IP Mismatch on a Server License: Causes, Checks and the Fix
An IP mismatch on a server license means the IP your license is active on is not the IP your server presents. The license is tied to the IP entered at checkout, so after a migration, rebuild or typo the license can fail on that server. Change the license IP, then re-run the tslz command.
This page covers the license-to-server mismatch only. Duplicate IPs, VLAN, subnet mask, WAN IP and browser timezone mismatches are different problems.
Key facts
| Fact | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| What a license is tied to | The IP entered at checkout; the license is active on that IP | |
| Standard licenses | Unlimited free IP changes, subject to the fair-use terms | |
| V2 licenses | First IP change free; $1.49 from the second change; fee shown before you confirm | |
| One license, one server | One license cannot power multiple servers | TSL IP-change fair-use terms |
| Product type | A physical dedicated server needs the dedicated license; a license of the wrong type will not activate | |
| After an IP change | Re-run | |
What an IP mismatch means for a server license
An IP mismatch means the license record and the server disagree about which IP the license belongs to.
The IP your license is active on vs the IP your server presents
You enter your server's IP address at checkout, and once payment clears the license is active on that IP. That is the first value. The second is the IP your server presents now. If the provider changed it, you moved hosts or the checkout IP was wrong, the two values differ and a control-panel or security license fails on that server.
This page does not quote an on-screen error message. Match on the situation: the license worked before or never worked, and the server's current IP is not the one the license is active on.
Not this kind of IP mismatch
Duplicate IPs on a network, VLAN or source mismatches, subnet masks, WAN IPs and browser timezones are different problems. Use your network or browser documentation for those.
Common causes of an IP mismatch
Four situations cause a license IP mismatch. Each one below says how to recognize it and where to fix it.
The server was migrated, rebuilt or given a new IP by the provider
The license worked, then stopped after a move, a rebuild or a provider IP change. The license is still active on the old address. Fix: change the license IP to the new one, as shown in the fix section below.
The wrong IP was entered at checkout
The license never worked on this server. The address typed at checkout is a typo, an old IP or another server's IP. Fix: change the license IP.
The server has more than one IP, or sits behind NAT
The server shows several addresses, or its interface shows a private address while a router holds the public one. It is easy to enter an address other than the one the server presents. Contact support before ordering to confirm which address to enter.
The license type does not match the server (VPS vs dedicated)
This looks like an IP mismatch but is a product-type failure, and changing the IP will not fix it. TSL's product pages state: "A physical dedicated server needs the dedicated license, and a license of the wrong type will not activate." Order the matching product, such as the cPanel VPS license for a virtual server or the cPanel Dedicated license for a physical dedicated server.
How to check which IP is which
Compare two values, then confirm with the tslz command. For background on cPanel licensing, read the cPanel license article.
Find the IP your server uses
Read the server's primary public IP in your hosting provider's panel. If the server has several IPs or sits behind NAT, ask support before you change anything.
Compare it with the IP on your license
Find the IP you entered at checkout. The license is active on that address. Write both values side by side, and check your license status to see the state of the license.
| Server IP vs license IP | Meaning | Next step |
|---|---|---|
| Different | IP mismatch | Use the fix section below |
| Same | Not an IP mismatch | Check the product type |
Confirm the result with the tslz command
On cPanel, run
tslzCPplesk bin license -c. Run it after you compare the IPs: if they differ, go to the fix below; if they match, recheck the product type.
Fix an IP mismatch: change the license IP and re-run the command
Change the license IP to the IP your server presents, then re-run the tslz command on the server. Change your license IP using the steps in that article.
Standard licenses: unlimited free IP changes
Standard licenses support unlimited free IP changes, subject to the fair-use terms. You can change the license IP anytime. IP changes are per license, and one license cannot power multiple servers.
V2 licenses: first change free, then $1.49 each
V2 licenses include one free IP change. From the second change a $1.49 fee applies, and the fee is shown before you confirm. The cPanel VPS bundle V2 and the cPanel Dedicated bundle V2 are V2 products. If you are unsure which type you hold, ask support before the second change. Confirm the new IP before you submit, so the free change is not spent on a typo.
Re-run the tslz command on the server
After the IP change, run
tslz<ProductName>tslzCPtslzPlesktslzImunify360The command registers your server IP and activates the product. It does not install the panel. On a rebuilt server, install cPanel with its own installer first, then run the full command from the guide to install the cPanel VPS license:
bash <( curl https://api.theserverlicense.com/pre.sh ) cPanel ; tslzCPAvoid an IP mismatch next time
Plan the IP change before the move, and check the IP and product type before you order.
Before a migration or rebuild
- Get the new IP from your provider before the move.
- Change the license IP to the new address when the server moves.
- Re-run the tslz command on the new server.
- On a V2 license, remember that only the first change is free.
Checkout checklist: right IP, right product type
- Enter the server's own IP at checkout.
- Pick the VPS or dedicated product that matches the server.
- Not sure which you have, or does the server have several IPs or sit behind NAT? Send the server IP to support before you order.
- Licenses are non-refundable once activated, so check both first.
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IP mismatch FAQ
What does an IP mismatch mean on a server license? On TSL, an IP mismatch means your server presents an IP address that is different from the IP your license is active on. The license is active on the IP you entered at checkout. To fix it, change the license IP to the server's current IP and re-run the tslz command on the server.
Is changing the IP of my license free? Standard TSL licenses support unlimited free IP changes, subject to the fair-use terms. V2 licenses include one free IP change, and a $1.49 fee applies from the second change onward. TSL shows the fee before you confirm.
Do I need to re-run the tslz command after an IP change? Yes. After you change the license IP, run tslz followed by the product name on the server, for example tslzCP for cPanel. The tslz command registers the server IP and activates the product, so run it again once the new IP is set.
Can one license run on two servers or two IPs? No. One TSL license cannot power multiple servers. An IP change moves the license from one IP to another, and unlimited IP changes are subject to the fair-use terms. If your server has more than one IP, ask TSL support which address to use before you order.
Why won't my VPS license activate on a physical dedicated server? A physical dedicated server needs the dedicated license, and a license of the wrong type will not activate. Order the matching TSL product, such as the cPanel Dedicated license for a physical dedicated server. If you are not sure which type your server is, send the server IP to TSL support before you order and they will check it for you.
Frequently asked questions
- What does an IP mismatch mean on a server license?
- On TSL, an IP mismatch means your server presents an IP address that is different from the IP your license is active on. The license is active on the IP you entered at checkout. To fix it, change the license IP to the server's current IP and re-run the tslz command on the server.
- Is changing the IP of my license free?
- Standard TSL licenses support unlimited free IP changes, subject to the fair-use terms. V2 licenses include one free IP change, and a $1.49 fee applies from the second change onward. TSL shows the fee before you confirm.
- Do I need to re-run the tslz command after an IP change?
- Yes. After you change the license IP, run tslz followed by the product name on the server, for example tslzCP for cPanel. The tslz command registers the server IP and activates the product, so run it again once the new IP is set.
- Can one license run on two servers or two IPs?
- No. One TSL license cannot power multiple servers. An IP change moves the license from one IP to another, and unlimited IP changes are subject to the fair-use terms. If your server has more than one IP, ask TSL support which address to use before you order.
- Why won't my VPS license activate on a physical dedicated server?
- A physical dedicated server needs the dedicated license, and a license of the wrong type will not activate. Order the matching TSL product, such as the cPanel Dedicated license for a physical dedicated server. If you are not sure which type your server is, send the server IP to TSL support before you order and they will check it for you.