Solved Failed to establish a TCP connection to activation.3cx.com.

[Wave-Lengths]

We have just taken over a clients 3CX server from another provider and are running into some issues, which I assume are due to the fact that the 3CX installation has not been updated for some time. We are currently unable to refresh their license information, getting the error "3CX failed to establish a TCP connection to activation.3cx.com" even though we have a certificate showing that the license only expires March next year. 3CX cant be updated as we get the error "Maintenance Expired. Updates are not available". Is there a way to manually download and run the updates so that we can get the license to refresh and have the updates run again from the management console?

The Server details are as follows:
Windows Server 2012 R2 Standard
3CX version 16.0.4.493

 

[ChrisC_3CX]

The reason contact with our activation servers is failing is indeed because of the version you're running. For a Windows host all you need to do is:

1. Take a full backup.
2. Move it a way from the machine.
3. Uninstall 3CX completely. Note: Possibly a good chance to perform any updates for the OS too.
4. Re-install the latest version of 3CX v16. You can download this here.
5. Restore the backup during installation.

Note: You cannot go straight to 3CX V18 because you would need a backup from the latest Service Pack of v16 to do so. You would have to take a new backup from the latest v16 (16.0.8.9), uninstall it and then re-install/restore to 3CX v18.

Important: Before you proceed with the above, please bear in mind that Windows Server 2012R2 is no longer a supported OS for Windows Installations so I'd highly recommend you actually migrate to a different OS too. To specify, one of the issues you will face if you stay on 2012R2 is that PUSH for iOS will cease to work. If you migrate to a Debian machine you'll be able to upgrade to v18 directly once you get to v16.0.8.9 so you might want to consider this option. Here's the Debian ISO for v16 in case you choose this route:

 

[Wave-Lengths]

Hi Chris,
Thanks for the feedback. I was kind of expecting this to be the answer but was holding my breath that there was hopefully a way to pun the updates manually without completely reinstalling 3CX.

We usually prefer the Debian versions exclusively but in this case its just what we have taken over. I may be able to propose the OS shift during the upcoming holidays, but still need to get it to 16.0.8.9 either way.

 

[ChrisC_3CX]

You can actually give the following tool a try: https://downloads.3cx.com/downloads/misc/ActivationPatch2020/3cxWindowsUpdater.exe

 

[Wave-Lengths]

Thanks Chris, That worked!

 

[ChrisC_3CX]

Brilliant! Do feel free to start a new thread should you need anything else!