Installing a Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) certificate on your website is no longer just an option. It'due south an essential part of protecting your site, and ensuring that data is encrypted and served via an HTTPS connection. However, figuring out what type of SSL certificate to use can be catchy, especially because how many varieties there are.

If you operate multiple subdomains, information technology probably makes the most sense to utilize a 'wildcard' SSL document. This enables you to secure all of your subdomains with a unmarried document, rather than having to purchase and install a number of individual ones.

In this post, we'll talk over what a wildcard SSL certificate is, likewise as when and why you might use one. And then nosotros'll explicate how to install this kind of certificate on your site in a few simple steps. Let'southward become started!

What Wildcard SSL Certificates Are (and How They Piece of work)

A wildcard SSL provides a way to secure an unlimited number of subdomains with a single certificate. A wildcard SSL certificate works with any subdomain of the base of operations domain proper name it is provisioned for. For instance, if your domain proper name is "yourwebsite.com", your wildcard certificate would besides protect "subsite.yourwebsite.com" and "subsite2.yourwebsite.com".

On wildcard SSL certificates, an asterisk (*) is placed before your domain name equally a placeholder, which can be interpreted as whatsoever string of characters. You can too apply this type of certificate to cover both the 'world wide web' and not-'www' variations of a domain.

For example, some domains and subdomains our instance wildcard certificate would work with include:

  • www.yourwebsite.com
  • yourwebsite.com
  • news.yourwebsite.com
  • blog.yourwebsite.com
  • store.yourwebsite.com

As with single-proper noun certificates, wildcard SSL certificates encrypt data via a fix of keys. This includes a public fundamental that is stored on the digital document and a private key that is kept on your server. All the same, with a wildcard document, y'all tin copy the individual fundamental and upload information technology to as many servers every bit you wish.

Wildcard SSL vs Multi-Domain SSL

It'due south important to note that wildcard SSL is not the same thing as a Multi-Domain or Discipline Culling Name (SAN) SSL certificate. Multi-domain SSL lets you protect multiple domains and subdomains, including those from different hostnames, with a single certificate. For case, y'all could use multi-domain SSL to secure diverse top-level domains such as:

  • world wide web.yourwebsite.com
  • www.yourwebsiteblog.com
  • world wide web.yourwebsitenews.com

You could also create subdomains for each of these sites, and protect them nether a single certificate. However, with multi-domain SSL certificates, you'll have to ascertain the subdomain name at the time of purchase. If you wanted to add a subdomain afterward down the route, you lot would need to reissue the document.

When to Use a Wildcard SSL Certificate

When you have a single-name SSL document, adding a new subdomain to your site and issuing an SSL certificate for it isn't necessarily a big deal. However, if you plan on adding a lot of subdomains, this could quickly go a time-consuming and plush process.

Therefore, the main benefit of using wildcard SSL is that information technology can save you a lot of fourth dimension and money. It also offers more flexibility than other options.

For case, unlike when using SAN SSL, yous don't need to define the subdomains when purchasing your wildcard SSL certificate. Plus, any time you add a new subdomain, you won't accept to worry nigh reissuing the certificate.

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Wildcard SSL makes sense to use when you lot have a single domain with multiple first-level subdomains (or plan on adding them in the futurity). This kind of document helps you lot protect all of them at one time.

Some common scenarios when using a wildcard SSL certificate is virtually beneficial include:

  • Y'all're a web developer who oftentimes uses subdomains for testing environments.
  • Yous own a business that uses separate subdomains for dissimilar aspects and entities of the organization (blog, shop, etc.).
  • You lot only demand a single height-level domain, but plan to utilize multiple subdomains (now or in the time to come).

Wildcard SSL certificates are supported by most every type of web browser and device, including both mobiles and desktop computers. Additionally, wildcard SSL certificates come with an unlimited server license policy and an unlimited re-issuance policy. This means you lot can secure your site on an as many servers as necessary, and reissue the certificate as many times every bit you desire.

Where to Get a Wildcard SSL Document

Wildcard SSL is available on both Domain Validated (DV) and Organization Validated (OV) certificates. The former enables you to secure your domain name and whatsoever number of subdomains, whereas the latter lets you validate your business likewise as your domain proper noun and subdomains.

OV certificates crave y'all to submit business concern documents and tin accept a few days to procedure and verify. Alternatively, DV certificates can exist issued inside minutes. It'due south of import to notation that wildcard SSL is not available on Extended Validation (EV) certificates.

There are a wide variety of Certificate Authority (CA) providers that offer wildcard certificates. A few popular options include:

  • Comodo offers SSL DV wildcard and SSL OV wildcard certificate options. Prices range from $89 per year to over $1,000 per year, depending on the plan and subscription blazon.
  • GeoTrust offers a True BusinessID wildcard certificate for $688 per twelvemonth, as well as a QuickSSL® Premium wildcard certificate for $745 per yr.
  • Thawte provides SSL wildcard certificates starting at $149 per year.

Depending on your hosting provider and plan, you lot might exist able to buy a wildcard certificate through them too. For example, some hosting companies will work with a preferred SSL partner, and offer wildcard certificates as a premium add-on.

How to Install a Wildcard SSL Certificate on Your WordPress Site (In 4 Steps)

If you decide that wildcard SSL is your best option and you exercise not want to use Kinsta'due south gratuitous wildcard SSL, the next pace is to buy and install it on your WordPress site. The process for installing an SSL certificate may vary slightly, depending on your host and server type.

