Today we’re going to discuss how to install a SSL for your user’s cPanel/WHM or Webmail log ins. By default, cPanel provides a self -signed certificate when logging in to these services and although the connection is encrypted, it will display the red screen or other warning message that the SSL is not trusted and asks if the user wishes to proceed.
More knowledgeable users will know to simply accept the security exception and move on. However, as a host, you need to consider those clients that aren’t 100% Web savvy and will be afraid to proceed, thinking that your server is insecure or they might download something nasty (trust us, we’ve heard these before).
The good news is that you can install a GeoTrust, Comodo or any other provider issued SSL for these services. You can get a RapidSSL for less than $20 per year and this will go a long way in establishing your clients’ trust in your service.
Issue the csr for the hostname of the server.
Once issued, instead of installing through the SSL section of WHM you would go to Manage Service SSL Certificates under Service Configuration in WHM. You can then install the same SSL issued to the hostname for cPanel/WHM/Webmail Service, Exim and FTP service. The hostname is not an actual account in WHM so you wouldn’t be able to move it to a dedicated IP. It’s not a necessary step when installing a SSL for the hostname for use with WHM/cPanel etc.
After this is done, if you still want your client to be able to go to theirdomain.com/cpanel you should do the following:
Go to Tweak Settings
Click on the Redirection Tab
Select On for Always redirect to SSL
Select Hostname for Non-SSL redirect destination and SSL redirect destination
Viola! Now when a client goes to their_domain.com/cpanel or their_domain.com/webmail, they will be redirected to the server’s hostname which is now secured with a trusted SSL. They’ll be greeted with a lock in the address bar and no warning.
More knowledgeable users will know to simply accept the security exception and move on. However, as a host, you need to consider those clients that aren’t 100% Web savvy and will be afraid to proceed, thinking that your server is insecure or they might download something nasty (trust us, we’ve heard these before).
The good news is that you can install a GeoTrust, Comodo or any other provider issued SSL for these services. You can get a RapidSSL for less than $20 per year and this will go a long way in establishing your clients’ trust in your service.
Issue the csr for the hostname of the server.
Once issued, instead of installing through the SSL section of WHM you would go to Manage Service SSL Certificates under Service Configuration in WHM. You can then install the same SSL issued to the hostname for cPanel/WHM/Webmail Service, Exim and FTP service. The hostname is not an actual account in WHM so you wouldn’t be able to move it to a dedicated IP. It’s not a necessary step when installing a SSL for the hostname for use with WHM/cPanel etc.
After this is done, if you still want your client to be able to go to theirdomain.com/cpanel you should do the following:
Go to Tweak Settings
Click on the Redirection Tab
Select On for Always redirect to SSL
Select Hostname for Non-SSL redirect destination and SSL redirect destination
Viola! Now when a client goes to their_domain.com/cpanel or their_domain.com/webmail, they will be redirected to the server’s hostname which is now secured with a trusted SSL. They’ll be greeted with a lock in the address bar and no warning.
