The COMSOL Desktop can run in a separate process as a client to a COMSOL Multiphysics server. The COMSOL Desktop client uses a TCP/IP connection to connect to the COMSOL Multiphysics server. The client and server need not run on the same platform. You must have a floating network license (FNL) to run the COMSOL Multiphysics server and the COMSOL Multiphysics client on separate computers. The COMSOL Multiphysics server has been designed to work as a single user server. Both client and server should be started by the same system user. The COMSOL Multiphysics server is not designed to run as a service, serving multiple users.

When you use LiveLink™ for MATLAB® and LiveLink™ for Excel®, a COMSOL Multiphysics client runs within MATLAB and Excel and connects to a COMSOL Multiphysics server, which is typically started automatically.