Overview
This article only explains how to purchase a professionally signed SSL certificate in your DreamHost panel.
This type of certificate is recommended for eCommerce sites, customer login areas, or any other site that transmits sensitive information as it is signed by Sectigo, displaying a certificate seal of trust on your site.
Create a confirmation email address
Before you begin the process of purchasing an SSL certificate, make sure you have already created a confirmation email address on your domain since this email may be necessary to finalize the purchase. For example, any of the following will work:
- admin@example.com
- administrator@example.com
- hostmaster@example.com
- postmaster@example.com
- webmaster@example.com
Your email can be hosted at another company; it just needs to exist and be able to receive email.
Please note that the process to verify your domain using email is a last resort. This means you may never receive a confirmation email, and the SSL will process correctly. However, it's possible you will receive an email if other DCV steps fail to verify, so it's still important to configure this email address. View the following article for further details:
Step 1 — Purchase a signed SSL
- Navigate to the Secure Certificates page.
- Click the Add button to the right of your domain.
- Choose the option to add a Sectigo certificate and then click the Select this Certificate button.
- Enter your personal and website information to create the Certificate Signing Request (CSR) for this SSL certificate.
- You must fill in ALL of the fields (including the 'Organization name'). If you don't have an organization name, then enter your first and last name.
- 'Street 2' and 'Street 3' are optional fields—you can leave those blank if your address does not include any of this info (such as an apt. #).
- Click the Proceed to Next Step button.
- On the next page, select one of your domain's email addresses (as mentioned above).
- Click the Proceed to Next Step button.
- On the last page, choose either a credit card or an electronic check to pay.
- Click the Place Certificate Order button when finished.
Panel installation process
Most orders are completed and installed within 2 hrs of being approved; however, it could take up to 24 hrs to fully process fully.
- Order Processing: After purchasing, the certificate displays as 'Order Processing' on the Secure Certificates page. This means it is NOT yet installed.
- Certificate On Order: When you click the Settings button to the right, you'll see that the certificate is in the order process.
- Once installed, your Sectigo certificate takes its place and becomes the only active certificate on your domain.
Emails you will receive
Email from DreamHost: You'll soon receive a confirmation email from support@dreamhost.com sent to the address you selected for this order. This email is to notify you that the certificate is ready to be installed in the panel.
Email from Sectigo: You may also receive a second email from Sectigo. This is part of the DCV process to verify your domain. This is the last option in the DCV process, so it's possible you never receive this email. If you do receive this email from Sectigo, proceed through the steps to complete the verification of your domain.
Step 2 — Install the certificate in the panel
This step installs the certificate onto your domain.
- Navigate to the Secure Certificates page.
- Click the Settings button to the right of your domain.
- Click the Other Certificates tab.
- Your Sectigo Certificate displays.
- Click the Use this Certificate button.
- A confirmation message displays.
Step 3 — Visit your website
Once the certificate is installed, visit your website.
- https://example.com
You will see the URL automatically uses HTTPS and the browser bar displays a lock icon, confirming the connection is secure.
Troubleshooting
After installing your certificate, you may find that your browser is still showing an insecure warning when visiting the HTTPS version of your URL. There are a few reasons this could occur. Please view the following article for instructions on how to resolve this issue.