If you’re a business owner, we know what a hassle it is for you to opt for different SSL Certificates for your website subdomains, and this is where a Wildcard SSL can help you. So, let’s understand what SSL Certificates are and how to install GoDaddy Wildcard SSL.
To install your GoDaddy Wildcard SSL, you need to request a CSR, set up your SSL, request your SSL, verify your SSL, download your SSL files, install your SSL, and redirect http to https.
What is a Wildcard SSL?
A single certificate(SSL or TLS) can secure your website URL and subdomains. A Wildcard SSL uses an asterisk(*) character to ensure your website’s subdomains. It allows multiple subdomains like store.merchfans.com, blog.merchfans.com and mail.merchfans.com to exist with a single certificate.
Thus, a Wildcard SSL certificate saves you from getting multiple certificates for various subdomains. It allows the domain owner to make as many subdomains as possible in [*.domainame.com] format. It saves you the time, money, and effort you wasted getting SSL Certificates for each subdomain.
When you own a business with multiple subdomains, getting an individual certificate for each subdomain is a hassle. GoDaddy Wildcard SSL allows you to manage them all with a single certificate, and this becomes more cost-effective and time-saving in the first place.
Further, GoDaddy, a founding member of the Certificate Authority, is a trusted site for your Wildcard SSL. GoDaddy provides exceptional customer service and secure website standards. Additionally, it also has an increased SEO ranking. So, when you have a GoDaddy Wildcard SSL, you can be sure that search engines will push your website to the top. It will ensure more significant traffic to your website.
These are why you can consider taking up a GoDaddy Wildcard SSL Certificate for your domain.
How to Purchase a GoDaddy Wildcard SSL Certificate
It offers a variety of SSL services to choose from. You can opt for the SSL Certificate that best suits your domain needs. Have a look at the types of SSL Certificates provided by GoDaddy.
Types of SSL Certificates provided by GoDaddy
Choose the Certificates that suit your needs when installing GoDaddy Wildcard SSL. Chiefly, you can choose from the following:
- Domain Validation (DV) SSL Certificate
It provides a standard level of validation. Thus, they are the ideal choice for personal websites.
2. Organizational Validation (OV) SSL Certificate
It provides a higher validation level than DV SSL. So, that makes it ideal for a single non-e-commerce organization or small business website.
3. Extended Validation (EV) SSL Certificate
It provides the highest form of security. It is an ideal choice for a single e-commerce website.
4. SAN SSL Certificate
SAN SSL Certificate allows you to secure five websites(1 primary domain and four additional domains).
It helps you secure up to 100 domains. Thus, it is ideal for businesses to have multiple brands.
5. Wildcard SSL Certificate
Wildcard SSL Certificate allows you to secure one primary domain and its unlimited subdomains. All of this can be done and managed from a single dashboard. Thus, it is ideal for businesses having multiple subdomains and servers.
You can visit the official site of GoDaddy and go through the various SSL services and certificates available. Choose from what is best suited for you. If you cannot decide, you can also take up their quiz. And they’ll help you choose the perfect SSL for you.
Other than GoDaddy, you can choose from websites like ClickSSL, etc., to get your SSL Certificates.
Generate a Certificate Signing Request (CSR)
The CA asks for information like your common name, the name of the business and organization, country, etc. Later, this information generates your SSL Certificate. Certificate Authority provides a certificate signing request(CSR)
A CSR is necessary as it uses a public and private key to encrypt and decrypt your information. It protects your SSL website, and a CSR ensures that your website is secured when opened on the internet.
A step-by-step guide to generating a CSR in a GoDaddy account
We need to generate a CSR on how to install GoDaddy Wildcard SSL. Follow the following steps to develop your Certificate Signing Request:
- Generate a CSR on your server before requesting an SSL. The process varies according to the server you use for hosting. You can see a detailed strategy for servers like NGINX, Apache, cPanel, Windows IIS 10, or Google App Engine.
- Fill in the necessary details like common name, name of the organization, organizational unit, city or locality, etc.
