A Quick SSL Installation Guide on H-Sphere
Installing an SSL certificate on H-Sphere requires specific steps to secure your website with HTTPS protection. First, obtain your SSL certificate from a trusted provider. Log in to your H-Sphere control panel and navigate to the SSL/TLS section. Upload your certificate files, including the private key, certificate file, and intermediate certificates. Select the domain where you want to install the SSL. Configure the SSL settings and verify the certificate chain. After installation, test your SSL connection by accessing your website through HTTPS. H-Sphere will automatically bind the certificate to your domain and enable secure connections for your visitors.
Prerequisites for Installing an SSL Certificate on H-Sphere
Before you install an SSL certificate on your H-Sphere control panel, you need to have the following:
- Access to your H-Sphere control panel – You can log into the control panel using the login details provided by your web host.
- Administrative access to your H-Sphere account – Installing SSL certificates requires admin-level access.
- A valid SSL certificate – You can obtain SSL certificates from certificate authorities like Comodo, DigiCert, etc. We’ll cover how to get one later.
- Control your domain name – You must control the domain name registered to your hosting account. This involves being able to modify the domain’s DNS records.
- Website hosted on the server – The SSL certificate needs to be installed for a website hosted on the server managed through H-Sphere.
Once you have the above, you can install the SSL certificate. The exact installation steps may vary slightly across different versions of H-Sphere, but the general process remains the same.
4 Easy Steps You Can Follow to Install the SSL Certificate on H-Sphere
Follow of the steps involved in installing an SSL certificate on H-Sphere:
- Obtain an SSL Certificate from a Certificate Authority
- Upload the SSL Certificate in H-Sphere
- Install the SSL Certificate on your Domain
- Test HTTPS Implementation
Step 1 – Obtain an SSL Certificate from a Certificate Authority
The first step is to purchase an SSL certificate for your domain from a trusted certificate authority (CA). Some popular options include:
- Sectigo offers a range of SSL certificate types, such as single domain, wildcard, multi-domain, EV SSL, etc.
- Digicert is reputed CA that provides fully validated SSL certificates.
- GeoTrust, RapidSSL, Thawte – DigiCert owns these CAs and offers competitively priced SSL certificates.
The SSL certificate issuance process involves two steps:
- Validation: You need to prove ownership of your domain to the CA. This is done by placing a validation file on your domain or updating DNS records per the CA’s instructions.
- Issuance: Once your domain ownership is validated, the CA will issue the SSL certificate. This contains your domain details, public key, CA’s signature, and other metadata.
The certificate is emailed to you after these steps are completed. The file is typically in .CRT format. Some CAs provide bundles containing certificates in other formats, too.
Step 2: Upload the SSL Certificate in H-Sphere
Once you have the SSL certificate file from the CA, you need to upload it to your H-Sphere control panel:
- Log in to your H-Sphere admin dashboard.
- Go to the SSL certificates section under the Websites & Domains menu.
- Click on Add SSL Certificate.
- In the form that appears, fill in the following details:
- Domain name: Enter the primary domain name (example.com) for which you got the SSL certificate.
- SSL certificate: Upload the .CRT file you received from the CA.
- Private key: Paste the private key provided with the SSL certificate, if any. Leave blank if not available.
- Certificate chain: If your CA provided an intermediate certificate, upload it here.
- Click Add to upload the SSL certificate into H-Sphere.
The SSL certificate details will now be saved in your H-Sphere control panel.
Step 3: Install the SSL Certificate on your Domain
You need to activate the SSL certificate for your live domain. T with the addition of the SSL certificate to H-Spherehis involves three sub-steps:
Point DNS Records to H-Sphere
You must modify the DNS records to point traffic to your H-Sphere server IP address to enable HTTPS on your domain.
- Log in to your domain registrar account and access the DNS record settings.
- Create an A record that points from @ (or your domain name) to your server’s IP address.
- Add a CNAME record from www to @. This directs traffic from the www subdomain to the primary domain.
These DNS modifications will send all website traffic to your H-Sphere server where the SSL certificate is installed.
Force HTTPS & WWW in H-Sphere
To ensure visitors always access the HTTPS and www versions of your site, some redirects need to be set up in H-Sphere:
- Go to Websites & Domains > Domains in your H-Sphere control panel.
- Click Edit Settings for your domain.
- Under SSL Support, choose the SSL certificate you added earlier.
- Check the boxes for Redirect to HTTPS and Redirect to WWW.
- Click Ok to save settings.
This will force all HTTP and non-www requests to the HTTPS www site secured with the SSL certificate.
Restart Services in H-Sphere
The final step is to restart all services in H-Sphere, so the new SSL certificate is activated:
- Go to the Services menu in your H-Sphere dashboard.
- Click the Restart button for each service listed there, such as Apache, DNS, etc.
Once the services restart, your domain will use the newly installed SSL certificate for HTTPS. The padlock icon in the browser address bar will confirm the secure connection.