For example, some hosting plans don't back up wildcard SSL certificates, or just offer them as a premium option. At Kinsta, nosotros support all types of SSL, including wildcard certificates.

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Similarly, the steps involved in the installation process may look unlike depending on the command panel and interface of your web host. For example, at Kinsta, nosotros use our custom MyKinsta dashboard rather than the basic cPanel.

Regardless, the steps involved are largely the same. Permit's take a look at how to install a wildcard SSL certificate on your WordPress site in four easy steps!

Step one: Buy Your Wildcard SSL Certificate

The offset step is to purchase your SSL document. As we mentioned before, there are a variety of SSL providers to choose from that offering wildcard certificates. The all-time solution volition depend largely on your specific needs and upkeep.

When yous purchase an SSL certificate, y'all'll be asked to betoken the type of server your site is hosted on. As a Kinsta customer, you'll desire to select "Nginx" if that is bachelor as an option. However, "Apache" or "Other" will as well work.

Step 2: Generate a Certificate Signing Request (CSR) Code and Private Central

The next step is to generate a CSR code, which is required by the SSL provider in gild to create and sign the certificate file. To generate a CSR code and private key, you can complete the Online CSR and Central Generator form on SSL.com:

The Online CSR and Key Generator form.
The Online CSR and Key Generator form.

We recommend filling out the following fields:

  • Common Proper noun (Domain Proper noun)
  • Electronic mail Address
  • Organization
  • Urban center / Locality
  • Land / County / Region
  • Country

Since you are generating a wildcard SSL certificate, for the "Common name" field, make sure to add an asterisk before your domain name ("*.yourdomain.com"):

The 'Common Name' field of the CSR key generator form.
The 'Common Proper name' field of the CSR key generator course.

When y'all're done, click on the Generate button at the bottom of the screen. A private key file and CSR volition be automatically generated:

A CSR and private key generated from SSL.com.
A CSR and private key generated from SSL.com.

Y'all can select Download Private Primal and Copy CSR to salve this information. Not only will you need them in the next footstep, simply your SSL document is unusable without them.

Then, render to your SSL provider and upload your CSR. This will regenerate your SSL document (.cert) file.

Step 3: Upload Your Individual Key and Certificate Files to Your Server

The next step is to upload your CSR and individual key files to your server. If you're a Kinsta user, log in to MyKinsta and navigate to Sites > Your Site > Domains. Click on the dropdown card next to the domain you want to add a custom SSL certificate for, and clickAdd together Custom SSL Document.

Add a custom SSL certificate.
Add a custom SSL document.

Side by side you lot'll see a confirmation modal showing the domains that the custom SSL will cover. Click the Side by side push button to keep to the side by side step.

Custom SSL domains.
Custom SSL domains.

You will then be able to add together your private key (.fundamental) and document (.cert). Some customers volition also demand to add their intermediate certificate every bit well. Most SSL providers will email you a .crt file and a .ca-bundle file. Paste the contents of your .crt file in the ".cert file contents" department starting time and then the contents of the .ca-packet file below it.

Paste your .key and .cert files into MyKinsta.
Paste your .central and .cert files into MyKinsta.

Note that if you want to add together your intermediate document as well, you lot tin exercise and so. Depending on which SSL provider you used, they may accept emailed you a .crt file and a .ca-bundle file. If you don't accept an intermediate certificate or know what it is, you can utilise a tool such as What's My Chain Cert to generate it.

You tin can utilize a text editor like Notepad to open these files. Then you can copy and paste the contents of your .crt file in the Document section first, followed by the contents of the .ca-parcel file below information technology. Once you're washed, click on the Add Document push button.

Every bit we mentioned, the process for uploading your private key and certificate files will vary depending on your host. If yous're not a Kinsta user and your host uses cPanel/WHM, you can add together this information under SSL/TLS.

Step 4: Confirm That the Wildcard SSL Certification Installation Was Successful

If you lot carefully executed the same steps, you should now take a wildcard SSL certificate successfully installed on your WordPress site. Notwithstanding, to confirm that everything went as information technology should, yous might want to use the SSL Checker tool by About SSL:

The AboutSSL.com SSL checker tool.
The AboutSSL.com SSL checker tool.

On this page, but enter the URL of your WordPress site, and then click on the Bank check push button. Information about your SSL document will automatically display on the screen. This volition help yous confirm whether yours was properly installed.

If all looks well, that'due south it! Y'all've at present installed a wildcard SSL certificate. After installing the SSL certificate, nosotros recommend running a search and replace on your site's database to bandy out HTTP URLs for HTTPS ones.

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Summary

Installing an SSL document is one of the most important steps in optimizing and securing your website. Withal, deciding what type of SSL certificate to use can be disruptive.

As we discussed in this post, using a wildcard SSL certificate tin can help you salve both time and money, by protecting an unlimited number of subdomains on a single document. Yous can install ane on your site in iv simple steps:

  1. If y'all prefer to use a custom wildcard SSL instead of Kinsta's free option, purchase a custom certificate from a CA such equally Comodo or GeoTrust.
  2. Generate a CSR and individual RSA key from SSL.com.
  3. Add together your wildcard document files to your server.
  4. Confirm that the wildcard SSL document installation was successful, using the SSL Checker tool.

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