To enhance the security of your website hosted with Internetport, you can easily obtain and install a free SSL/TLS certificate from Let's Encrypt using the Plesk SSL It! extension. This guide will walk you through the process of installing a free SSL certificate, setting up automatic renewal, and ensuring all traffic is redirected to HTTPS.

Installing a Free SSL Certificate with Let's Encrypt

The Plesk SSL It! extension simplifies the installation of free SSL certificates from Let's Encrypt. Follow these steps to secure your website:

  1. Log in to your Plesk control panel.
  2. Navigate to the "Websites & Domains" section and select the domain for which you want to install the SSL certificate.
  3. In the left-hand menu, click on "SSL/TLS Certificates".
  4. Click the "Add SSL Certificate" button at the top right of the page.
  5. Select "Let's Encrypt" from the list of providers and click "Next".
  6. Enter your email address to receive important notifications about your certificate, such as expiration reminders. Check the box to agree to the Let's Encrypt terms of service.
  7. Click "Request" to generate and install the SSL certificate for your domain.
  8. Plesk will automatically validate your domain and issue the SSL certificate. Once completed, you can see it listed under "SSL/TLS Certificates".

Setting Up Automatic Renewal

Let's Encrypt certificates are valid for 90 days but can be renewed up to 60 days before expiration. Plesk SSL It! handles automatic renewal for you:

  1. In the "SSL/TLS Certificates" section, find your Let's Encrypt certificate in the list.
  2. Click on the certificate to view its details.
  3. Ensure that the "Auto-renewal" option is enabled. If not, click "Enable Auto-Renewal".

Redirecting HTTP Traffic to HTTPS

To ensure all traffic to your website uses HTTPS, you need to set up a redirect:

  1. In the Plesk control panel, go to "Websites & Domains".
  2. Select the domain for which you want to enable HTTPS redirection.
  3. Click on "Hosting Settings" in the left-hand menu.
  4. Scroll down to the "Preferred Domain" section and select "https://www.yourdomain.com" or your preferred HTTPS URL.
  5. Under "Additional directives for HTTP", add the following code to enforce HTTPS:
RewriteEngine On
RewriteCond %{HTTPS} off
RewriteRule ^(.*)$ https://%{HTTP_HOST}%{REQUEST_URI} [L,R=301]
  1. Click "OK" to save the changes.

Troubleshooting Certificate Issues

If you encounter issues with your SSL certificate, consider the following troubleshooting steps:

  • Validation Failed: Ensure that your domain's DNS settings are correctly configured and that no firewall rules block HTTP/HTTPS traffic.
  • Certificate Not Installed: Check the "SSL/TLS Certificates" section for any error messages. You may need to request a new certificate or contact support.
  • Auto-Renewal Issues: Verify that your domain's DNS settings are up-to-date and that there are no firewall restrictions affecting the renewal process.

For further assistance, refer to Plesk's official documentation or contact Internetport support for help with SSL certificate management.