during the installation it fails because it thinks it is not connected to the internet. This isn't the case (the internet browser and other applications work and I have tried it being connected to different networks). The message reads: "Could not connect to the SolidWorks server to determine which products you are entitled to install. Check the Internet connection and click Retry if this is a temporary problem. Otherwise, you may continue without the connection if you have installation source files available on your computer already." The only options I have are to retry (which I've done many times) or to cancel, which then requires me to have the installation files already on my computer (which I don't). And I turned off the firewall as well but still nothing.
You could try disabling antivirus / anti-malware / anti-spyware applications before installation as well as the firewall, as they may be preventing something somewhere. Otherwise, I have no suggestion for this illogical situation.