If you have bought an SSL certificate from a certificate authority, you need to install it on your domain in DirectAdmin. This guide walks through adding the certificate, its key, and the CA bundle so your site is secured.
What you will need #
- The issued certificate (often a .crt file or a block of text).
- The private key generated with your CSR.
- The CA bundle (intermediate certificates) from the provider.
Installing the certificate #
- Log in to DirectAdmin.
- Open your domain’s SSL Certificates section.
- Choose to paste a certificate and key.
- Paste the certificate and the matching private key.
- Add the CA bundle in the intermediate certificate field.
- Save and enable SSL for the domain.
After installing #
- Visit your site with https and check for the padlock.
- Use an online SSL checker to confirm the chain is complete.
- Force HTTPS so all visitors use the secure version.
The importance of the CA bundle #
Leaving out the CA bundle is a common mistake that causes some browsers or devices to show a trust warning even though the certificate is valid. Always include the intermediate certificates your provider supplies.
Troubleshooting #
- Key mismatch error: the certificate and private key must be a matching pair from the same CSR.
- Trust warning on some devices: add or correct the CA bundle.
Need help? #
If your certificate will not install cleanly, our support team can help over live chat.
