Troubleshooting Network Connection Errors and SSL Configuration Issues

When attempting to log in to a Hosted Server or On-Premise Server from Exploratory Desktop, or when trying to log in to a Shared Server after configuring a proxy server, you may encounter a connection error dialog indicating that SSL settings need to be corrected.

This note introduces troubleshooting steps for connection errors based on your specific server environment.

SSL Settings

If you are using a Shared Server and have entered the correct proxy server information but still receive network connection errors (e.g., Error: unable to get local issuer certificate or UNABLE_TO_GET_ISSUER_CERT_LOCALLY), it is highly likely that the root SSL certificate is not installed on your PC.

In this case, please request the root certificate (or intermediate certificate) required to pass through your corporate proxy from your IT department, and refer to this note to install the certificate on your PC.

If you are using an On-Premise Server and the SSL certificate has not been configured, please refer to this note to complete the SSL setup.

If SSL is Configured on an On-Premise Server but the Issue Persists

If the SSL Connection Issue Occurs Only on a Specific Machine

It is assumed that the root Certificate Authority (CA) certificate is either missing or corrupted in the OS of the machine displaying the network connection error.

In this case, you can resolve the issue by reinstalling the correct certificate using the following steps:

From a machine that can connect without issues, open the Exploratory server in a browser and check the SSL issuer/source. You can find instructions on how to check this here.
Run the user certificate management application (Keychain Access on Mac) on the machine used in step 1, locate the issuer’s certificate, and export it. For details on how to run the application, please see here.
Copy the exported file to the machine with the connection issue and import the certificate using the user certificate management application. Refer to the same link for instructions on importing certificates.

If the SSL Connection Issue Occurs on All Machines

When Using a Widely Used Root Certificate Authority (e.g., GlobalSign, Verisign, etc.)

If login to the On-Premise Server from Exploratory Desktop has never been successful, there may be an error in the creation of the SSL certificate. Please recreate the SSL certificate and try the setup on the server again.

On the other hand, if login to the On-Premise Server was working previously but has stopped, it is likely that the SSL certificate has expired.

In that case, check the expiration date of the SSL certificate, obtain a new one, and set it up on the server.

When Using a Private Root Certificate Authority

Check if the private root CA certificate is installed in the OS and ensure it has not expired.

On the other hand, if login to the On-Premise Server was working previously but has stopped, it is likely that the SSL certificate has expired.

In that case, check the expiration date of the SSL certificate, obtain a new one, and set it up on the server.

If You Are Using a Hosted Server

Please contact us at support@exploratory.io.