How to Install Matlab Without the Internet
When installing Matlab manually, it is usually easiest to install with an internet connection. This will allow you to simply launch the installation executable, and follow the prompts to download and install the software.
Offline Installation
You will need an ISO image of Matlab and a file installation key. The File Installation Key can be obtained from the MathWorks website, see this wiki article for credentials. Once you have these, mount the ISO image on the computer and launch setup.exe. Choose the offline installation option, and provide the File Installation Key.
If this is a truly offline installation, meaning that the computer will not later connect to the internet for purposes of Matlab licensing, it will need to be installed with a File Installation Key associated with the “Campus” version of the University license (number 284884). It will also require a license file specific to the machine (for software activation). You will need to activate the computer on the MathWorks site using the machine's MAC Address (as the Host ID). You can then download a machine-specific license file and use that for activation on the offline computer.
Silent Installation
A silent installation is functionally very similar to an offline installation, but all installation prompts are automated using an input file. This file is usually found on \\fs-dept.et.byu.edu\landesk\packages\ee\Matlab. Text of the license file for the Windows installation of the University (284884) Concurrent license is below. This must be updated every time a new version of Matlab is released with a new installation path and File Installation Key.
##################################################################
##
## Use this file to specify parameters required by the installer at runtime.
##
## Instructions for using this file.
##
## 1. Create a copy of this template file and fill in the required
## information. Uncomment and set desired values; all available values
## are listed below.
##
## 2. Launch the installer from the command line, using the -inputFile option
## to specify the name of your installer initialization file.
##
## (Windows) setup.exe -inputFile
## (Unix) install -inputFile
## (Mac) InstallForMacOSX -inputFile
##
## NOTE: If you want to run the activation application in silent
## mode immediately after the installer completes, you must create
## an activation initialization file and specify its name as the
## value of the activationPropertiesFile= option. You can also
## pass the name of the activation initialization file to the
## installer using the -activationPropertiesFile command line
## option.
##
##################################################################
##
##
## SPECIFY INSTALLATION FOLDER
##
## Example:
## (Windows) destinationFolder=C:\Program Files\MATLAB\RXXXX
## (Unix) destinationFolder=/usr/local/RXXXX
## (Mac) destinationFolder=/Applications
##
destinationFolder=C:\Program Files\MATLAB\R2017a
##
## SPECIFY FILE INSTALLATION KEY
##
## Example: fileInstallationKey=xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx.....
fileInstallationKey=18775-35008-52308-27188-42502-42741-59440-42563-50355
##
## ACCEPT LICENSE AGREEMENT
##
## You must agree to the license agreement to install MathWorks products.
## The license agreement can be found in the license.txt file at the
## root level of the installation DVD.
##
## Example: agreeToLicense=yes
agreeToLicense=yes
##
## SPECIFY OUTPUT LOG
##
## Specify full path of file into which you want the results of the
## installation to be recorded.
##
## Example:
## (Windows) outputFile=C:\TEMP\mathworks_.log
## (Unix/Mac) outputFile=/tmp/mathworks_.log
outputFile=C:\Windows\Temp\mathworks.log
## SPECIFY INSTALLER MODE
##
## interactive: Run the installer GUI, waiting for user input on all dialog boxes.
##
## silent: Run the installer without displaying the GUI.
##
## automated: Run the installer GUI, displaying all dialog boxes, but only
## waiting for user input on dialogs that are missing required input.
##
## Set to interactive, silent, or automated.
mode=silent
## SPECIFY LENGTH OF TIME DIALOG BOXES ARE DISPLAYED
##
##Specify how long the installer dialog boxes are displayed, in milliseconds.
##
##NOTE: Use this value only if you set the installer mode to automated.
