How can I install a free SSL certificate to secure my site's traffic?
Linode
Linode Staff
I want to install a SSL certificate and secure my website's traffic. How can I accomplish this for free?
1 Reply
Evin
Linode Staff
Installation
Thanks to the team at Let's Encrypt, you can install browser-trusted SSL certificates on your Linode for free!
Our new Certbot guide on securing HTTP traffic can walk you through a streamlined process that will minimize downtime.
If you would prefer to use our original guide, Let's Encrypt SSL, please see the instructions below:
Webserver Flags
If you are currently running a web server on your Linode, it is important to adjust the certonly command flags accordingly when running Lets Encrypt.
--standalone
When using the --standalone flag, Cerbot will create a temporary webserver that will try to bind to port 80 to connect. If port 80 is already being used by a web server, the command will fail. To avoid this, you can change the port used or stop your web server temporarily while you run the Lets Encrypt.
--webroot
Alternatively, can also use the --webroot flag in place of —standalone. This will allow LetsEncrypt to use your currently running web server instead of creating a temporary one.
Linked below is Certbot's documentation with specifics on the two flags:
Standalone
Webroot