Trying to activate via website gives also an error Invalid Activation Set ID (-25000)
This happened because you have probably mis-typed either the install id or the activation id or both in the offline activation. But that's not the point: if your internet connection is working, you should do the regular online activation.
When trying to activate sceneries it fails to connect to Esellerrate with message that Internet connection not found, when it clearly is available. Trying to activate via website
Before you ask antivirus was disabled all along. Please advise.
When the program reports an internet connection cannot be found, but you are connected, the cause is a FIREWALL program, which is blocking online access to the activation servers. Disabling the antivirus won't be enough, because the problem it's the firewall.
Turn off your firewall, and the normal online activation will work.