To change UPS WorldShip from standalone to LAN, you reinstall WorldShip on the main PC as a Workgroup Admin workstation that points to a shared Windows folder, enable remote access, and then install each additional PC as a Workgroup Remote. There’s no switch inside WorldShip that flips an existing Single Workstation install to LAN mode, so the job is a planned reinstall, with a backup first.
UPS’s current name for “standalone” is Single Workstation, and its name for “LAN” is Workgroup (older versions said “LAN Admin”). The steps below follow UPS’s WorldShip installation and moving guides.
What Is the Difference Between Standalone and LAN Mode in WorldShip?
A Single Workstation install keeps the WorldShip database, address book and shipping history on one PC, and only that PC can ship. A Workgroup install puts one shared database on the Workgroup Admin PC, and every Workgroup Remote PC on the network reads and writes to it.
| Setting | Single Workstation (standalone) | Workgroup (LAN) |
|---|---|---|
| Where the database lives | On the one PC running WorldShip | On the Workgroup Admin PC, shared through a Windows folder |
| Number of shipping PCs | One | One admin plus one or more remotes |
| Address book and history | Local to that PC | Shared by every workstation |
| UPS communication setup | On the PC itself | On the admin; remotes skip the Communication Setup windows |
| What remotes can do | Not applicable | Limited by default; the admin can allow more |
| Main risk | Data is stuck on one machine | Remotes stop working if the admin PC is off or asleep |
LAN mode makes sense once two or more people need to process shipments from the same address book and history. If one person ships from one desk, the Single Workstation setup is simpler and has nothing to break on the network.
What Do You Need Before Switching to LAN Mode?
A Workgroup setup has a few hard requirements from UPS. Check them before you touch the installer, because most failed conversions trace back to one of these.
- A desktop PC to act as the admin. UPS says WorldShip should not be installed on a server, so the database host is a regular Windows workstation that stays on during shipping hours.
- Sleep mode turned off on the admin. UPS warns that the WorldShip database disconnects if the Workgroup Admin PC goes to sleep, which knocks every remote offline.
- A shared Windows folder. It holds the shared database files and the remote installation files, and it must be separate from the folder where WorldShip’s local files are installed.
- Network access from every remote. Each remote PC must be able to reach and map that shared folder as a network drive.
- Time to reinstall. UPS recommends temporarily disabling antivirus scanning and running no other installs while WorldShip installs.
How Do You Back Up WorldShip Data Before the Change?
Back up the standalone PC first, using the WorldShip Support Utility that installs alongside WorldShip. UPS’s moving guide lays out this sequence:
- Run End of Day in WorldShip so no shipments are left pending.
- If you use Import/Export, open Import/Export Data > Create/Edit Map and write down every name in the ODBC DSN/Location column exactly as spelled. DSN names are case sensitive and must be recreated by hand.
- Open the Support Utility from the Windows Start menu (search “UPS WorldShip Support Utility”).
- Choose View > WorldShip Information to confirm the current Install Type, shown under the Shipper box.
- Double-click Data Maintenance, click Backup, and note the backup location the utility reports.
- Copy that backup folder, plus the
\UPS\WSTD\Archive,\UPS\WSTD\Backupand\UPS\WSTD\ImpExpfolders, to an external or network drive.
One caution matters here. UPS’s moving guide says its restore steps only work when the install type stays the same (Single to Single, Admin to Admin). Before restoring a Single Workstation backup into a new Workgroup Admin install, call UPS Technical Support, which you can reach through the Contact UPS Technical Support tool in the Support Utility, and confirm how to carry your history and address book across.
How Do You Change UPS WorldShip From Standalone to LAN?
With the backup safe, the conversion takes five steps. Do them in order, because remotes can’t install until the admin and its shared folder exist.
Step 1: Create the shared folder
On the PC that will become the Workgroup Admin, or on a drive both the admin and the remotes can reach, create a folder for the shared WorldShip files. Share it in Windows and give the WorldShip users permission to read and change files in it.
Step 2: Reinstall WorldShip on the admin PC as Workgroup Admin
Run the WorldShip installer on the admin PC. On the Installation Type Selection window, choose Workgroup Admin, click the browse button for Workgroup Admin Shared Location, select the shared folder from Step 1, and click Install.
