How To Set Up cPanel AutoSSL Certificates When Using Cloudflare

Introduction To How To Set Up cPanel AutoSSL Certificates When Using Cloudflare

Securing your website with SSL certificates is crucial for protecting user data and maintaining trust. When using Cloudflare’s CDN and security features, you can further enhance your site’s performance and security. This guide explains how to use cPanel AutoSSL certificates effectively when your domain is managed by Cloudflare.

Understanding SSL Certificates and AutoSSL

What is an SSL Certificate?

An SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) certificate encrypts data between the user’s browser and your web server, ensuring secure communication. It is essential for protecting sensitive information and building user trust.

What is AutoSSL?

AutoSSL is a feature provided by cPanel that automates the process of issuing and installing SSL certificates for your domains. It uses trusted Certificate Authorities (CAs) like Let’s Encrypt to provide these certificates for free.

Why Use Cloudflare?

Enhanced Performance

Cloudflare accelerates your website by caching content and delivering it from servers closest to your visitors. This reduces latency and improves load times.

Improved Security

Cloudflare offers robust security features, including DDoS protection, SSL/TLS encryption, and a Web Application Firewall (WAF), safeguarding your site from various threats.

Increased Reliability

Cloudflare’s global network ensures your website remains accessible even during traffic spikes or server outages, providing a consistent experience for your users.

Adding Your Domain Name to Cloudflare

How To Create a Cloudflare Account

1. Visit the Cloudflare website and click on the “Sign Up” button.
2. Enter your email address and create a password to set up your account.
3. Select “Create Account” to complete the registration process.
   

How To Add Your Domain Name

1. Log in to your Cloudflare account.
2. Select the “Add Site” button on the Cloudflare dashboard.
3. Enter your domain name (e.g. SheffieldWordPressHosting.com) and select “Add Site”.
   

Selecting a Cloudflare Plan

1. Choose a plan that suits your website’s needs. We will be selecting the free plan located at the bottom.
2. Select the “Confirm Plan” button to proceed.
   

Reviewing Your DNS Records

1. Cloudflare will scan your existing domain’s DNS records. This means that if you’re pointing to your website already, it will pick this up so you won’t need to enter the A records again.
2. Check the detected DNS records to ensure they are correct. Add or modify any records if necessary.
3. Select “Continue” to proceed.
   

Pointing Your Domain’s Nameservers To Cloudflare

1. Cloudflare will now provide you with two nameservers of their nameservers.
2. Log in to your domain registrar’s account an example would be GoDaddy.
3. Navigate to the DNS management section for your domain.
4. Replace your current nameservers with the ones provided by Cloudflare.
5. Save the changes to update your nameservers.

Confirming You Have Updated The Nameservers

1. Return to the Cloudflare walkthrough.
2. Select “Continue” to let Cloudflare know you’ve updated the nameservers on your domains registrar.
   
3. Cloudflare will verify the nameserver update. This could take up to 48 hours however it is usually done in a few minutes.
4. Select Finish to complete the domain setup process
   

Configuring/Checking Your Cloudflare Settings To Work With cPanel AutoSSL

1. Select the domain you want to secure.
2. In the left-hand menu navigate to the “SSL/TLS” settings.
3. Set the SSL/TLS encryption mode to “Full”.
   • Full: Encrypts connections end-to-end, including a self-signed certificate on the server.
     
4. In the left-hand menu navigate to the “Edge Certificates” settings.
5. Scroll down the page until you see “Always Use HTTPS” make sure this is toggled off (grey)
   
6. Scroll down the page until you see “Automatic HTTPS Rewrites” make sure this is toggled off (grey)
   

How To Run AutoSSL Inside cPanel

Creating an AutoSSL Certificate In cPanel

1. Log in to your cPanel account. If you’re unsure of how to log in to cPanel please follow this article.
2. Scroll down to the “Security” section.
3. Select “SSL/TLS Status”.
   
   
4. Select the domains you wish to secure by checking the boxes to the left.
   
5. Select “Run AutoSSL” to start the process.
   AutoSSL will automatically issue and install SSL certificates for the ticked domains.
   

Testing Your SSL Certificate Works

1. Visit your website using HTTPS for example https://yourdomain.com.
2. Check for the padlock icon in the browser’s address bar, indicating a secure connection.