Installing Free SSL in DirectAdmin

Free SSL in DirectAdmin needs no installing once your domain points to your Domain India hosting. DirectAdmin issues a Let's Encrypt certificate by itself, so the certificate costs nothing and renews itself. This page shows how to check that it was issued and gives the fixes for the usual failures; the full guide goes deeper.

1. Before you start: DNS must point to us

Let's Encrypt checks that your domain really points to the server asking for the certificate, by fetching a small file over plain http:// on port 80. So:

• the domain's A record, or its nameservers, must point to your DirectAdmin hosting; use the values on your hosting service's page in the client area, as explained in How do I change my nameservers;
• www needs its own DNS record if you want it covered;
• a proxy in front of the site, such as a proxied Cloudflare record, must be paused so that the check reaches our server.

Once the domain opens your DirectAdmin site over http://, DirectAdmin can issue the certificate.

2. Check that the certificate was issued

There is no request form, no provider to choose and no names to tick. DirectAdmin tries the domain, www, mail, ftp, pop and smtp on its own, and a name gets a certificate only if it reaches our server.

Check the result by opening https://yourdomain.com and clicking the padlock: the certificate should be issued by Let's Encrypt.

3. Send visitors to HTTPS

The certificate does not redirect anyone by itself. Turn on DirectAdmin's HTTPS redirect for the domain if your panel shows it, or add this to the .htaccess file in public_html:

RewriteEngine On
RewriteCond %{HTTPS} off
RewriteRule ^ https://%{HTTP_HOST}%{REQUEST_URI} [L,R=301]

Use one method, not both. In WordPress, also change both addresses under Settings › General to https://. If the browser still warns, the page loads images or scripts over http://; see Loading mixed (insecure) display content.

4. Renewal

You do not need to renew by hand while the domain keeps pointing to the server. If a renewal fails, fix DNS first and wait: DirectAdmin retries on its own. If it still fails, ask support.

5. If you already bought a certificate elsewhere

A free Let's Encrypt certificate is enough for almost every website. If you need a paid certificate for a specific reason and have bought one from another provider, you can upload it: on the Manage certificates tab, open the "⋯" menu on the hostname's row and choose Upload custom certificate, then paste your private key, the certificate and the chain (intermediate certificates). Keep the private key safe, and remember that an uploaded certificate does not renew automatically. The steps are in How to install an SSL certificate in DirectAdmin. If you are unsure, ask support before you replace a working certificate.

6. Quick fixes when a name is listed as failed

• Failed HTTP checks: an HTTP request for the name does not reach our server, because the name has no DNS record, still points to another host, or a proxy answers. Point the A record to our server and wait for DNS.
• Only www is listed: www has no DNS record. Add one that points to your hosting if you want www covered.
• CAA error: a CAA record allows only another certificate authority. Add letsencrypt.org to it.
• Nothing is issued although DNS is right: if automatic issuing keeps failing, DirectAdmin can switch it off for that domain. Open the ACME settings tab and check that Enable ACME is still ticked.

After a fix, wait: DirectAdmin retries on its own. If the name still fails, open a support ticket with the domain name.

On cPanel hosting, certificates are handled by AutoSSL instead; see AutoSSL in cPanel.

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Frequently asked questions

Ready to secure your site? Check your DNS with How do I change my nameservers, open DirectAdmin from your hosting services, or compare DirectAdmin hosting plans.