SSL certificates encrypt the connection between our server hosting your website and your visitors web browsers. This protects sensitive data such as user logins, form submissions, and more, as it travels across the internet. SSL isn't technically required, but it's an expectation for the modern web. Not having SSL on your site, even if you don't collect personal information or logins, is a no-no. It can harm your search engine rankings and cause warnings about an insecure site in many browsers.
Unlike other providers that charge extra for SSL certifications, every Wag Websites hosting account includes free SSL protection using cPanel's AutoSSL functionality, powered by Let's Encrypt.
Once you have activated your hosting account, AutoSSL should run automatically. However, it's always good to check if it's working correctly. To do this, log in to cPanel, and find the SSL/TLS Status page under the Security section. Here you will see the SSL status of every domain and subdomain in your hosting account. If anything is not protected by SSL, you can check the box to the left of that domain/subdomain (or use the checkbox at the top left of the table to select all), and then click the blue Run AutoSSL button. Depending on the size of your account, it may take a while. The page will automatically refresh once it's complete, and you will see an updated status on the right side of the table.
Let's Encrypt certificates last 90 days, at which point AutoSSL will renew it. In most cases, this is done automatically, so you don't have to worry about it.
If you wish to use your own SSL certificate purchased from another SSL provider, you can go to the SSL/TLS (not SSL/TLS Status) page in cPanel and use the menu on the right hand side to manage Private Keys, Certificate Signing Requests, Certificates, and Manage SSL Hosts. If you are using AutoSSL, you do not need to manage those settings - just use the SSL/TLS Status page to manage your AutoSSL certificates.
