SSL certificate turns the websites you log in with a HTTP protocol into a secure area. We can call it a tunnel. The data passing through the tunnel is encrypted in order to remain safe and it becomes HTTPS. Getting an SSL certificate provides confidence and provides an advantage for SEO.
You can obtain the SSL certificate both paid and free. You can even create your own SSL certificate, but it won’t work because browsers don’t recognize it.
You can read my article on SSL certificate and HTTP, HTTPS protocols.
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If you have cPanel, you can install an SSL certificate with the plugin for your WordPress based site without writing code. So how does this happen?
Comodo and WHM (cPanel) started to offer cPanel users free AutoSSL certificate with a joint project. You can benefit from the certificate renewed every 90 days for free.
However, the user using the reseller package can be granted AutoSSL certificate for a single domain. Self signed encryption is done to other domains you define. Self-signed encryption is not recognized by web browsers. Because Self-signed encrypts in 2048 bits. Normally 4096 bit encryption is recognized by web browsers. We can simply convert the self-signed encryption to AutoSSL certificate with the WordPress plugin. I will explain the solution of this here.
Learning SSL Certificate Status in cPanel
If AutoSSL Certificate is enabled on your cPanel, you can install Really Simple SSL plugin and enable certification in WordPress. If you enter SSL / TLS Status in the security section of your cPanel, you can see what type of certificate you have.
If you see AutoSLL Domain Validated in SSL / TLS Status, you can easily use the plugin.
Really Simple SSL WordPress Plugin
Installing the plugin is simple, after installing the Really Simple SSL plugin from your WordPress panel, you can see it in SSL in Settings.
The settings in the screenshot above will be sufficient for you.
If you received an error message while installing the plugin, you have one more solution. But you need to delete Really Simple SSL plugin. Because you will have to install another plugin.
SSL Zen WordPress Plugin
It cures every situation. You may have a Self-signed certificate in your cPanel defined in your domain name. In this case, Really Simple SSL plugin does not work. Then the SSL Zen plugin does a good job with its free AutoSSL certificate.
You choose the plugin that has two different packages for Free. If you want, you can get automatic options by choosing the paid version. In the free version, you have to perform a manual renewal after 90 days. So you will do the same installations.
Detailed information of your website and user agreement are displayed during the installation.
In step second, you need to verify DNS. There are two different ways of doing this, one is HTTP verification, the second is by adding to DNS record records. Try both, if not, try the other option.
HTTP File Verification
Folder named .well-known is created in main directory of your site and folder named acme-challenge is created in it. Before doing this, you need to see all the extensions and hidden files of ftp or file manager programs.
Then, by pressing the File 1 button in the SSL Zen panel, upload the verification file downloaded to the previously created .well-known / acme-challenge folder and press the Verify button. You should see the message “Successfully verified“, then you can click the Next button.
DNS Verification
If you haven’t been able to do HTTP file verification, you can do DNS record verification, the second option. We need to copy the value of _acme-challenge and Value, which is the Domain TXT Record, and create a DNS record from cPanel.
We enter our cPanel account and select Zone Editor from the Domains area.
You click the Manage part of the domain name.
By clicking the Add Record button, the DNS name and Record value we get from the SSL Zen wordpress panel as in the picture above are added in the TXT format.
Start the verification by clicking the Scan DNS Record button from SSL Zen in the WordPress panel.
Installing the SSL Certificate
It is time for the certificate created to be defined to cPanel. Therefore, you will add certificate.crt, privatekey.pem and cabundle.crt license information that SSL Zen gave you. You will copy the license codes by clicking on the black boxes (green frame) that I checked in the picture above.
If you didn’t give up, let’s continue 🙂 You enter SSL / TLS section from Security area from cPanel.
You click on the Manage SSL sites section.
There is an Install an SSL Website section under the Manage SSL Hosts page. You choose your domain name from the drop-down menu that says Select a Domain.
Certificate: (CRT) box, you paste the certificate.crt license information you copied in the SSL Zen plugin field in the wordpress panel here. Likewise, you copy and paste the license information of cabundle.crt into the Private Key (KEY) box and the Certificate Authority Bundle: (CABUNDLE) box. Then you click the Install Certificate button to install the SSL certificate.
Congratulations! .. By installing the AutoSSL Certificate, we are done with cPanel.
Now you return to the SSL Zen screen in the WordPress panel and click on the Next button.
If you do not renew the certificate after 90 days, you check the box of the site’s certificate and click the Next button.
The certificate has become active on your site. You can make your selections for additional settings, or you can end the process by clicking the Save button in this way.
AutoSSL certificate was successfully installed externally.
In the Security section, click SSL / TLS Status to see the AutoSSL Certificate in your cPanel. If there is a phrase called Let’s Encrypt, which is the organization that provides AutoSSL certificate, it is the newly installed certificate. Below is Self Signed certificate that does not work. I can help you by commenting on my articles.
References:
Installing an SSL certificate
https://really-simple-ssl.com/knowledge-base/installing-an-ssl-certificate/
