Free SSL Certificates (Let's Encrypt)

We provide free SSL certificates issued by the Let’s Encrypt certification authority. These are globally trusted certificates supported by all modern browsers, ensuring your website uses a secure HTTPS connection.

Important Considerations

• Validity Period: Unlike paid certificates which are valid for a year, Let's Encrypt certificates are valid for only 3 months (90 days).
• Automatic Renewal (Paid Hosting): If your website is on a paid hosting plan, our system will automatically renew the certificate before it expires.
• Manual Renewal (Free Hosting): If you are using a free hosting package, or if the domain is not bound to a hosted website, you must log in to the control panel and click the RENEW button manually every 3 months.

How to Order a Free Certificate

1. Navigate to the Order Page
   • Log in to the control panel.
   • In the main left-hand menu, expand the SSL Certificates section.
   • Click on Free certificate orders.
2. Create the Order
   • Click the CREATE ORDER FOR FREE CERTIFICATE button.
   • Domain name: Select your domain from the dropdown.
   • Wildcard: Toggle this ON if you want the certificate to cover all subdomains (e.g., *.example.com). Note: Wildcard certificates require DNS verification.
   • Organization Details: Fill in the optional organization information.
   • Renew automatically: Ensure this is checked (feature available for paid accounts).
   • Click CREATE.

The Verification Process

Before a certificate is issued, Let's Encrypt must verify that you control the domain. Our system handles this automatically using two methods:

1. HTTP Challenge (Standard)

For standard domains, the system attempts this method first. It places a temporary verification file on your website.
Technical Note: We automatically inject a special web.config file to ensure IIS correctly serves this key without file extension errors.

2. DNS Challenge (Wildcard & Fallback)

The system will switch to DNS verification in two cases:

• Wildcard Certificates: If you selected the "Wildcard" option, DNS verification is mandatory.
• HTTP Failure: If the HTTP challenge fails (e.g., the website is not accessible), the system attempts DNS verification as a fallback.

Timing: While usually quick, verification can take up to 15 minutes (or longer for DNS propagation). Once issued, if the domain is hosted with us, the system automatically applies the HTTPS binding to your website.