How to install Let's Encrypt SSL on your website

An SSL certificate is essential for every website. It encrypts the connection between your visitor and your server, and gives you the green padlock (HTTPS) in the browser. Let's Encrypt offers free SSL certificates that you can install easily. In this guide we explain step by step how to install Let's Encrypt SSL via DirectAdmin.

What is Let's Encrypt?

Let's Encrypt is a free, automated Certificate Authority (CA) that issues SSL/TLS certificates. The certificates are valid for 90 days and are renewed automatically. Let's Encrypt is backed by major organizations such as Google, Mozilla and the Electronic Frontier Foundation.

Benefits of Let's Encrypt:

• Free: no cost for the certificate
• Automatic: renewal happens automatically
• Reliable: trusted by all modern browsers
• Fast: installation takes only a few minutes

Want to know more about SSL? Read our in-depth article about SSL certificates.

Installing Let's Encrypt SSL via DirectAdmin

Follow these steps to install a free SSL certificate on your website via the DirectAdmin control panel.

1. Log in to DirectAdmin

Go to the DirectAdmin control panel of your hosting package. You can find the login details in the welcome email you received when you signed up for your package.

2. Go to SSL Certificates

Navigate to Account Manager → SSL Certificates (or search for "SSL" in the search bar). Then click "Get automatic certificate from ACME provider.

3. Select Let's Encrypt as the provider

Choose Let's Encrypt as the ACME provider. Select the domain names you want a certificate for:

• Check yourdomain.com
• Check www.yourdomain.com
• Optionally subdomains such as mail.yourdomain.com

4. Choose the certificate type

You have two options:

• Standard certificate: secures the domain and the www subdomain
• Wildcard certificate: secures the domain and all subdomains (*.yourdomain.com). Requires DNS validation instead of HTTP validation.

For most websites a standard certificate is sufficient.

5. Click "Save" or "Request"

Click the button to request the certificate. Let's Encrypt automatically validates that you own the domain by placing a temporary file on your server. This usually takes less than a minute.

6. Check the installation

After a successful installation:

• Visit your website at https://yourdomain.com
• Check that the green padlock is visible
• Test with SSL Labs for a thorough check

Automatic renewal

Let's Encrypt certificates are valid for 90 days. DirectAdmin renews the certificate automatically when it is close to expiring (by default 30 days before expiration). You don't need to do anything for this.

Check that automatic renewal is active:

1. Go to SSL Certificates in DirectAdmin
2. Check that "Auto-renew" is checked
3. Check the expiration date of your current certificate

Forcing HTTPS

After installing SSL, you need to make sure all visitors are automatically redirected from HTTP to HTTPS. Add the following to your .htaccess file:

RewriteEngine On
RewriteCond %{HTTPS} off
RewriteRule ^(.*)$ https://%{HTTP_HOST}%{REQUEST_URI} [L,R=301]

In DirectAdmin you can also set this up via Domain Setup → Force SSL.

Common problems

• "Rate limit exceeded: you have requested a certificate too often. Wait an hour and try again.
• "Domain validation failed: check that your domain points to your server correctly and that no firewall is blocking the validation request.
• "Mixed content" warnings: some files are still loaded over HTTP. Change all URLs in your website to HTTPS.
• Certificate expired: check that automatic renewal is active in DirectAdmin.

Frequently asked questions about Let's Encrypt SSL

Is Let's Encrypt SSL as secure as a paid SSL certificate?

Yes, the encryption of Let's Encrypt is exactly as strong as that of paid certificates. The difference is in the validation: Let's Encrypt only offers Domain Validation (DV), while paid certificates also offer Organization Validation (OV) and Extended Validation (EV). For most websites DV is more than sufficient.

Why is Let's Encrypt free?

Let's Encrypt is a non-profit organization sponsored by major tech companies. Its mission is to encrypt the entire internet by making SSL certificates available for free and easily. The costs are covered by donations and sponsorship.

Can I use Let's Encrypt for multiple domains?

Yes, you can put multiple domains and subdomains on one certificate (SAN certificate), or use a wildcard certificate for all subdomains. In DirectAdmin you can select multiple domain names when you request the certificate.

What if my Let's Encrypt certificate is not renewed automatically?

Check that automatic renewal is active in DirectAdmin. If the problem persists, delete the current certificate and request a new one. Also check that your domain still points to your server correctly, as DNS problems can block the renewal.

Do I need to do anything after installing Let's Encrypt?

Yes, force HTTPS by setting up a redirect from HTTP to HTTPS (via .htaccess or DirectAdmin). Also check your website for mixed content warnings: resources that are still loaded over HTTP need to be updated to HTTPS. Use the browser Developer Tools (F12) to find mixed content.