> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://enercalc.com/docs/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://enercalc.com/docs/sel-faq/setup-and-licensing/troubleshooting/network-security-and-it-environments/difficulty-with-internet-activ.md).

# Difficulty with Internet Activation

How to troubleshoot ENERCALC SEL Internet Activation problems caused by antivirus, firewalls, VPNs, and certificate inspection.

Internet Activation issues usually result from a network communication problem. Fortunately these issues are usually easy to fix, but they may be most efficiently handled by an IT pro. If you have an IT pro, please feel free to have them contact us. If you don’t have an IT pro, read on.

{% hint style="info" %}
**NOTE:** The Internet Activation server continually runs self-diagnostics, and restarts itself within four minutes if an issue is detected. Any issue with the server will commonly resolve itself within a few minutes, and the easiest fix is often to try Internet activating again.
{% endhint %}

Activation difficulties commonly boil down to a communication issue between your computer and the Internet Activation system. These issues generally fall into one of three categories:

* Antivirus software is blocking proper communication.
* A firewall is blocking proper communication.
* Ad-blocking software and “firewall boosters” can cause communication issues.

Check the following:

* Disconnect from your VPN, then try Internet Activation again.
* Check your firewall and antivirus software. Verify that these sites are permitted or trusted on ports `80` and `443`:

  | Domain                | AWS region              |
  | --------------------- | ----------------------- |
  | `enercalc.net`        | Virginia, US-East-1     |
  | `enercalcwest.com`    | California, US-West-1   |
  | `enercalcpnw.com`     | Oregon, US-West-2       |
  | `enercalceast.com`    | Virginia, US-East-1     |
  | `enercalcmidwest.com` | Ohio, US-East-2         |
  | `enercloudeurope.com` | Frankfurt, eu-central-1 |
  | `enercalcindia.com`   | Mumbai, ap-south-1      |
* Build 10.19 and later uses HTTPS for activation. Use the domain name, such as `enercalc.net`, rather than an IP address.
* Install the latest available SEL build from the [SEL installer](https://install.enercalc.com/ECSEL20_SETUP.EXE).

SEL makes REST API calls over HTTPS to `enercalc.net` for even KW numbers. It uses `enercalcwest.com` for odd KW numbers. This load-balancing pattern began with the February 2024 build.

`enercalcmidwest.com` is a third activation server for the Midwestern United States. As of early 2025, SEL doesn't reference it automatically. To force SEL to use this server, set `SOFTWARE\Enercalc\v20\act_force_ohio` to `1`.

If your site uses SSL/TLS introspection or in-house packet inspection, add your internal root certificate to `C:\Program Files (x86)\ENERCALC_20\caroot.pem`. Otherwise, Internet Activation and other ENERCALC REST API calls fail. Add the certificate at the beginning or end of the file. Windows protects the `C:\Program Files (x86)\ENERCALC_20\` folder, so you need administrator access.


---

# Agent Instructions
This documentation is published with GitBook. GitBook is the documentation platform designed so that both humans and AI agents can read, navigate, and reason over technical content effectively. Learn more at gitbook.com.

## Querying This Documentation
If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question.

Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter, and the optional `goal` query parameter:

```
GET https://enercalc.com/docs/sel-faq/setup-and-licensing/troubleshooting/network-security-and-it-environments/difficulty-with-internet-activ.md?ask=<question>&goal=<endgoal>
```

`ask` is the immediate question: it should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language.
`goal` is optional and describes the broader end goal you are ultimately trying to accomplish on behalf of the user. GitBook uses it to tailor the answer towards what is most useful for that goal.

The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation.

Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.