Here are the steps I used to secure https://bci.com and https://www.bci.com using a free SSL certificate from Let’s Encrypt! on an A2Hosting.com shared server account (CPanel).
- Login to your domain’s CPanel
- Select SSL/TLS Manager tool
- Select Private Keys (KEY)
- Generate a 2,048 bit private key
- Key size: 2,048 bits
- Description: LetsEncrypt Private Key
- Select Generate button
- Select Return to SSL Manager button
- Select Certificate Signing Requests (CSR)
- Generate CSR
- Select LetsEncrypt Private Key from the Key Dropdown
- In the Domains box, enter each domain you want this certificate to secure (one per line).
- Fill in the rest of the form
- Description: LetsEncrypt CSR
- Select Generate button
- Copy the Encoded Certificate Signing Request will need it later. You can always get this from the SSL/TLS Manager tool.
- Select Return to SSL Manager button
- Use Let’s Encrypt! to generate the certificate
- Open Let’s Encrypt! using URL https://gethttpsforfree.com
- Fill in form
- Step 1: Create and validate your account email. Then Validate.
- Step 2: Paste CSR into Certificate Signing Request box. Then Validate.
- Step 3: Sign API requests and Validate
- Step 4: For each domain:
- Use Option 2
- Create the request files and content of the files on your web site(s) – I used SSH, but you can also use the CPanel File Manager
- Validate
- Copy newly issued certificate from gethttpsforfree.com to your CPanel SSL/TLS Manager tool
- In your CPanel, Select SSL/TLS Manager tool
- Select Install and Manage SSL for your site (HTTPS)
- Select Domain from drop down.
- Paste the text from gethttpsforfree.com form Signed Certificate into the CPanel Certificate: (CRT) box.
- Paste the saved Private Key into the CPanel Private Key (KEY) box.
- Paste the text from gethttpsforfree.com form Intermediate Certificate into the CPanel Certificate Authority Bundle: (CABUNDLE) box.
- Select Install Certificate button.