Reboot when prompted, finish the Communication Setup windows, and complete the Register with UPS window. If UPS Technical Support has confirmed your backup can be restored, follow its instructions at this point, before anyone starts shipping.
Step 3: Turn on remote access
Open WorldShip on the admin PC and go to Tools > Remote Workstations > Enable/Disable Remote Access. This menu only appears on a Workgroup Admin install, so if you can’t find it, the PC was installed as a Single Workstation and Step 2 needs to be repeated.
Step 4: Install each remote workstation
On every other PC, map a network drive to the shared folder using Windows Explorer. Then run the remote installer from the share, at \UPS\WSTD\Remote\Install\Disk1\Setup.exe, and choose Workgroup Remote.
When you install from the share, the shared location is filled in and can’t be changed, which keeps every remote pointed at the same database. If you run the full installer instead, browse to the shared location your admin set up.
Step 5: Set permissions and test
Remotes start with limited functionality, and the admin decides what each one can do. Once permissions are set, add a test address on one remote and confirm it appears on another, process a test shipment from each PC, and run End of Day from the admin.
Finally, reinstall thermal printer drivers through WorldShip on each PC and recreate any ODBC DSNs you recorded, using the exact same names. Your labels then print the same way they did before; our UPS shipping label guide covers label formats if something looks off.
What Goes Wrong When Switching WorldShip to LAN?
Most Workgroup problems come down to the network share or the admin PC, not WorldShip itself.
| Symptom | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Remotes suddenly can’t connect | Admin PC asleep, restarted or offline | Disable sleep on the admin and keep it running during shipping hours |
| Remote can’t find the database | Shared folder path changed or drive not mapped | Re-map the network drive to the same shared folder on every remote |
| Remote Workstations menu missing | PC installed as Single Workstation | Reinstall on that PC as Workgroup Admin |
| Import/Export maps fail | ODBC DSNs not recreated | Recreate each DSN with the exact, case-sensitive name |
| Labels print wrong | Printer drivers not reinstalled | Reinstall thermal printer drivers through WorldShip |
For anything not listed here, our UPS frequently asked questions page collects common account and software questions. Once shipments flow from several desks, package tracking services help your team follow every package after it leaves.
Can You Lower UPS Costs After Moving to LAN Mode?
A Workgroup setup saves your team time, but it doesn’t change the rates on your UPS account. If you also want lower prices, ParcelPath is a free alternative for labels, with no subscription, per-label fee or minimums, and up to 85% off UPS and up to 89% off USPS.
Our guide to saving on shipping for small business explains when that makes sense next to WorldShip, and you can check ecommerce shipping options or compare prices for a package in the ParcelPath rate calculator.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you change WorldShip from standalone to LAN without reinstalling?
No. The install type is chosen on the Installation Type Selection window during setup, and WorldShip has no menu option to convert a Single Workstation into a Workgroup Admin afterward. You reinstall on the admin PC, choose Workgroup Admin and point it to a shared Windows folder. Back up with the WorldShip Support Utility before you start.
Will I lose my WorldShip shipping history when I switch to LAN?
Not if you back up first, but check the restore path with UPS. The WorldShip Support Utility backs up the database under Data Maintenance, and UPS’s moving guide restores it only between matching install types, such as Single to Single. Ask UPS Technical Support how to bring a Single Workstation backup into a new Workgroup Admin install before you restore it.
Can the WorldShip LAN database run on a server?
No. UPS says WorldShip should not be installed on a server. The shared database lives on the Workgroup Admin PC, a regular Windows workstation, while the shared folder can sit on that PC or on another drive both the admin and the remotes can reach. Keep the admin awake, because sleep mode disconnects the database.
Why don’t remote workstations show the Communication Setup screens?
Workgroup Remote installs skip the Communication Setup windows because the Workgroup Admin PC handles communication with UPS for the group. Remotes also start with limited functionality, and the administrator enables additional features for each one. Remote access itself must be switched on from the admin under Tools > Remote Workstations > Enable/Disable Remote Access.
Sources
- UPS: Install WorldShip on a Single or Workgroup Workstation (PDF)
- UPS: Moving WorldShip Guide (PDF)
- UPS: WorldShip Installation and Upgrade Guide (PDF)
Part of our UPS Services guide. Related: UPS Size and Weight Limits, UPS Shipping Guide, UPS Next Day Air Shipping.
