How are NoMachine Network subscriptions and NoMachine software subscriptions different?
Software Subscriptions
Software subscriptions are used to activate the NoMachine software installed on the computer you want to reach (the server-side 'host' machine). This software can be either NoMachine Personal Edition or one of the Enterprise products. Software licenses are assigned per host/server. Each computer that users need to reach requires its own software subscription. By default, remote users can connect directly to a host using its IP address or hostname using any of the free NoMachine player applications. There are no additional subscription requirements for users or client devices when connecting in this way. The only exception is when users prefer to connect using the host's Machine Id, which requires the NoMachine Network service. In that case, see Network Subscriptions below.
Network Subscriptions
A Network Subscription is an optional add-on service that enables users to connect to remote computers over the Internet without needing to know the host's IP address. It also allows connections to machines located behind NAT devices or firewalls. The Network service lets you connect to any NoMachine installation running Personal Edition and Enterprise Edition products. However, it does not provide or activate NoMachine software. Software licenses and Network subscriptions are purchased separately. Instead of connecting by IP address, users login in the NoMachine Player (using their User Id) and connect using the computer's Machine Id, which is generated when the host is published on the NoMachine Network service. Network Subscriptions are licensed per user. Therefore, every user who wants to connect through the NoMachine Network service must have a User Id and must have a Network subscription.
This depends on your needs. Here are some typical examples:
1) A user that wants to access their home computer or work computer whilst travelling and is happy with the NoMachine Personal Edition installed on the target computer. Connecting over the Network service will allow them to safely access their computer over the Internet. This user will require a Personal Edition Subscription and a Network Subscription.
2) A professional user that wants to remotely access their home or work computer installs Enterprise Desktop for the additional features. They would would like to reach that computer over the Internet using NoMachine Network. In that case, an Enterprise Desktop Subscription and a Network Subscription are required.
3) A company that has multiple users working from home needs to provide access to multiple Linux desktops all running on the same server(s). The NoMachine software they have chosen is Terminal Server for Linux. The target machines the users connect to all require NoMachine Terminal Server Subscriptions (or other subscriptions from the Enterprise family). Users will connect using only the IP address of the Linux servers, so no user requires a Network Subscription. The only subscription necessary is for the Linux server(s).
4) A NoMachine user requires some IT assistance on their computer where there is a NoMachine server installed. A relative or colleague offers to help but to remote into the machine requires some network reconfigurations which are not possible. Connecting over NoMachine Network is therefore the solution. The relative/colleague installs any of the NoMachine client applications which are free and also acquires a Network Subscription to connect. The owner of the computer where remote support is performed must have the appropriate software subscription in place.