Getting ‘SSL Certificates’ For HTTPS Web Security From GoDaddy — Some TIPS.

by Anura Guruge

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Given that it is a full-blown e-Commerce online Website we had to add SSL-certificates to the new ‘Made On Earth‘ Website yesterday.

This WordPress(.org)-based Website had been hosted (as a subdomain) at GoDaddy before I got involved in July 2017. So, of course, we went to to get the SSL certificates. That SSL is NOT part of the hosting does not make me happy.

SSL-certificates are NOT cheap from GoDaddy (and forget the 20% discount). Luckily we just needed them for one-and-one site (and it did NOT matter that it was a subdomain). [So, note: GoDaddy will let you get SSL for a subdomain even if you do NOT have SSL for the main domain. That was good. I had visions that we would need the very expensive, $269.99/year, package.]

GoDaddy charges $50 to install it — in addition to the $55.99/year! Yes, YOU could try to do it yourself BUT that did NOT appeal to I.

However, even with that $50 fee paid, YOU still have to do some work — cutting and pasting the SSL certificate into a window. Why GoDaddy can’t do this as part of their service is a mystery.

So, some important TIPS.

1. The $50 install fee will APPLY EACH time you RENEW. It is NOT a one-time install, the first time you get SSL! So, if you get just one-year, you will have to pay the $50 again — next year. Yikes. 3-years is the MOST they will let you buy. Yes, this is a money making option for GoDaddy. So, we bought 3-years. They gave us a $10 discount, BECAUSE I asked. It came to $207. That is sobering. So, that is part of the new Web hosting costs at GoDaddy.
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2. I did the transaction over the phone and I am glad I did so. Too many ‘things’ I would have missed IF I tried to do this online — including the discount.
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3. A GoDaddy specialist has to do the install. IF one is not immediately available, GoDaddy will hang-up and call you back. We were lucky. One was available and could do it while we waited.
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4. GoDaddy sends you an e-mail with THE CERTIFICATE. It is a very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very long string. You have to copy and paste it onto a GoDaddy page. Why GoDaddy wants us to do this is a mystery.
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5. Doing the copy and paste was NOT as easy as you would think. Kept on getting ERRORS at the GoDaddy end. Had to clear the cache. That didn’t work. Then they wanted me to try it using Chrome ‘Incognito Mode’! That worked. Hhhhmmmm.
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6. Said it would take 1-hour for the certificate to kick in.
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7. 2.5-hours later I am still NOT seeing HTTPS. Call GoDaddy.
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8. Ahhh! It is because you are using WordPress. You need a PLUGIN to force HTTPS. Why didn’t they tell me that earlier. Typical GoDaddy. Plus they wouldn’t tell me what PLUGIN to use. Had to Google it.
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9. Used this PLUGIN. Worked immaculately. Thanks. So, finally, about 3-hours after I had first called GoDaddy we were all set with HTTPS.
   
   

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by Anura Guruge