- Open the CSR in any text editor and copy the text.
- Download your domain’s private and public keys into a folder.
- Then you can request your SSL Certificate using your CSR by following these steps.
Complete the SSL Verification Process
Following this, in the third step of installing GoDaddy Wildcard SSL, we need GoDaddy to validate our domain. GoDaddy is a trusted name, which requires verifying if you are the one who controls your domain before validating it. GoDaddy uses two verification processes for the same, and they either use the DNS method or the HTML method to verify your website before they validate it with a certificate.
In the DNS method, you must add a TXT value GoDaddy gives to your domain’s DNS zone file. Further, this will enable GoDaddy to verify if you control your environment. Additionally, you can read about the detailed steps and the procedure to follow to get a DNS record by GoDaddy.
In the HTML method, you must make specific changes to your domain with a unique identifying number. Then, you will need to access the HTML site of your environment. It will verify your account, and GoDaddy will validate your domain eventually.
Read about the detailed steps and the procedure to get an HTML page that GoDaddy will access for verification.
After adding your DNS record or HTML page, follow the following steps.
- Go to your GoDaddy product page.
- Click on SSL Certificates.
- Click on Manage.
- Click on Check My Update.
- If GoDaddy hosts the domain, it will automatically install your certificate.
- Also, If another server hosts the domain, you must download your certificate.
The checking process takes about 5-10 minutes.
Install the GoDaddy Wildcard SSL
In the fourth installation step, we must install the verified SSL website on our hosting server. To do this, follow these steps:
1. Open your GoDaddy product page.
2. Click on SSL Certificates.
3. Click on Manage.
4. Click on View Status.
5. Click on Manage.
6. Click on Re-Key Certificate.
7. Copy the CSR into the SSL request area
8. Click on Save.
9. Download the cert and bundle file from GoDaddy.
10. Upload it to the/etc/SSL/certs folder.
11. Add the private key of your CSR in the /etc/SSL/private folder.
12. Also, add your cert folder’s location in the config file of the web service server hosting your website.
Further, this process also varies from server to server. Chiefly, the various servers on which you can install your GoDaddy wildcard SSL are:
Afterward, Click on each server to see a detailed step-by-step guide for each server.
Verify the SSL Installation
Lastly, on how to install GoDaddy wildcard SSL, verify whether the installation process has succeeded. Please confirm whether the SSL Certificate has been installed correctly on your domain. Thus, this ensures that your website is secure for customers to visit, and this ensures that the website does not drive away potential customers.
Moreover, you can check on GoDaddy’s SSL checker and verify the process.
Following these steps, you must direct customers to the secured, i.e., the https version of your website eventually.
FAQs
Why should I opt for a Wildcard SSL?
Wildcard SSL allows you to secure your website and unlimited domains for it. This saves money and time, as you do not need to buy individual SSL Certificates for all subdomains.
Should I choose Wildcard SSL or SAN SSL?
If you are a brand that needs multiple subdomains for various functions of your brand, then choose Wildcard SSL. If you are an organization that needs multiple domains for multiple brands, then opt for SAN SSL.
Upto how many subdomains can I secure with one Wildcard SSL Certificate?
With a Wildcard SSL Certificate, you can secure unlimited subdomains and one primary domain.
Which method of validation will not support Wildcard SSL?
The HTML validation method cannot be used for Wildcard SSL as it verifies the root domain, not the subdomains.
You must follow these steps to secure your domain and install a GoDaddy SSL Certificate on your server.
In short, request a CSR, set up your CSR, verify and download your SSL files, install your SSL, and finally confirm your SSL to drive customers to the secured version of your domain.
Also, All these processes ensure that you have a secure website.
When customers see a not secure mark on websites, that drives potential customers away; if you have a specific domain verified by a trusted site like GoDaddy, that makes customers trust your website. It is essential to convert your customers into leads explicitly.
You can also opt for trusted websites like ClickSSL, etc., to provide a wildcard SSL Certificate other than GoDaddy.
