Knowledgebase

By default, a website is accessed via the http protocol and the connection between the website and the computer is visible on intermediary devices. Https allows you to create a secure tunnel to protect network traffic when accessing a website. It is now the norm to have a site accessible via https.

In this article, we'll look at how to enable https on your site via the DirectAdmin management panel using a free certificate from Let's Encrypt.

Prerequisites

In order for Let's Encrypt to issue you a certificate, the domain in question must point to the DirectAdmin server on which you are performing the operations. If you ordered a domain from us at the same time as shared hosting, then there is nothing to do.

If your domain is managed elsewhere or if you're unsure. Here's how to do the verification:

1. Go to https://hellotools.org, type in your domain name.

Example: exemple.com

2. Next, go to your DirectAdmin management panel and click on "Site Summary / Statistics / Logs"

3. Go to the "Account Setup" tab

4. Check that the IP address on your account matches the one you saw on the hellotools.org site.

If the addresses match, then everything is in order and you can move on to the tutorial on Let's Encrypt.

If the addresses don't match, go to the article "How do I create DNS records for my domain name" and make sure your domain points to the IP address of your DirectAdmin account.

Go to the SSL certificate management panel

1. Once logged in to your DirectAdmin management panel, choose the domain on which you want to install a Let's Encrypt certificate.

2. Click on "SSL Certificates.

3. If you see a red message indicating that SSL is not active for the selected domain, click "enable SSL".

Create the certificate

1. Click on the "Get an automatic certificate from ACME provider" box.

2. Choose the options on the certificate.

In "ACME Provider", you can use Let's Encrypt (more commonly used) or zerossl (alternative).

Choose the type and size of the encryption key. The new Eliptic Curve (EC) technology is more robust, but for now, choosing a 2048-bit RSA key will ensure better compatibility with all systems.

Then make sure that the subdomains on which you want to install your new certificate are checked. The default selection is usually ideal for the majority of cases.

3. Then click "SAVE".

You'll see a message confirming that your certificate has been installed.

Enable automatic redirection http -> https

Once the certificate is installed, and still in the SSL Certificates section, you can enable automatic redirection from http to https by checking "Force SSL with HTTPS Redirect" at the bottom of the page and clicking Save.

Update Links in WordPress Site

Once the certificate is installed, it is possible that Wordpress is still configured for http and that this causes some problems.

For example, a warning message could be displayed on the page to warn visitors that images are being loaded insecurely.

In the Wordpress admin panel,

1. Go to Settings -> General.

2. Make sure your site address is preceded by https.

3. In the "Extensions" menu, click on "Add Extension".

4. Search "go live update urls".

5. Install and activate the extension "Go Live Update Urls".

6. Go to "Tools" -> "Go Live".

7. In the first field at the bottom of the page, enter your site address preceded by http://. In the second field, write the same thing but with https://. Then click on "Update URLs".

Be careful not to make any typos during this step.

Is the Let's Encrypt free certificate right for my site?

If your site is a personal site or a basic business storefront, the Let's Encrypt certificate will be suitable.

If your site is a major e-commerce site or storefront, it is recommended that you order a paid SSL certificate such as Domain Validation or Extended Validation.

Paid certificates have the following advantages over the free certificate :

• They are subscribed for a period of 1 to 2 years and our staff ensures that it is always renewed in time, without errors. Free certificates are issued for periods of 3 months, they must be renewed. The process is automated through your DirectAdmin interface, but a problem during renewal will generate an error/warning message for your visitors.

• We provide the paid certificates with a dedicated ipv4 address, which is better for SEO and protects you from possible blacklists of the server's common IP.

• Paid certificates have a better image with the public than free certificates.

Don't hesitate to contact our support if you want to add a paid SSL certificate to your site, we take care of the whole installation and configuration process.