##
## By default, the dialog boxes display on the screen for one second.
##
##Example: (To specify a value of 1 second.) automatedModeTimeout=1000
# automatedModeTimeout=5000
## SPECIFY ACTIVATION PROPERTIES FILE (For non-network license types only)
##
## Enter the path to an existing file that contains properties to configure
## the activation process.
# activationPropertiesFile=
########## Begin: Options for Network License Types #########
##
## SPECIFY PATH TO LICENSE FILE (Required for network license types only)
##
## This value is required when installing either the License Manager or when
## installing as a Network End-User
## Example:
## (Windows) licensePath=C:\TEMP\license.dat
## (Unix) licensePath=/tmp/license.dat
licensePath=..\license.dat
## CHOOSE TO INSTALL LICENSE MANAGER (For network license types only)
##
## Installs license manager files to disk.
##
## NOTE: You only need to install the license manager files
## on your license server.
##
## Set to true or false.
lmgrFiles=false
## INSTALL LICENSE MANAGER AS A SERVICE (For network license types only)
##
## Configure the license manager as a service on Windows.
##
## NOTE: Not applicable for Unix or Mac.
##
## NOTE: The lmgr_files option (set in previous step) must also be set to true.
##
## Set to true or false.
# lmgrService=
########## End: Options for Network License Types #########
################# Begin - Windows Only Options ################
##
## CHOOSE TO CREATE WINDOWS DESKTOP SHORTCUT
##
## Set to true if you would like the installer to create a desktop shortcut icon
## when MATLAB is installed or false if you don't want the shortcut created.
## Set to true or false.
desktopShortcut=false
## CHOOSE TO ADD SHORTCUT TO WINDOWS START MENU
##
## Set to true if you would like the installer to create a Start Menu shortcut
## icon when MATLAB is installed or false if you don't want the shortcut created.
## Set to true or false.
startMenuShortcut=true
################ End - Windows Only Options ################
## SPECIFY PRODUCTS YOU WANT TO INSTALL
##
## By default, the installer installs all the products and
## documentation for which you are licensed. Products you are not licensed for
## are not installed, even if they are listed here.
##
## To install specific products, uncomment the line for the product(s) you want
## to install.
#product.Aerospace_Blockset
#product.Aerospace_Toolbox
#product.Bioinformatics_Toolbox
#product.Communications_Blockset
#product.Communications_Toolbox
#product.Control_System_Toolbox
#product.Curve_Fitting_Toolbox
#product.DO_Qualification_Kit
#product.Data_Acquisition_Toolbox
#product.Database_Toolbox
#product.Datafeed_Toolbox
#product.EDA_Simulator_Link
#product.Econometrics_Toolbox
#product.Embedded_IDE_Link
#product.Filter_Design_HDL_Coder
#product.Filter_Design_Toolbox
#product.Financial_Derivatives_Toolbox
#product.Financial_Toolbox
#product.Fixed_Income_Toolbox
#product.Fixed_Point_Toolbox
#product.Fuzzy_Logic_Toolbox
#product.Gauges_Blockset
#product.Global_Optimization_Toolbox
#product.IEC_Certification_Kit
#product.Image_Acquisition_Toolbox
#product.Image_Processing_Toolbox
#product.Instrument_Control_Toolbox
#product.MATLAB
#product.MATLAB_Builder_EX
#product.MATLAB_Builder_JA
#product.MATLAB_Builder_NE
#product.MATLAB_Compiler
#product.MATLAB_Distributed_Computing_Server
#product.MATLAB_Report_Generator
#product.Mapping_Toolbox
#product.Model_Predictive_Control_Toolbox
#product.Model_Based_Calibration_Toolbox
#product.Neural_Network_Toolbox
#product.OPC_Toolbox
#product.Optimization_Toolbox
#product.Parallel_Computing_Toolbox
#product.Partial_Differential_Equation_Toolbox
#product.RF_Toolbox
#product.Real_Time_Windows_Target
#product.Real_Time_Workshop
#product.Real_Time_Workshop_Embedded_Coder
#product.Robust_Control_Toolbox
#product.Signal_Processing_Blockset
#product.Signal_Processing_Toolbox
#product.SimBiology
#product.SimDriveline
#product.SimElectronics
#product.SimEvents
#product.SimHydraulics
#product.SimMechanics
#product.SimPowerSystems
#product.SimRF
#product.Simscape
#product.Simulink
#product.Simulink_3D_Animation
#product.Simulink_Control_Design
#product.Simulink_Design_Optimization
#product.Simulink_Design_Verifier
#product.Simulink_Fixed_Point
#product.Simulink_HDL_Coder
#product.Simulink_PLC_Coder
#product.Simulink_Report_Generator
#product.Simulink_Verification_and_Validation
#product.Spreadsheet_Link_EX
#product.Stateflow
#product.Stateflow_Coder
#product.Statistics_Toolbox
#product.Symbolic_Math_Toolbox
#product.System_Identification_Toolbox
#product.SystemTest
#product.Target_Support_Package
#product.Vehicle_Network_Toolbox
#product.Video_and_Image_Processing_Blockset
#product.Wavelet_Toolbox
#product.xPC_Target
#product.xPC_Target_Embedded_Option
The license.dat file referenced in the above file points to our department license server. The installer is expecting it to be located one directory above the location of setup.exe. See link below.