using SSL manager

[danbak]

I am trying to use SSL for the first time and was excited to find the SSL manager in cPanel to generate key files for free.... but cant seem to get it to work. I stepped thru and generated the three files, which appear to have installed in the correct areas of my website.

On the first visit to my site using https:, I got the predicted popup asking if I wanted to accept the cert. kinda weird that it showed the cert belonging to my host, but ok.

however, the browser never opens the site using https, it comes back with a 'page does not exist' error.

could this be a problem with the server config, or the way I generated the SSL cert, or something else?

 

[jayh38]

In order to use ssl, you need to be on a dedicated IP, not a shared IP, otherwise there is no telling you apart from the other accounts on the same address. Ask your provider to assign you a dedicated IP, which he may charge you for..

Most hosts would provide a certificate for their client but keep in mind this is only your provider saying that you are who you say you are and not a 3rd party verification service. But if you just need to implement strong encryption, that is fine.

 

[danbak]

sure enough, turns out that the host has to do some special setup to get things working including static IP.... so the cPanel SSL manager really is not something they normally expose, even to resellers since it cant really be used to complete the installation. ah well.

anyway, these special conditions would be good tutorial material to add to the product docs to help users understand what they actually need to do to get SSL up and running in addition to creating the key files.

 

[jayh38]

Are you on a WHM or cpanel account?
Resellers can easily be setup to implement ssl generation and installation to their clients. It sounds like your services are from a reseller that is not root.

That would be a hassle because the support may have to go 2 or 3 levels beyond your provider.