---
title: Activate the License Server
slug: activate-the-license-server
docTags: 
createdAt: 2022-12-13T19:30:19.000Z
---

Activating the License Server is an automatic process. However, if the Manufacturing Connect (MC) is located in a private network, the automatic activation process will fail and activating the license server must be done manually. 

Manufacturing Connect has an embedded license server, which you use to activate Manufacturing Connect edge devices that use site licenses. To enable activation of edge devices, you need to first activate the license server itself. This requires the addition of a valid license key through the Manufacturing Connect Admin Console.

Contact your account executive to request a license key.

:::hint{type="info"}
**Note**: You can associate multiple licenses with your Manufacturing Connect instance to handle license expiry and asset limitation scenarios.
:::

# Before You Begin

- Make sure you have access to a browser that is connected to the Internet to complete this activation.
- If your Internet browser is on a separate computer, use a text file to copy the Host ID, Activation URL and Offline Response so you can transport the information.

**To Activate the License Server**:

1. Access Manufacturing Connect Admin Console. See [Access to Manufacturing Connect](docId\:my_EU8guLSwCsytRr5zIV) for details.
2. From the navigation panel, select **License Server**. The **License Server Manager** pane appears.
3. From the* Offline Activation* section, enter the license key into the **License Key** field.
4. Click **Generate request**. The activation request code appears in the *Activation request* field.
5. Click the **Copy** icon next to the above field to copy the value to your clipboard.
6. Click **Next**.
7. Click the **License portal** link.  The *Licensing Portal *page opens in a separate browser tab. In the **Activation Request** field, paste the request value you have copied in Step 5. 
8. Click **Make License**. The result appears in the *Activation result* field.
9. Click the **Copy** icon next to the above field to copy the value to your clipboard.
10. Back in the Manufacturing Connect Admin Console browser tab, click **Next**.
11. In the **License** field, paste the value you have copied on Step 10.
12. Click **Add license. **The *Core license list* section displays the newly added license. You can now use it to activate Manufacturing Connect edge devices.