Hosting without internet access: what it means and what to ask support

A Nex1on site talks to the nex1on.com server itself: modules and themes at installation, the add-on catalogue, language packs, updates and licence checks come from there. For that, the server your site runs on needs access to the internet — outgoing connections. We do not support hosting that blocks them: visitors do not need the server to reach the internet, but installation and updates do.

How to check the connection

- The installation step “Server check” has a “Connection to nex1on.com” row. The site asks our server and downloads a small open language pack, checking its signature. If there is no connection, the row says where the chain breaks.
- On a finished site the same is in “Diagnostics → System state”, the “Connection to nex1on.com” block, button “Check”.
- The licence key and the site address are not sent during the check.

What each reason means

- No curl: PHP has no way to reach the internet. Enable the curl extension in your hosting settings.
- Address cannot be found: DNS (name resolution) does not work on the server.
- Outgoing blocked or timeout: the host does not allow outgoing HTTPS connections (port 443), or there was no answer within a few seconds.
- Secure connection cannot be established: the server does not trust the certificate, or PHP has no list of root certificates (CA).
- Our server answered with an error: nex1on.com may be temporarily unavailable. Try again later.
- Signature or checksum did not match: a proxy or hosting protection between your site and our server changes responses.

What to ask your host

Write to your host’s support and ask them to: allow outgoing HTTPS connections (port 443) from the server your site runs on to nex1on.com; make sure DNS and the curl extension work for PHP; update PHP’s list of root certificates (CA).

Sample letter:

Hello! My PHP site needs to reach https://nex1on.com over HTTPS (port 443) from the server: it gets modules, themes and updates from there. Right now such a connection cannot be made (reason: ...). Please allow outgoing HTTPS connections to nex1on.com, and check DNS, the curl extension for PHP and that the root certificates (CA) are up to date. Thank you!

Can I install without a connection

Installation is not blocked: it goes on with what is on disk, and site types that need modules from the catalogue are unavailable until there is a connection. A module or a theme can also be uploaded as an archive in the “Add-ons” section. When the connection is there, press “Check again” — the rest will be downloaded.

If the host refuses

If the hosting does not allow outgoing connections, it does not suit the engine: you need another host. Ordinary paid hosting allows outgoing HTTPS by default; restrictions are mostly found on free and very cheap plans. Before you move, ask the new host: “Are outgoing HTTPS connections (port 443) from PHP allowed?”

When there is no connection, the panel shows a notice with a link to this article in “Add-ons”, “Update”, the language catalogue and next to the licence key.