Community License activation error

lanedsmu · February 27, 2025, 9:05pm

I’m getting a “Failed to activate license: Connection Error” response when trying to activate the community license with n8n.

We are self-hosting n8n on the latest version. We’re installed using npm.

In the documentation, I see the license server URL as being http://license.n8n.io/v1, and that then redirects-ish to https://license.n8n.io/v1. But https://license.n8n.io/v1 gives a 404 error…

We do use a proxy to get out to the internet from this server, but we’re not seeing any drops from that. The “send me a free license key” process does work, and I’ve received the key via email. But I’m unable to activate it. Workflows I’ve tried do work… I’m not sure what else to try.

I’m including some of our env variables here, in case that helps:

set N8N_RUNNERS_ENABLED=true
set HTTP_PROXY=http://ourProxy:3128
set HTTPS_PROXY=http://ourProxy:3128
set N8N_LICENSE_ACTIVATION_KEY=licenseKeyFromEmail
set http_proxy_license_server=https://ourProxy:3128
set https_proxy_license_server=https://ourProxy:3128
set N8N_LOG_OUTPUT=file, console
set N8N_LOG_LEVEL=debug

## Information on your n8n setup
- **n8n version: 1.80.4**
- **Database: PGSQL**
- **n8n EXECUTIONS_PROCESS setting (default: own, main):**
- **Running n8n via (Docker, npm, n8n cloud, desktop app): npm**
- **Operating system: Windows server 2019**

n8n · February 27, 2025, 9:05pm

It looks like your topic is missing some important information. Could you provide the following if applicable.

n8n version:
Database (default: SQLite):
n8n EXECUTIONS_PROCESS setting (default: own, main):
Running n8n via (Docker, npm, n8n cloud, desktop app):
Operating system:

lanedsmu · February 27, 2025, 9:13pm

I believe these are included above: Executions_process, if I read correctly, is deprecated, and we’re using the default, which I believe is main.

Yo_its_prakash · February 28, 2025, 7:59am

@lanedsmu Have you verified your proxy is correctly forwarding requests to license.n8n.io and not blocking HTTPS requests?

Solution: To fix license activation through proxy:

Try using lowercase environment variables (Windows can be case-sensitive):

set http_proxy=http://ourProxy:3128
set https_proxy=http://ourProxy:3128

If using n8n v1.80+, try the direct activation option:

npx n8n license-activation --license-key=YOUR_KEY

Test proxy connection with this command:

curl -v https://license.n8n.io/healthz --proxy http://ourProxy:3128

lanedsmu · February 28, 2025, 3:36pm

Thanks for the quick reply.

Proxy appears to be working just fine. This from the server:

...
< Report-To: {"endpoints":[{"url":"https:\/\/a.nel.cloudflare.com\/report\/v4?s=RQF3IDR5fINxfugPlzbQE3cbqxNce2BUxT1cyjgJZ0lmhwjsYjEn3eUwpuYR1WSoFgoM7F3FYjr7RzYyO6tfv%2FilS%2BuCHSCRdVUnNAOn9yhtkSnUNnBGARonoGaDIPFa"}],"group":"cf-nel","max_age":604800}
< NEL: {"success_fraction":0,"report_to":"cf-nel","max_age":604800}
< Server: cloudflare
< CF-RAY: 9191735d2899b793-DFW
< server-timing: cfL4;desc="?proto=TCP&rtt=2121&min_rtt=2071&rtt_var=672&sent=5&recv=8&lost=0&retrans=0&sent_bytes=2859&recv_bytes=400&delivery_rate=1136926&cwnd=253&unsent_bytes=0&cid=dd9850f1a0d0d198&ts=500&x=0"
<
{"status":"healthy","release":"692084add540f375424e0a53a98203367eb6093e","timestamp":"2025-02-28T15:29:32.045Z"}* Connection #0 to host webproxy.smu.edu left intact

I’m getting a syntax error when running the license-activation command:

> npx n8n license-activation --license-key=4bxxxxx-d033-440c-a51d-cexxxxxxxxx
User settings loaded from: E:\n8n-config\.n8n\config
 »   Error: command license-activation not found

and I’m still getting a connection error when using the UI:

Yo_its_prakash · February 28, 2025, 3:43pm

At this point i believe you need to reinstall the n8n instance.

lanedsmu · February 28, 2025, 5:48pm

ok, cool. I completely removed n8n, and I’m still getting the same license-activation error; are we sure that’s the right command? I’m also still getting the same connection error through the web UI. Full CLI output is below:

> npm list --depth=0 -g
C:\Program Files\nodejs
+-- [email protected]
+-- etc@
+-- npm_global@
`-- [email protected]

