How to Obtain a Wildcard SSL Certificate: A Step-by-Step Guide

Securing your website with an SSL certificate is essential to protecting data, building user trust, and ensuring a smooth experience. For businesses with multiple subdomains hosted on the same cloud or server environment, a Wildcard SSL certificate is an ideal solution. This type of SSL certificate protects both the primary domain and all of its subdomains under one certificate, simplifying management and cutting down costs. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to obtain one.

Step 1: Understand Wildcard SSL Certificates

A Wildcard SSL certificate secures your primary domain (e.g., yourdomain.com) along with all associated subdomains (e.g., blog.yourdomain.com and shop.yourdomain.com). This makes it highly efficient for cloud-based environments where you might have multiple services under one domain. It’s important to note that a Wildcard SSL only covers one level of subdomains; for example, it won’t secure sub.blog.yourdomain.com. If your cloud hosting needs include multiple layers of subdomains, consider other SSL options.

Step 2: Choose a Reliable Certificate Authority (CA)

The next step is to choose a Certificate Authority (CA) from which to purchase your Wildcard SSL certificate. Well-known CAs like Comodo, DigiCert, and Let’s Encrypt offer Wildcard SSLs with different pricing, features, and support levels. It’s worth comparing CAs based on factors such as support, compatibility with various cloud and hosting platforms, and ease of renewal. Selecting a widely trusted CA ensures that your SSL certificate will be compatible across all major browsers and devices.

Step 3: Generate a Certificate Signing Request (CSR)

To obtain a Wildcard SSL certificate, you’ll need to create a Certificate Signing Request (CSR). The CSR contains essential information about your domain and organization, which the CA uses for verification.

To generate a CSR:

Access your hosting control panel or server terminal.

Run a CSR generation command (such as OpenSSL on Linux), which may look like this:
openssl req -new -newkey rsa:2048 -nodes -keyout yourdomain.key -out yourdomain.csr

Enter the required details, including domain name, organization, and email.

In the Common Name (CN) field, enter your domain with an asterisk for the Wildcard (e.g., *.yourdomain.com).

Save both the CSR and the private key securely on your server, as these are essential for certificate installation.

Step 4: Submit the CSR to the CA

Next, submit your CSR to the selected CA through their online form or portal. At this point, you’ll need to select your desired validation level: Domain Validation (DV), Organization Validation (OV), or Extended Validation (EV). OV and EV provide more verification, which can be helpful for businesses operating in cloud or public-facing hosting environments.

Step 5: Complete Domain Validation

The CA will require you to complete a domain validation process to confirm ownership. There are three common methods:

Email Verification: A confirmation link is sent to a domain-associated email address.

DNS Record: You add a DNS TXT record to verify domain ownership.

File Upload: The CA provides a file to upload to your server’s root directory.

Follow the CA’s instructions to complete validation. For many cloud-based hosting setups, the DNS record method is both secure and efficient.

Step 6: Receive and Install the Wildcard SSL Certificate

After verification, the CA will issue the Wildcard SSL certificate. You’ll receive files, including the main certificate and any intermediate certificates, to install on your server.

To install the certificate:

Access your hosting control panel or server.

Navigate to the SSL/TLS section.

Upload the Wildcard SSL, intermediate certificates, and the private key you created in Step 3.

Save the settings and test the installation to confirm that all subdomains are secured.

Each hosting platform may differ slightly, so refer to your host’s documentation for specific guidance.

Step 7: Verify and Test the SSL Installation

To ensure successful installation, test your Wildcard SSL certificate using online tools like SSL Labs’ SSL Test or Why No Padlock?. These tools scan your server to check that all subdomains are covered.

Things to check:

Confirm that each subdomain loads over HTTPS.

Look for the secure padlock icon in the browser’s address bar.

Address any server misconfigurations if errors are reported.

Step 8: Renew Your Certificate Regularly

Wildcard SSL certificates typically require renewal every one or two years. An expired SSL certificate can lead to security warnings and undermine user trust. Many CAs offer auto-renewal, which is particularly useful for high-traffic cloud or hosting environments. Set a reminder to renew well in advance to avoid service disruptions.

Conclusion

Securing your website with a Wildcard SSL certificate is a smart investment for businesses with multiple subdomains in a cloud or server environment. By following these steps, you can simplify management, reduce costs, and ensure a secure browsing experience for all your users across every subdomain. This streamlined process enables you to protect your server and build trust with visitors on a secure foundation.