Applications Systems

"The remote server returned an error:(403) Forbidden" when activating a license in the SolarWinds Platform Web Console

This article provides the step-by-step instructions for resolving the error "The remote server returned an error:(403) Forbidden" when activating licenses via the License Manager.

First published date

9/30/2025 12:03 AM

Last published date

9/30/2025 3:30 PM

Overview

When activating the licenses in the License Manager, you may see an error "The remote server returned an error:(403) Forbidden."

Product section

Server Application Monitor

Cause

Licensing URLs are blocked in your security policy. Refer to URLs to allow-list in firewalls to enable SolarWinds Platform functionality

 

Resolution

Resolution 1

  • Have the URLs whitelisted in your environment. 

 

Resolution 2

Change the License Manager to offline mode.

  • From the Web Console, select SETTINGS, go to All Settings.
  • Scroll down to DETAILS and select License Manager. From the screenshot below, we can see that it is online.

 

  • Add "?offline=" in the URL in order to make it offline.
    • https://<SolarWinds Platform IP or hostname>/apps/licensing/license-manager?offline

 

  • Once offline, you can select a product, click Activate, and follow the offline activation process by copying the unique machine key, downloading the license file from the Customer Portal, and uploading it back to the License Manager to complete activation.
  • Refer to Activate licenses for SolarWinds Platform products.