Licence and updates – Administrator Guide

StackRegent needs a licence key from https://panel.stackregent.com (keys bought earlier at system.coreinto.com keep working: the panel asks the server that knows its key). The panel checks the key once a day with the licence server and is tied to this server's Windows machine ID. Updates come from the same licence server and are installed only when their signature matches the StackRegent release key built into the panel.

Enter the licence key#

You can give the key in three ways:

to the installer: install.ps1 -LicenseKey SR-... (or the one-line installer),
in the panel: Tools & Settings › License Information,
on the server: stackregent license-set <key>.

To enter or change the key in the panel:

Go to Tools & Settings › License Information.
Click Enter key (or Change key when one is saved).
Type the key in Licence key, for example SR-ABCDE-FGHJK-LMNPQ-RSTUV.
Click Save and check.

The panel asks the licence server at once and reloads. A new key is kept only when the licence server accepts it; while the panel is licensed or in its grace period, a key that cannot be checked leaves the current key in place.

The key is in the welcome email and on the licence's service page in the client area where it was bought.

The License Information page#

Field	Meaning
State	Licensed, Grace period or Restricted, with the licence server's message.
Licence key	The saved key, or "Not entered yet".
Registered to	The licence holder.
Edition	The edition name; trial licences carry a Trial badge.
Subscriptions	Subscriptions in use, and the licence's limit if it has one.
Domains	Domains in use.
Valid until / Works until	When the current check expires, or when the grace period ends.
Next payment due	The service's next due date.
Last successful check	When the licence server last answered.
Last problem	The last error, if any.
Licence server	The address the panel checks with.

Click Check now to check the licence at once, for example after renewing or reissuing it.

Command-line tools#

Run these on the server as administrator (C:\Program Files\StackRegent\bin\stackregent.exe):

Command	What it does
`stackregent license-set <key>`	Saves the key and checks it. The key can also come from the environment variable `STACKREGENT_LICENSE_KEY`, so it does not appear in command logs.
`stackregent license-check`	Checks the saved key again and prints the state.

Grace period#

When the licence server cannot be reached, the panel keeps working until the date shown under Valid until, and then for a grace period. During the grace period:

everything works as usual,
every administrator page shows a Licence: banner with the date the panel keeps working until.

Restore the connection to the licence server and click Check now. The panel also retries by itself.

A refusal from the licence server (for example a suspended or expired licence) has no grace period: the panel becomes restricted at once.

Restricted mode (licence)#

The panel is restricted when:

no key has been accepted yet,
the licence server refused the key, or
the server could not be reached for longer than the grace period.

While it is restricted:

administrators can open only the License Information page,
no new customers, resellers, subscriptions or domains can be created,
updates cannot be installed,
websites, mail, DNS, databases and the customer and reseller panels keep working as before.

Enter a valid key or put the licence right in the client area, then click Check now.

Do not confuse this with Restricted Mode Settings, which limit what restricted administrator accounts may change. See the Server Settings article.

Moving to another server#

The licence is bound to the machine it was first checked on. Before moving the panel to another server, reissue the licence in the client area. The next check binds it to the new machine.

Updates#

Tools & Settings › Updates shows:

Field	Meaning
Installed	The installed version and build.
Newest release	The newest release the licence allows, marked "signature verified", with its notes.
Comes from	The licence server and the release key ID.
Last check	When releases were last checked, and any error.

To update:

Go to Tools & Settings › Updates.
Click Check now. The check runs as a task; follow it in the Task Manager.
When a newer release is listed, click Install followed by the version number.

The installer restarts the panel services; websites keep running. You may need to log in again afterwards. The Check for updates button in the version widget on Home starts the same check.

Update settings#

Go to Tools & Settings › Update Settings (or click Update settings on the Updates page):

Setting	Effect
Automatic updates – Install new releases at night (after the daily check)	New releases install by themselves.
Notification – Email me when a new release is available	Sends an email when a release appears.
Email address	Where that email goes. Empty: the main administrator's address.
Releases – Include beta releases	Also offers test releases before they become stable.

Click Save.

Signed releases#

Every release is signed. Before a package is installed, the panel checks it against the StackRegent release key (key ID 4kybuaOI7rGnp0qC), which is built into the panel, and installs it only when it is newer than the installed version. The one-line installer makes the same signature, size and SHA-256 checks before it installs anything. A package that fails a check is not installed.

Troubleshooting#

Problem	What to do
The Licence: banner shows on every page	Read the message; check that the server can reach the licence server over HTTPS, then click Check now.
"The licence could not be checked"	The licence server was not reachable; check outbound HTTPS, DNS and the system clock (Tools & Settings › System Time).
Licence refused after moving servers	Reissue the licence in the client area, then click Check now.
No update is offered	Click Check now on the Updates page; the licence decides which releases are offered.
Update cannot be installed	The panel may be restricted; fix the licence first.

Installation
Server settings