Installing a Free SSL Certificate (Let's Encrypt)

Automatic SSL with Let's Encrypt in DirectAdmin

DirectAdmin includes built-in support for Let's Encrypt, allowing you to secure your website with a free SSL certificate in just a few clicks. Let's Encrypt certificates are trusted by all major browsers and automatically renew every 90 days.

Enabling Let's Encrypt SSL

1. Log in to your DirectAdmin control panel.
2. Navigate to Account Manager → SSL Certificates.
3. Select the Free & automatic certificate from Let's Encrypt option.
4. Check the boxes for the entries you want to secure. At minimum, select your main domain (e.g., example.com) and the www subdomain (www.example.com).
5. Optionally check mail.example.com if you want to secure your mail server as well.
6. Click Save to request and install the certificate.

Verifying the Certificate

After installation, verify the SSL is working by visiting your site using https://. You should see a padlock icon in your browser's address bar. You can click the padlock to view certificate details and confirm it was issued by Let's Encrypt.

Troubleshooting Common Issues

• Domain not pointing to server: The domain's DNS A record must resolve to the server's IP address before Let's Encrypt can validate it.
• Rate limits: Let's Encrypt has rate limits of 50 certificates per registered domain per week. If you hit this limit, wait before retrying.
• .well-known directory blocked: Ensure your .htaccess file or server configuration is not blocking the /.well-known/acme-challenge/ directory, as this is used for domain validation.
• Wildcard certificates: Let's Encrypt supports wildcard certificates, but they require DNS validation. Check with your hosting provider if DNS validation is configured.