Have you ever wondered why some websites are lacking this green “Secure” bar beside the website URL? This is because the website requires an SSL certificate to be installed and configured. In this article, I’m showing you how to install InMotion Hosting a free SSL certificate.
In order to install an SSL certificate on your website, it’s important to understand first how your website has been built. Now we teach you how to allow SSL for some of the most common types of websites as for example; WordPress.
With our latest Manage Free SSL platform, InMotion Hosting now provides free AutoSSL for every domain in your shared hosting account. The free AutoSSL feature in the Account Management panel is also known as AMP and it issues instant SSL certificates for your domain names.
Automatically, the free AutoSSL application generates SSL Certificates for every domain attached to your InMotion Hosting service through your account. Even for traditional top-level domains and subdomains, free AutoSSL certificates would be automatically generated and enabled.
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Sign Up for InMotion Hosting
If you’ve already bought web hosting from InMotion Hosting, then you can skip this step and proceed. I will then show you further details and information.
If you’ve not yet bought web hosting, then let’s do it with up to 40% exclusive discount (for a limited time). To grab your discount, You will need to use our promo link. This is an exclusive discount for our blog readers. I’m pretty positive you won’t want to miss it.
After visiting our promo link, choose “Shared Hosting” and choose your hosting package. InMotion Hosting offers three different web hosting plans. The LAUNCH plan is what I recommend for the best budget & quality.
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What is AutoSSL?
AutoSSL uses SNI without the necessity to have a dedicated IP for your account. In other words, certain domains may share the same IP address and also have SSL certificates without a problem. It is worth pointing out that the AutoSSL has got the same degree of security and approval as the Advanced premium SSL with a dedicated IP.
Since SNI is a relatively young technology that has been commonly available on browsers recently. Any older software and computer configurations may not approve an SNI credential. Thus, this free SSL certificate may not work properly on older devices or older versions of internet browsers.
What is SNI? It is an extension of TLS protocol, which stands for Server Name Hint. It defines the hostname that the application contacts as the ‘handshake’ phase begins. The acceptance level given by a free AutoSSL is appropriate for most websites.
But for large business websites, it’s always recommended to purchase an SSL certificate from a reputable certificate authority to secure private data for their clients. InMotion Hosting is offering a free SSL certificate for your website provided by AutoSSL.
Enable InMotion Hosting Free SSL
It’s very important to maintain an Active SSL certificate on your website. This will let the site runs under the HTTPS protocol which is more secure. In a publicly available AutoSSL, the degree of security is the same as in a paying SSL.
It’s pretty easy and straight-forward to install and enable InMotion Hosting free SSL certificate. Follow the steps below:
- Login to Account Management Panel
- Click on Manage Free SSL
- Click ON/OFF switch to the ON position
And now, you’re done installing and enabling the free SSL on the chosen domain name. You need to make sure that the domain is already resolving to your InMotion Hosting DNS servers. If it’s not resolving, you may encounter issues during the setup process.
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Troubleshooting Free SSL
The process could possibly all fail together if there is something wrong with your setup. Well, let’s go over the possible issues and problems that could stop the SSL issuing process. Also, feel free to contact InMotion Hosting support staff for further assistance.
Possible issues & problems are as follows:
- Your domain name is not resolving to InMotion Hosting servers: In this case, you’ll need to point your domain name to the InMotion Hosting servers using their nameservers or your preferred DNS settings.
- Your website uses 3rd party CDN such as Cloudflare: First of all, you can try to purge the cache and give it a check. If it’s still not working, you may need to disable the CDN settings and give it a second try.
- Your WordPress website uses a Security Plugin: Not all, but some WordPress security plugins may cause some issues by blocking certain access points. Try disabling the security plugin you’re using and try again.
These are the possible issues that you may encounter while installing the free SSL on your website. If you’ve got any questions or inquires, let me know in the comments below. Or simply, you can contact InMotion Hosting support staff for further assistance.
Enable SSL on WordPress
After installing InMotion Hosting free SSL, you may still see your website being run on HTTP. If you’re using WordPress, there are a few more steps to do in order to force WordPress to use the given SSL certificate on your website.
Follow the steps below and enable SSL on WordPress:
- Login to WordPress Dashboard
- In the Side Menu, Click on the Settings tab
- Edit (URL) fields to use HTTPS instead
- Hit Save Changes
Congratulations, you’re done enabling an SSL certificate on your WordPress installation. But wait for a second, Can’t you see the green padlock in the browser’s bar? If this is your current issue, check below to resolve your issue and force using HTTP on your site.
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Force Using HTTPS
Please note that you use the SSL Certificate for your site’s URL only. You can find your website vulnerable if you use any media assets or coding references on your site which use an unsecured separate Address.
This is prevalent in internet browsers, and if the site contains unreliable connexions, the padlock icon in the address bar won’t show green or disabled. That’s pretty easy to resolve to. All you need to do is to automatically change any URL on the site to use HTTPS instead.
Here are the steps to force HTTPS using the .htaccess file:
- Login to WordPress Dashboard
- Under the Plugins tab, click Add New
- Search for Really Simple SSL plugin
- Hit Install & Activate
- Follow the steps & Click Activate SSL
- You’re done!
After this step, your whole website should be using HTTPS on the browser’s URL bar. You should be able to see the green PadLock correctly. Let us know in the comments below if you still have got any issues or inquiries.
InMotion Hosting Shared SSL
The SSL Credential is a crucial and effective method used to guarantee that your website is safe. Through the progression of internet technology and the introduction of modern protection techniques, these developments must be acknowledged and their implications on the website.
This helps your website visitors to find a stable website easily and to trust it. The “gold padlock” is seen in the address bar and is a more popular sign of trust. A green lock notes that the link between the application and the server on this website is correctly secured to provide protection.
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That was it all about how to enable InMotion Hosting Free SSL on your website. Let me know your thoughts and inquiries in the comments section below. And feel free to share this article on social media if you found it useful. Thank You!
