Resolve connection errors | CS5, CS5.5, CS6

If you experience connectivity issues or the following errors when signing into or activating Creative Suite apps, try the steps given in this article:

• We are unable to activate [product name]. Product activation is required to use this product...
• Please connect to the Internet and retry.
• Either your computer is offline or the clock on your computer is set incorrectly, causing a connection error. An Internet connection is required. Please connect to the Internet or adjust your clock and try again.
• You may have limited access to Adobe apps or services.

If you're looking for more general information about common activation and sign-in issues, see Activation and deactivation troubleshooting.

How to fix connection errors

To resolve issues related to connectivity, work out the solutions one by one and pick the next solution if required. 

Solution 1: Test your connection to Adobe activation servers.

Start a web browser and open one of the following links, depending on the version of your product:

• CS6
• CS5 and CS5.5

If you see a test successful message (see screenshots below), you have access to the activation servers. Try activating or starting your software.

Still have problems? Proceed to "Reset your hosts file."

Solution 2: Reset your hosts file.

Operating system hosts files map host names to IP addresses. An incorrectly configured hosts file can affect your computer's ability to connect to Adobe's activation servers.

Reset the hosts file manually

If the issue is not fixed even after you run the Limited Access Repair tool, reset the hosts file manually:

Solution 3: Make sure that you can access secure sites.

Adobe’s activation servers are on secure (HTTPS) sites, so your computer must be able to access these types of sites.

Follow these steps to make sure that you can access secure sites:

Can't access secure sites?

Solution 4: Check the GlobalSign Root CA certificate.

The activation processes require the GlobalSign Root CA certificate. Follow these steps to make sure that the GlobalSign Root CA certificate is installed and enabled.