The Kerio Control Web Filter is not a free feature. It requires a specialized, paid license that is separate from the base firewall license. The most common scenario leading to this error is an expired or improperly applied license.
Standard public DNS servers like Google (8.8.8.8) can cause handshake delays with Zvelo classification routing. Switching to Cloudflare or OpenDNS explicitly for categorization queries stabilizes the connection. Log in to your panel. Navigate to Configuration > DNS .
Under the section, add explicit rules for the following URL pattern: *.zvelo.com Forward that traffic to stable public servers: Cloudflare : 1.1.1.1 OpenDNS : 208.67.222.222 or 208.67.220.220 Click Apply to save changes. The Kerio Control Web Filter is not a free feature
Set your custom DNS forwarding servers for *.zvelo.com to ( 1.1.1.1 ) or OpenDNS ( 208.67.222.222 ). Avoid using only Google DNS (8.8.8.8) as it can sometimes cause these authorization failures.
Execute the database modification command to disable the reliability checker: Standard public DNS servers like Google (8
The Web Filter module requires a specific, active subscription. If the license expires, or if the firewall fails to check in with GFI's central licensing server, it reverts to a disabled status. Step-by-Step Solutions to Restore Categorization
在这种情况下，我们需要通过 SSH (Secure Shell) 工具连接到防火墙的底层操作系统，并执行两条指令来关闭这个“过于谨慎”的检测机制。 Navigate to Configuration > DNS
This troubleshooting guide explains why this problem happens and provides step-by-step solutions to fix it. Root Causes of the Web Filter Disabling
Ensure your Kerio Control Web Filter license is active. Without a valid subscription, the module defaults to a trial state and eventually disables itself.
Standard ISP DNS servers often fail or throttle the high volume of queries generated by Kerio Control. Moving your primary DNS forwarding to a reliable service like Cloudflare or OpenDNS often resolves this instantly. Log into the . Navigate to Configuration > DNS . Check the box to Enable custom DNS forwarding .
When you see "Web Filter is not activated, categorization is disabled," the firewall has lost communication with that database or the licensing server. The tag usually refers to a transient, high-priority failure state—often indicating a timeout or a license reset that requires immediate re-activation.