> npm install n8n -g
npm warn deprecated [email protected]: This module is not supported, and leaks memory. Do not use it. Check out lru-cache if you want a good and tested way to coalesce async requests by a key value, which is much more comprehensive and powerful.
npm warn deprecated @npmcli/[email protected]: This functionality has been moved to @npmcli/fs
npm warn deprecated [email protected]: This package is deprecated. Use the optional chaining (?.) operator instead.
npm warn deprecated [email protected]: This package is no longer supported.
npm warn deprecated [email protected]: Rimraf versions prior to v4 are no longer supported
npm warn deprecated [email protected]: Rimraf versions prior to v4 are no longer supported
npm warn deprecated [email protected]: Glob versions prior to v9 are no longer supported
npm warn deprecated [email protected]: Glob versions prior to v9 are no longer supported
npm warn deprecated [email protected]: Glob versions prior to v9 are no longer supported
npm warn deprecated [email protected]: Glob versions prior to v9 are no longer supported
npm warn deprecated [email protected]: Glob versions prior to v9 are no longer supported
npm warn deprecated [email protected]: Glob versions prior to v9 are no longer supported
npm warn deprecated @aws-sdk/[email protected]: This package has moved to @smithy/node-http-handler
npm warn deprecated @aws-sdk/[email protected]: This package has moved to @smithy/signature-v4
npm warn deprecated @aws-sdk/[email protected]: This package has moved to @smithy/protocol-http
npm warn deprecated [email protected]: This package is no longer supported.
npm warn deprecated [email protected]: Package is no longer maintained
npm warn deprecated [email protected]: dommatrix is no longer maintained. Please use @thednp/dommatrix.
npm warn deprecated [email protected]: This package is no longer supported.
npm warn deprecated [email protected]: The gm module has been sunset. Please migrate to an alternative. https://github.com/aheckmann/gm?tab=readme-ov-file#2025-02-24-this-project-is-not-maintained
npm warn deprecated [email protected]: Package no longer supported. Contact Support at https://www.npmjs.com/support for more info.
npm warn deprecated @azure/[email protected]: This package is no longer supported. Please refer to https://github.com/Azure/azure-sdk-for-js/blob/490ce4dfc5b98ba290dee3b33a6d0876c5f138e2/sdk/core/README.md

added 2140 packages in 6m

205 packages are looking for funding
  run `npm fund` for details
  
> npm -g ls --depth=0
C:\Program Files\nodejs
+-- [email protected]
+-- etc@
+-- [email protected]
+-- npm_global@
`-- [email protected]

> npx n8n license-activation --license-key=4xxxxxxx-d033-440c-a51d-ce4c5xxxxxxx
User settings loaded from: E:\n8n-config\.n8n\config
 »   Error: command license-activation not found

lanedsmu · March 4, 2025, 5:40pm

I’m wondering if there’s any offline method for doing this activation, perhaps? Though the fact that the license-activation command is not found seems suspicious to me…

lanedsmu · March 23, 2025, 1:39pm

Any other ideas?

lanedsmu · May 13, 2025, 7:53pm

anything? I’m still stuck here

mohamed3nan · May 13, 2025, 7:59pm

Hi @lanedsmu

Can you try running n8n license:clear and then restarting your n8n instance?

King_Samuel_David · May 13, 2025, 10:35pm

You would need to allow Cloudflare IPs for your instance to activate the license properly.
I don’t believe license-activation has ever been an official CLI command in recent versions (maybe very early versions), but the current documentation shows only the expected flow via UI or N8N_LICENSE_ACTIVATION_KEY:
CLI commands | n8n Docs

A few things you can check:
Verify general outbound access:

From your n8n machine, try pinging google.com or 8.8.8.8.

If that fails, double-check your egress rules, corporate proxy, or even check if your ISP or cloud provider is blocking specific outbound ports.

Sometimes it’s easier to temporarily open all outbound to test activation, and once activated, you can lock it down again.

Check your proxy setup:

Since you’re behind a proxy, it’s very possible Cloudflare is blocking your proxy IP outright, especially if it’s a known datacenter or flagged range.

Cloudflare’s security layers (WAF, Bot Management) can block or challenge requests from proxies or datacenter IPs.

You might also see issues if your proxy is intercepting or modifying SSL/TLS connections (which Cloudflare will reject).

Try switching to Cloudflare DNS (1.1.1.1)—this is a quick change and sometimes helps bypass local DNS or resolution quirks.

Try running the n8n Docker image as a cross-check—some users have reported that Docker behaves better in strict proxy setups compared to local npm installs, especially on Windows.

Docs and IP allowlist references:

If you are still hitting issues and suspect your proxy is being blocked at the Cloudflare layer, you can also email [email protected] directly.
They may be able to allowlist your proxy’s IP range or provide an alternative activation route, if you explain your setup (corporate proxy etc.) and ask nicely.

They may provide a different N8N_LICENSE_SERVER_URL, or https_proxy_license_server