The certificate you've purchased from us will come with links to installation instructions written by the SSL Authority (typically RapidSSL and/or GeoTrust). We've found quite often those instructions contain references to outdated versions of cPanel, which can make the installation process more confusing than it needs to be. We provide our own set of instructions for our clients' use, along with screenshots. Use whichever set of instructions you prefer.
- Login to cPanel -> SSL/TLS Manager. Click on "Generate, view, upload, or delete SSL certificates."
- Paste or upload your certificate. If you have your certificate saved in a .crt file on your computer (alone with only the certificate, saved with a ".crt" file extension) you can upload it through the interface underneath the large texarea box (Browse, choose a .crt file, then click Upload). The less complicated and more typical way would be to paste the CRT into the large textarea box as shown below:
Click Upload.
WARNING: Do NOT click "Generate" at the bottom! cPanels' interface is a little confusing, but clicking "Generate" will create a new self-signed SSL certificate. A self-signed certificate will still provide encryption, but will not be recognized as valid by ANY browser, and every user who views your website will receive a warning or SSL error. Self-signed certificates are really only useful for testing purposes or on a Developmental website. - If the CRT installed correctly you will get a "Success" message and be able to see the certificate listed at the top of the SSL Manager screen:
- Go back to the main SSL Manager screen and under Activate SSL on Your Website click "Setup an SSL certificate to work with your site." If you don't see this option, that means you don't host your website with us (!), and your host hasn't enabled this option. That means you'll need to contact their support department in order to get your SSL certificate working. Seriously, consider switching web hosting companies.
- Choose the domain the SSL certificate is for from the drop-down list then under the CRT section, click the "Fetch" button.
This should bring up your CRT (certificate) into the text box, as well as your private key (into the .key box). If your CRT isn't found on the server for some reason (did you skip step #3?) you can paste the text of the CRT file into the box.
- Paste your CABUNDLE into the bottom (CA Bundle) box (the intermediary certificate for GeoTrust that came with your certificate), then click "Install Certificate."
- Verify everything is working by viewing your site using the SSL/HTTPS protocol:
https://www.yourdomain.com
Verify your website shows no errors in the browser (it's a good idea to check in several browsers to be sure), verify all images are displaying correctly. A common mistake is using absolute links rather than relative. Even one link containing "http" instead of "https" will cause the browser to display a mixed content error and make your users think there's something wrong with your SSL certificate.
