SSL is used to secure the connection between your website and the customer’s computer. It is recommended when you have an online form which gathers personal or sensitive information from your website users, such as billing and registration details, for example.
Although it is not a definitive requirement to have SSL in such cases, it is a way to protect the data of your users and it is valued and even demanded by many customers.
To activate SSL for your domain (or subdomain) you need to install an SSL certificate for it. To be able to install SSL for any domain it must have a dedicated IP address. Learn how to get a dedicated IP in this article: How do I get a dedicated IP for my domain/subdomain?
Assuming that you already have a dedicated IP for your domain, here is what you must do to activate SSL:
Step 1: Purchase an SSL certificate
You can purchase an SSL certificate by going to My Domains > SSL Certificates > Order SSL Certificate button on your web hosting control panel. Input the following details in the order form:
CSR Details
Hostname: Select a domain name from the drop-down list for which you want to order a certificate.
Organization: Type in the exact legal name of your organization. Do not abbreviate the name of your organization.
Organization Unit: Specify the exact department of your organization (optional).
Country: Select your country from the list.
City: Type in your city.
State: The state or province where your organization is legally located. It should not be abbreviated.
E-mail: Type in your personal e-mail address.
Note that none of the following characters can be used in the details: < > ~ ! @ # $ % ^ * / ( ) ?.,&
Contact Info
All fields are pre-filled with the details you provided for your hosting account.
*If you choose to use a different hostname, you must select an “Approver E-mail” at the bottom, which must be an e-mail account hosted here (one created in the E-Mail Manager on your web hosting control panel).
Purchase Details
Choose a shared IP address or a dedicated IP for which the SSL certificate will be issue.
Select the registration period – 12 months.
Make sure you read the User Agreement and select the checkbox next to “Accept User Agreement“, then select a payment method and finally click on the “Continue” button at the right. You will be forwarded to a billing gateway page to submit the payment.
Once your payment has been submitted, you will be able to see your newly ordered certificate in My Domains > SSL Certificates menu in your web hosting control panel. As soon as the status is changed to “Active” you can apply the certificate to your domain.
Step 2: Install an SSL certificate
a) Install an SSL certificate purchased from us
Go to My Domains > SSL Certificates and find your domain (or subdomain) in the list (Domain column) and click on the View SSL Certificate link (Action column) on the right. On the new “SSL Certificate Configuration” popup window, select the domain for which you want to install the certificate.
After that you must select IP from the drop-down list.
When ready, press “Activate SSL certificate” button.
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b) Request Let’s Encrypt certificate
Go to My Domains > SSL Certificates and find your domain (or subdomain) in the list (Domain column) and click on the Add SSL Certificate link (Action column) on the right. On the new “SSL Certificate Configuration” popup window, select the “Request Let’s Encrypt certificate” option.
After that you must select IP from the drop-down list.
When ready, press “Activate SSL certificate” button.
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c) Install an SSL certificate if you already have one
Go to My Domains > SSL Certificates and find your domain (or subdomain) in the list (Domain column) and click on the Add SSL Certificate link (Action column) on the right. On the new “SSL Certificate Configuration” popup window, select the option to “Upload SSL certificate” – as soon as you select this option, 3 text fields appear under the form:
Private key
SSL certificate
CA
After you fill in all fields, you must select IP from the drop-down list.
When ready, press “Activate SSL certificate” button.
If you have followed this tutorial strictly, now you should have SSL activated for your domain.