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Installing a third-party SSL certificate

If you purchase an SSL certificate from a provider other than Ruachost, you can still install it on your hosting account. WHM(resellers) and cPanel provide tools to upload and configure third‑party SSL certificates.

What Is a Third‑Party SSL?

Section titled “What Is a Third‑Party SSL?”
  • A certificate purchased from an external Certificate Authority (CA) such as DigiCert, Sectigo, or GlobalSign.
  • Unlike Ruachost‑issued SSLs, these require manual installation.
  • You must have the private key and certificate files generated during the CSR process.

Steps to Install a Third‑Party SSL Certificate

Section titled “Steps to Install a Third‑Party SSL Certificate”

1. Gather Required Files

Section titled “1. Gather Required Files”
  • Private Key → Generated when you created the CSR.
  • Certificate File (.crt) → Issued by the Certificate Authority.
  • CA Bundle (Intermediate Certificates) → Provided by the CA to complete the trust chain.

2. Install via WHM

Section titled “2. Install via WHM”
  1. Log in to WHM.
  2. In the search box, type Install an SSL Certificate on a Domain.
  3. Enter the domain name.
  4. Paste the Certificate, Private Key, and CA Bundle into the respective fields.
  5. Click Install. WHM will validate and apply the certificate immediately.

3. Install via cPanel (Alternative)

Section titled “3. Install via cPanel (Alternative)”
  1. Log in to cPanel.
  2. Go to SSL/TLS → Manage SSL Sites.
  3. Select the domain.
  4. Paste the Certificate, Private Key, and CA Bundle.
  5. Click Install Certificate.

Verifying Installation

Section titled “Verifying Installation”
  • Visit your site using https:// and check for the padlock icon.
  • Use SSL testing tools (e.g., SSL Labs) to confirm proper installation.
  • Ensure the CA bundle is correctly installed to avoid trust errors.