Purchasing and Managing a cPanel Addon SSL

Exact Hosting offers single-domain and multi-domain SSL certificates that you can purchase as a cPanel addon. cPanel addon SSLs are easier to manage than standalone SSLs because installation, reissue, and renewal happen automatically inside your cPanel account. This article shows you how to buy an addon SSL and how to use the management options in the Exact Hosting client area.

About cPanel addon SSLs

A Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) certificate encrypts traffic between visitors' browsers and your website. Browsers display a padlock icon for sites with a valid SSL, and search engines treat HTTPS as a positive ranking signal. When you buy an SSL as a cPanel addon, Exact Hosting handles the CSR generation and installation for you, so you don't need to manage certificate files manually.

For standalone SSL certificates that you install yourself, see Configuring and Installing an SSL for cPanel.

Before you begin

• An active Exact Hosting cPanel hosting plan. The addon SSL automation requires cPanel hosting on Exact Hosting.
• A domain connected to your cPanel account. The certificate authority validates that you control the domain before issuing the certificate.
• Access to one of the domain's approver email addresses. The validation email goes to an administrative address (such as admin@ or webmaster@) or to the public WHOIS contact.

Step 1: Purchase an SSL for your cPanel account

Start the purchase from the Exact Hosting client area so the SSL is linked to your hosting service.

1. Log in to Exact Hosting.
2. Select Services.
3. Click Active next to your hosting service.
4. Choose the SSL product you want, then click Purchase and activate.
5. Click Checkout to generate the invoice and pay.

Step 2: Manage your addon SSL from the client area

Once your SSL is purchased, four management options become available in the Exact Hosting client area. Use them to update the approver email, retrieve the certificate, reissue it, or grab a site seal.

Change the approver email

You can update the approver email at any time while the certificate is pending issuance. The certificate authority compiles a list of allowed addresses based on common administrative names (such as admin@ or webmaster@) combined with the public WHOIS data for your domain. Only one of these addresses can confirm ownership.

Retrieve the certificate

You can download a copy of an issued certificate from the client area at any time.

1. Click Retrieve certificate.
2. When the certificate appears, click Copy to clipboard to save it.

Reissue the certificate

Reissue your certificate if you've lost it, are moving to a new server, or ran into an installation problem.

1. Click Reissue certificate.
2. Paste your new CSR (certificate signing request) into the field.
3. Click Continue.

Get the site seal code

The site seal is an HTML snippet you can display on your website to show visitors that your site is SSL-protected. You add the code to your website manually.

1. Click Get Site Seal Code.
2. Copy the HTML snippet to your clipboard.
3. Paste it into your website's template or page.

If you're not sure where to paste the code, ask your web developer.

Next steps

• Generate a CSR for an SSL you install manually. See Configuring and Installing an SSL for cPanel.
• Force traffic to HTTPS. See What Is the .htaccess File? for an example HTTPS redirect.
• Check that your SSL is installed correctly. Use the SSL Shopper SSL Checker.

Questions? Contact Exact Hosting Support.

Related articles

• Your Free SSL Certificate (AutoSSL) — the free option included on every site