Installing a Purchased Certificate

A purchased SSL certificate offers the highest level of security for your website. Since it is issued by a trusted certificate authority (CA), visitors will not see a security warning when accessing secure pages.

Note:

• A dedicated (static) IP address is required to install a purchased certificate.

Step 1: Generate a CSR (Certificate Signing Request)

1. Access the SSL Menu
   In the main control panel, click on SSL Certificates under Account Manager.

2. Create the CSR

   • Select the radio button for "Create A Certificate Request."
   • Enter the required information about your company and website.
   • The Common Name is the exact domain address for which the SSL certificate will be issued. For example, https://www.example.com is valid, but https://example.com might not be.
   • Once you've filled in the information, click Save.
   • A CSR text will be generated. Copy the text and save it in a plain text editor (like Notepad). You'll need this CSR when purchasing the certificate.

Step 2: Purchase the SSL Certificate

When purchasing the certificate, you'll need to provide:

• The CSR you generated in Step 1.
• The software that generated the CSR (choose Apache-ModSSL or Other if it’s not listed).
• The Common Name (the domain address that will be secured).

Key Notes:

• Ensure the CSR is pasted as plain text.
• The Common Name should be entered without the "http://".

Step 3: Install the Certificate

1. Access the SSL Menu
   Again, click on SSL Certificates under Account Manager in the main dashboard.

2. Install the Certificate

   • Select the radio button for "Paste a pre-generated certificate and key."
   • The system will already have the key inserted in the text box for you.
   • Paste the certificate below the key and click Save.

Step 4: Install the CA Root Certificate

1. Return to the SSL menu. At the bottom of the page, click on "Click Here to paste a CA Root Certificate."

2. Paste your CA Root Certificate into the textbox and click Save.

   Important: Be sure to check the "Use a CA Cert" box.

Although installing a CA Root Certificate is not always required, your SSL certificate might not work properly without it. The CA Root Certificate may be labeled as gd_bundle.crt, ca_bundle.crt, ca_cert, or similar.