Common Issues
Common Issues
License Not Activating
What This Means
This issue occurs when your license cannot be activated on your site.
The activation process may fail or not complete successfully.
Common Symptoms
- activation fails after entering the license key
- no confirmation message appears
- Pro features remain disabled
- an error message is displayed
Possible Causes
This issue may be caused by:
- an invalid or incorrectly entered license key
- lack of internet connectivity from your server
- firewall or hosting restrictions
- license limits being reached
How to Fix It
Try the following steps:
1. Check Your License Key
- ensure the key is entered exactly as provided
- remove any extra spaces or formatting
- verify that the license is valid
2. Confirm Internet Access
- ensure your server can make outgoing requests
- verify DNS is functioning correctly
- check that external connections are not blocked
3. Check Firewall or Hosting Restrictions
- confirm that outbound connections are allowed
- review any security or firewall settings
- contact your hosting provider if unsure
4. Verify License Usage
- check if your license has reached its site limit
- free up a license slot if necessary
- try activating again
5. Retry Activation
- re-enter the license key
- attempt activation again
- refresh the page after attempting
What to Expect After Fixing
After resolving the issue:
- activation should complete successfully
- Pro features should become available
- license status should show as active
When to Seek Help
If the issue persists:
- note any error messages
- confirm your server environment
- include details about your license key (without sharing it publicly)
- contact support with this information
Related
License Already in Use
What This Means
This issue occurs when your license has reached its maximum number of active sites.
You cannot activate the license on additional sites until a slot is freed.
Common Symptoms
- activation fails with a message indicating the license is already in use
- unable to activate on a new site
- Pro features remain unavailable on the new site
Why This Happens
Each license has a limit on how many sites it can be used on at the same time.
If all available slots are in use:
- new activations are blocked
- existing sites remain active
How to Fix It
To resolve this issue:
1. Review Your License Usage
- access your Steel Security account portal
- view the list of active sites
- identify any sites that no longer need the license
2. Deactivate an Existing Site
- deactivate the license on an unused or old site
- confirm the slot is freed
3. Activate on the New Site
- return to your new site
- enter your license key
- activate the license
What to Expect After Fixing
After freeing a license slot:
- activation on the new site should succeed
- Pro features will become available
- your license usage will update accordingly
When to Seek Help
If you believe this is incorrect:
- confirm the number of active sites
- ensure no duplicate or unexpected activations exist
- contact support with details
Best Practices
- deactivate licenses on unused or temporary sites
- avoid leaving licenses active on development environments
- review your license usage regularly
Related
Activation Server Unreachable
What This Means
This issue occurs when your site cannot connect to the Steel Security licensing server.
As a result, license activation or validation cannot be completed.
Common Symptoms
- activation fails with a connection-related error
- license status cannot be verified
- timeouts or network errors appear
- activation works on some environments but not others
Why This Happens
This issue is typically caused by network or server restrictions.
Common causes include:
- firewall rules blocking outbound requests
- hosting provider restrictions
- DNS resolution issues
- server configuration preventing external connections
How to Fix It
Try the following steps:
1. Check Internet Connectivity
- ensure your server can access external websites
- test connectivity from your hosting environment
2. Review Firewall Settings
- confirm outbound connections are allowed
- check for security rules blocking requests
- adjust firewall settings if necessary
3. Verify DNS Configuration
- ensure your server can resolve domain names
- check DNS settings and configuration
4. Check Hosting Restrictions
- some hosting providers restrict external requests
- review your hosting plan or security settings
- contact your hosting provider if needed
5. Test Again
- retry activation after making changes
- refresh your site and confirm connectivity
What to Expect After Fixing
After resolving the issue:
- your site should connect to the licensing server
- activation should complete successfully
- license status should update correctly
When to Seek Help
If the issue persists:
- note any error messages or timeouts
- confirm your hosting environment
- provide details about firewall or network configuration
- contact support with this information
Key Principle
License activation depends on your server’s ability to communicate externally.
If outbound connections are restricted, activation cannot succeed.