Step 4: Test HTTPS Implementation
To ensure everything is working correctly after installing the SSL certificate, perform these test checks:
- Verify HTTPS URL loads properly: Put https://www.yourdomain.com in the browser and check if the site loads fine.
- Confirm valid certificate details: Check if the certificate shows your correct domain name, validity dates, issuer details, etc.
- Verify certificate chain is trusted: Browser will show “Secure” in green if the CA is recognized.
- Check redirection rules: Access http://yourdomain.com and http://yourdomain.com/page and see if they properly redirect to HTTPS and www versions.
- Confirm strong encryption: Use Qualys SSL Labs tester to verify your site uses strong 256-bit encryption.
- Check if mixed content errors appear: Mixed content like HTTP images/videos on HTTPS pages can trigger browser warnings.
Fix any issues noticed during the testing to ensure the proper functioning of HTTPS and the new SSL certificate.
What Are the Common SSL Issues on H-Sphere and How to Troubleshoot Them?
Here are some common issues faced when enabling SSL on H-Sphere and how to troubleshoot them:
SSL protocol errors or warnings in the browser
This usually happens when there are problems with the certificate file, intermediate certificates, key, or certificate chain. Some things to check:
- Verify that the correct SSL certificate file, intermediate certificates, and private key are uploaded to H-Sphere.
- Check for typos in the domain name entered in H-Sphere while adding the SSL certificate. It should match your site domain exactly.
- Try re-uploading the certificate, intermediates, and key again. There could be some encoding or formatting issues.
- The certificate chain may not be complete. Contact your CA for the required intermediate certificate files.
The site not loading is incomplete or is very slow over HTTPS
Typically caused due to issues with HTTPS redirection or services not restarting properly in H-Sphere:
- Check if redirection to HTTPS and WWW is enabled for the H-Sphere domain.
- Confirm all H-Sphere services like Apache have been restarted after installing the certificate.
- Try restarting services again. Also, restart the server if necessary.
- There may be problems with the DNS records pointing site traffic to the H-Sphere server. Verify your A and CNAME records.
The padlock icon is missing, or the SSL indicator is not showing in the browser.
If the browser is not showing the secure padlock icon or SSL indicator for your site after installing the certificate:
- Recheck the DNS records modifications required in Step 3. The A record should point to your H-Sphere server IP.
- Clear your browser cache/history and test again. Old non-HTTPS entries may be cached.
- Look for any redirect loops caused if H-Sphere redirect settings are misconfigured.
- Verify that the certificate was added for the correct domain name matching your live site.
Final Thoughts
Securing your H-Sphere website with an SSL certificate is a crucial step in protecting your online presence. By following the steps outlined in this guide, you can easily install an SSL certificate and enjoy the benefits of enhanced security, improved SEO, and increased user trust.
Remember to keep your SSL certificate up-to-date and monitor its status regularly to ensure your website remains secure. With a properly configured SSL certificate, you can confidently provide a safe and reliable experience for your website visitors.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some common FAQs about setting up and managing SSL certificates on H-Sphere:
Do I need an SSL certificate for each website I host on H-Sphere?
You can use a wildcard SSL certificate to secure multiple subdomains and domains on your H-Sphere server. A wildcard certificate covers *.yourdomain.com.
Can I get a free SSL certificate for H-Sphere?
You can use free SSL certificates from CAs like Let’s Encrypt. However, paid certificates from reputed CAs offer better browser trust and support. They also include liability assurances.
Do I need to restart all H-Sphere services when installing an SSL cert?
It is recommended that all services be restarted after installing an SSL certificate. This ensures proper propagation and activation of the new certificate across your H-Sphere server.
My site is still not loading over HTTPS after installing the certificate. What could be wrong?
Check if you have pointed the DNS records correctly to your H-Sphere server IP. Also, verify that HTTP to HTTPS redirect is enabled for the domain in H-Sphere. Restart services if needed. There could also be an issue with the certificate files uploaded.
How do I renew an SSL certificate on H-Sphere when it expires?
The process is the same as the initial installation. Get a renewed certificate from your CA, upload it to replace the existing one in H-Sphere, and restart services. No other changes are needed for renewal.
Can I install an SSL certificate for a subdomain on H-Sphere?
Yes, H-Sphere supports installing SSL certificates for subdomains as well. Ensure the certificate is valid for that subdomain name, and then follow the same installation process.
What certificate chain is needed when adding an SSL cert to H-Sphere?
A certificate chain contains the intermediate certificates from the SSL provider. It establishes trust between your certificate and browser. Upload the chain file if you received it from your SSL certificate provider.
Priya Mervana
Verified Web Security Experts
Priya Mervana is working at SSLInsights.com as a web security expert with over 10 years of experience writing about encryption, SSL certificates, and online privacy. She aims to make complex security topics easily understandable for everyday internet users.
