We will go through the setting on how to setup a free & automatic SSL certificate, issued from Let’s Encrypt inside DirectAdmin panel.
First step, please login to your DirectAdmin panel.
- Once you login to DirectAdmin page, at the bottom, go to Advanced Features and choose (SSL Certificate)
2. In SSL Certificate, please
– select “Free & automatic certificate from Let’s Encrypt” option, and
– put in your email address.
and click “Save”
3. DirectAdmin panel will automatically generate the SSL CSR (certificate signing request), confirm your website status, and get the SSL certificate from Let’s Encrypt. Once the process completed, you will have the following information.
DirectAdmin panel will show you “Certificate for xxx.com has been created successfully”
4. Now, it needs to enable SSL on your website.
Go back to the DirectAdmin panel home page, and click on “Domain setup”
5. In “Domain Setup”, click on your domain name
6. Please select “Secure SSL” and click “Save”
And you may consider to choose “Use a symbolic link from private_html to public_html – allows for same data in http and https” option and click “Save”
Note: It will remove the folder /domains/xxx.com/private_html , and create a symbolic link from private_html to public_html for folder sharing. In most circumstance, that folder private_html is not in use.
System will ask you to agree to delete the private_html directory please click “OK” to finish
7. Then, around 5 minutes later, you can start visiting your website via https protocol
Notes:
- Customer websites must be hosted in our web hosting server. Otherwise, it cannot pass Let’s Encrypt automated verification.
- You may consider to add a dedicated IP to your website for best compatibility.
- Without website dedicated IP, the SSL will run in SNI (server name Indication) mode. Some old browsers may not support SNI mode
- SSL(s) issued by Let’s Encrypt valid for 3 months. They should be automatically renewed automatically by DirectAdmin.
- Users may consider to use paid SSL (e.g. EV SSL) for best trust and end-user experience