License Manager 4.5 makes using 20 digit activation codes harder

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The new version of license manager will only let you use the 20 digit activation code if Windows thinks you're not on the internet or if you are on the internet and can log into NI's website.

This creates a possible hazard for people if they find themselves "connected to the internet" but where a firewall (possibly a "great" firewall put up by a foreign nation) blocks NI's website. I tested this out by editing my hosts file to simulate that sort of situation. I can also imagine scenarios where a closed LAN has some local http servers that make Windows think you might be on the internet.

As for possible work arounds to convince License Manager that you aren't actually connected, I found a registry key that we might be able to use:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESYSTEMCurrentControlSetServicesNlaSvcParametersInternet

https://blog.superuser.com/2011/05/16/windows-7-network-awareness/

And, I was able to do some poking around and found that Windows sometimes thinks it's connected if it can pull from http://wpad.yourdomain.example/wpad.dat so it might be possible to block that.