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Registration

PingStalker uses a flexible licensing system powered by LemonSqueezy that offers both trial and licensed modes.

Welcome Dialog

First Launch

When you first launch PingStalker, you'll be presented with a welcome dialog that explains the application and its requirements.

Required Permissions

Before using PingStalker, you'll need to grant two important permissions:

1. Location & Network Services

macOS requires Location Services permission for applications to access Wi-Fi SSID information. PingStalker uses this to:

  • Display your current Wi-Fi network name
  • Show wireless network details
  • Monitor Wi-Fi roaming events

Note: PingStalker does not track or store your physical location. This permission is solely for Wi-Fi network identification.

Location Permission

2. BPF Access (Berkeley Packet Filter)

To enable real-time network monitoring, PingStalker needs access to BPF devices for packet capture. This allows monitoring of:

  • ARP requests and replies
  • DHCP transactions
  • LLDP and CDP neighbor discovery
  • DNS queries
  • 802.1X authentication events

PingStalker will guide you through installing the ChmodBPF utility, which grants the necessary permissions.

BPF Access

Trial Mode

PingStalker offers a free trial period that allows you to evaluate all features before purchasing.

Starting Your Trial

  1. Launch PingStalker for the first time
  2. Complete the permission setup
  3. Click Start Trial in the welcome dialog
  4. The trial period begins immediately

Trial Dialog

Trial Limitations

  • Time-limited access (trial duration varies)
  • All features fully functional during trial
  • Trial reminder shown on each launch
  • Trial status displayed in Settings

Trial Status

You can check your remaining trial time:

  1. Open Settings (⌘O or Settings button in toolbar)
  2. Navigate to the License tab
  3. View your trial expiration date and remaining days

Trial Status

Purchasing a License

When you're ready to purchase PingStalker:

  1. Click Purchase License in the Settings → License tab
  2. You'll be directed to the LemonSqueezy checkout page
  3. Complete your purchase
  4. You'll receive a license key via email

Purchase License

Activating Your License

Once you've received your license key:

  1. Open Settings (⌘O)
  2. Go to the License tab
  3. Enter your license key in the text field
  4. Click Activate

License Activation

License Details

After activation, you'll see:

  • License status (Licensed)
  • License key
  • Instance ID (device identifier)
  • Activation count and limit

Licensed Status

License States

PingStalker recognizes several license states:

State Description
Unlicensed No trial or license active
Trial Free trial period active
Licensed Valid license activated
Expired Trial or license period ended
Disabled License disabled by vendor
Deactivated License manually deactivated

Managing Your License

Deactivating on Current Device

If you need to move your license to another Mac:

  1. Open Settings → License tab
  2. Click Deactivate License
  3. Confirm the action
  4. Your license is now free to activate on another device

Deactivate License

Important: Deactivation frees up an activation slot but removes access on the current device.

Activation Limits

Each license includes a specific number of allowed activations. This allows you to:

  • Use PingStalker on multiple Macs
  • Reinstall on the same Mac without issues
  • Deactivate old devices to free up slots

You can view your current activation count in the License tab.

Hardware Fingerprinting

PingStalker uses hardware fingerprinting to tie licenses to specific devices. This:

  • Prevents unauthorized license sharing
  • Allows reinstalls on the same Mac
  • Survives macOS updates
  • Persists through minor hardware changes

Troubleshooting

License Activation Failed

If activation fails:

  1. Verify you've entered the correct license key (copy/paste recommended)
  2. Check your internet connection
  3. Ensure the license hasn't reached its activation limit
  4. Contact support with your license key and error message

Trial Expired

When your trial expires:

  1. The main window will no longer be accessible
  2. You'll see a reminder to purchase or enter a license
  3. All your settings and data remain intact
  4. Full access resumes immediately upon activation

Moving to a New Mac

To transfer PingStalker to a new Mac:

  1. On old Mac: Deactivate the license in Settings
  2. On new Mac: Install PingStalker
  3. On new Mac: Activate using your existing license key

Lost License Key

If you've lost your license key:

  1. Check your email for the original purchase confirmation
  2. Contact LemonSqueezy support with your purchase details
  3. They can resend your license information

Updates

Licensed users receive all updates automatically through the built-in Sparkle updater:

  • Check for Updates from the menu bar
  • Automatic update notifications
  • One-click update installation
  • License persists through updates

Support

For licensing issues:

  • Check the License tab for detailed status information
  • Review the error message if activation fails
  • Contact support with your license key and device information

Once your trial or license is active, you're ready to explore PingStalker's features. Continue to Toolbar to learn about the main interface, or jump to Menu Bar to see all available commands.