Thanks fr0sty - I don't mind that, but it's only a week since I downloaded and installed V18 on this same PC, and it seems strange that I can open some projects ok, but others I am prevented from opening because of this error message.

VEGAS does require a connection to the internet at least once per month in order to verify your license, however this is only a one time thing and you can disconnect immediately after for up to one month. That is part of its copy protection mechanism, thanks to software piracy. However, you should not be seeing this error.

Since when is this monthly verification? My laptop with Vpro17 only, which is not connected to the internet, never asks.

I was mistaken, they no longer do that.

https://www.vegascreativesoftware.info/us/forum/i-hope-vegas-pro-is-not-going-down-this-path--102742/?page=2#ca633170

In 2015 the MAGIX activation requirements changed, and while initial activation does require internet access, users are no longer obligated to be online once per month for license validation.

Here's the error window

The frustrating thing is that it opens some projects without this problem, but of course the project my client is waiting for this week will not open, even though I've been working on it for a week in V18.

Maybe it tries to register a codec needed for this project.

@gary-rebholz on "phoning home" late 2017 here

This 2016 statement (last paragraph) was debated for some time.

Note also Nick in section 11 in the FAQ

IRONY ALERT ....
I have just remembered that, first thing this morning, I was attracted to a youtube tutorial headed
"VEGAS Pro 18: How To Make VEGAS Stop Crashing And Run Faster in 5 minutes! 👨‍🏫 VEGAS Tutorial #121"
It is a tute by SCRAPYARD FILMS, and because I have had a few crashes in V18, I carefully followed this, including changing some Internal settings.
ANYWAY ...
I have just gone through and reversed my changes, and would you believe, the rogue project OPENED without any message about the Internet!!
Obviously, the changes in this tute must have triggered Vegas to look for an Internet connection, even though it did not do this for all projects ....

Another experience to remember! If anyone knows exactly why this caused that, I would love to know ....

Cheers

Try to redo those changes one by one until you hit the one that triggers the bug.

Also, don't use legacy decoding ever unless you have a project that won't work without it.

Thanks fr0sty,
I'll get onto that when I've caught up with the 3 hours I lost earlier!

I stronlgy suspect that legacy decoding may have been the problem!

Right, did the test fr0sty, and as you suspected, under Options/Preferences/File I/O,
If I check EITHER the Legacy codecs for AVC or HEVC, the Internet problem returns!

Thanks .

Right, did the test fr0sty, and as you suspected, under Options/Preferences/File I/O,
If I check EITHER the Legacy codecs for AVC or HEVC, the Internet problem returns!

Thanks .

@PeterWright I also had the exact same problem when trying to activate Vegas Pro 17, the trial of Vegas Pro 18, and Sound Forge Pro 14. My home internet connection is working perfectly but only have problems with Magix software that insist to tell that "I dont have internet connection"!!!

Anyway, the workaround I used to activate my Magix software was to connect my PC to my smartphone hotspot, activate the softwares, then go back to my home WIFI.