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To make a website HTTPS enable, you need to get a SSL certificate (a type of file) from a Certificate Authority (CA). Let’s Encrypt is a CA. Let’s Encrypt is a free, automated, and open Certificate Authority. In the market, there are major paid CA’s such as Verisign and comodo, this player provide SSL certificate with some money back insurance warranty in a case of any security breach due to SSL. To get a free SSL certificate we will go ahead with Let’s Encrypt.
In order to get a certificate for your website’s domain from Let’s Encrypt, you have to demonstrate control over the domain. To figure out what method will work best for you, you will need to know whether you have shell access (also known as SSH access) to your web host. If you manage your website entirely through a control panel like cPanel or WordPress, there’s a good chance you don’t have shell access. You can ask your hosting provider to be sure or check out once in cPanel.
Now once we have SSH access. Let’s start with the process.
With shell access, we will use the Certbot ACME client. It can automate certificate issuance and installation with no downtime. It also has expert modes for people who don’t want autoconfiguration. It’s easy to use, works on many operating systems, and has great documentation.
In my case, my system is Ubuntu 16.04 with apache. So I will be putting down the process of installtaion for Apache with Ubuntu. You can find easy documentation for others too here.
STEP 1:
Installing Certbot
$ sudo apt-get install python-letsencrypt-apache
STEP 2:
Certbot has a fairly solid beta-quality Apache plugin, which is supported on many platforms, and automates both obtaining and installing certs:
$ letsencrypt –apache
STEP 3:
$ letsencrypt –apache certonly
STEP 4 :
Now you will have be asked for domain for which you want to setup your SSL certiifcate. Simply enter your domain name. In my case its laravellive.in then press enter.
STEP 5:
Now enter your email id then press enter(or click OK). This email will be used for your reminder of certs expiry and renewal.
STEP 6:
Now on new screen select *Secure option then press enter(or click OK). This will direct your http request to https.
Voila! We are Done!
Now you can visit your website with https://your-website.xxx