1 How it works
When a shopper opens the shop, the SoftwareCentral server takes the IPv4 address the request comes from and:
- connects to that address with WMI and reads the computer's own name — it tries twice;
- if that fails, asks DNS which name the address belongs to, and uses the first part of it.
If neither gives a name, the shop asks the SoftwareCentral client instead. A failed WMI lookup is written to the log as Failed to get computer name by IP address.
2 What it needs
- The SoftwareCentral server can reach the devices: WMI must be allowed through the firewall on the devices.
- The account the SoftwareCentral website runs as may read WMI on the devices.
- DNS has reverse lookup records that are kept up to date, for the fallback.
3 When it is not enough
| Situation | What happens |
|---|---|
| VPN | The request comes from an address the server often cannot reach, or one that is shared by many users. |
| Citrix and remote desktops | The request comes from the Citrix or terminal server, not from the user's own device. |
| Out-of-date DNS | The address belonged to another computer earlier, so the fallback gives that computer's name, and the order would be installed on the wrong device. |
| Devices outside your network | Internet-based and Intune-only devices cannot be reached at all. |
| Macs and phones | No Windows WMI to ask. |
4 What to use instead
- The SoftwareCentral client on the devices, with Computer name lookup set to Only use SoftwareCentral Client, so the shop never asks the network. See Using the client for the shop.
- Primary devices, when your users are registered as the main users of their devices. See Shopping for primary devices.
How the shop combines them is described in How the shop finds the device.
5 Best practice
- Turn on Only use SoftwareCentral Client, under Computer name lookup in Settings, when the lookup gives the wrong device or cannot reach the devices. The setting skips the WMI lookup and goes straight to the client.
- Register the SoftwareCentral Client on every client before you turn that setting on. Its tooltip says the client must be registered to the URI scheme on all clients.
- Keep the reverse DNS records up to date. When WMI gives no name, the shop takes the name from DNS and keeps only its first part, so an out-of-date record gives the wrong computer name.
- Turn on Disable computer name lookup for Mac devices in Settings. Mac devices are then sent to the device chooser page instead of a lookup that cannot work; a user with one primary device goes straight to the shop.
6 Troubleshooting
| Symptom | Cause | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| The shop installs on the wrong computer. | WMI gave no name, so the shop used the name that DNS gives for the IP address of the request, first part only. The address now belongs to another device, or the reverse DNS record is out of date. | Correct the reverse DNS record for that address, or turn on Only use SoftwareCentral Client so the shop does not use the network lookup. |
| A warning in the log: “Failed to get computer name by IP address 'address' using WMI.” | Both WMI attempts failed and DNS gave no name, so no computer name was found for the request. The warning is written only when no name is found at all. | Allow WMI through the firewall on the devices, check that the SoftwareCentral web server can reach them, and check the reverse DNS record for the address. Or use the SoftwareCentral Client instead. |