• Ensure in correct directory

• Check for error messages in logs

• Test with absolute path

• Verify no VPN/proxy active

• Confirm server time is correct

• Contact support if unresolved

Getting Support

When contacting support:

1. Provide information:

   • Current server IP

   • License file exists (license_username_serverIP_expiration.json)

   • Error messages

   • Server provider

   • Migration details (if applicable)

2. Include diagnostics:

# Create diagnostic report
echo "=== Diagnostic Report ===" > diagnostic.txt
echo "Date: $(date)" >> diagnostic.txt
echo "IP: $(curl -s ifconfig.me)" >> diagnostic.txt
echo "License file:" >> diagnostic.txt
ls -la license_*.json >> diagnostic.txt
echo "Directory contents:" >> diagnostic.txt
ls -la >> diagnostic.txt
echo "Error output:" >> diagnostic.txt
./arb-assist 2>&1 | head -20 >> diagnostic.txt

1. Support channels:

   • Discord: Join Server

   • Include diagnostic report

   • Be patient for response

Best Practices

1. Never modify license files: Keep them exactly as provided by arb-assist team

2. Always backup licenses: Before any changes

3. Document IP addresses: Keep record of licensed IPs

4. Plan migrations: Request new licenses in advance

5. Monitor expiration: If licenses have expiry dates

6. Secure storage: Protect license files

7. Test thoroughly: Before production deployment