SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) encrypts the connection between your website and its visitors, protecting sensitive data like passwords, personal information, and payment details. An SSL-secured site displays a padlock icon and uses https:// in the browser address bar.
All Cynet hosting plans include free AutoSSL certificates that are issued and renewed automatically.
What Is AutoSSL?
AutoSSL is a cPanel feature that automatically provisions and installs SSL certificates for your domains. Key points:
- Free — Included with all Cynet hosting plans at no extra cost
- Automatic — Certificates are issued and renewed without manual intervention
- Covers all domains — Your primary domain, addon domains, subdomains, and mail subdomains
- Trusted by all browsers — Uses industry-standard certificate authorities
- Auto-renews — Certificates renew before they expire (typically every 90 days)
Prerequisites
- An active Cynet hosting plan
- Your domain pointed to Cynet nameservers (
ns1.cynethost.comthroughns4.cynethost.com) - DNS fully propagated (the domain must resolve to your hosting server)
Checking SSL Status
Step 1: Log in to cPanel
Navigate to yourdomain.com/cpanel or log in via your Cynet client area (see How to Log In to cPanel).
Step 2: Open SSL/TLS Status
In the cPanel dashboard, scroll to the Security section and click SSL/TLS Status.
Step 3: Review Your Domains
You'll see a list of all domains and subdomains on your account with their SSL status:
| Status | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 🟢 AutoSSL Domain Validated | SSL is active and working |
| 🟡 AutoSSL Pending | Certificate is being issued (wait a few minutes) |
| 🔴 AutoSSL Not Available | There's an issue preventing SSL issuance |
Running AutoSSL Manually
If SSL hasn't been issued automatically (e.g., you just added a new domain), you can trigger it manually:
Step 1: Open SSL/TLS Status
Go to cPanel → SSL/TLS Status.
Step 2: Select Domains
Check the boxes next to the domains that need SSL. Or click Select All to include everything.
Step 3: Run AutoSSL
Click the Run AutoSSL button. The process typically takes 1–5 minutes. Refresh the page to check for updates.
Forcing HTTPS (Redirecting HTTP to HTTPS)
After SSL is active, you should redirect all HTTP traffic to HTTPS so visitors always use the secure version.
Method 1: cPanel Force HTTPS (Easiest)
- Go to cPanel → Domains
- Find your domain in the list
- Toggle the Force HTTPS Redirect switch to ON
Method 2: Via .htaccess
If you prefer manual control, add this to the top of your .htaccess file (cPanel → File Manager → /publichtml/.htaccess):
RewriteEngine On
RewriteCond %{HTTPS} off
RewriteRule ^(.*)$ https://%{HTTPHOST}%{REQUEST_URI} [L,R=301]
Method 3: WordPress Plugin
If you're using WordPress:
- Install the Really Simple SSL plugin
- Activate it → Click Activate SSL
- The plugin handles all redirects and mixed content fixes
Verifying SSL Is Working
After enabling SSL and forcing HTTPS:
- Visit your site using
https://yourdomain.com - Check the padlock — A padlock icon should appear in the browser address bar
- Click the padlock — It should show "Connection is secure" with a valid certificate
- Test with an online tool — Use ssllabs.com/ssltest for a comprehensive check
Handling Mixed Content
If your site loads over HTTPS but the padlock shows a warning (⚠️ instead of 🔒), you may have mixed content — some resources (images, scripts, stylesheets) are still loading over HTTP.
How to Fix Mixed Content
- Update internal URLs: Change any
http://yourdomain.comreferences tohttps://yourdomain.com(or use//yourdomain.comfor protocol-relative URLs) - Update WordPress URLs: Go to Settings → General → Change both WordPress Address and Site Address to
https:// - Database search-replace: Use a tool like Better Search Replace (WordPress plugin) to change all
http://references tohttps://in the database - Check theme/plugin files: Some hardcoded HTTP URLs may exist in your theme or plugin files
SSL for Email (Mail Subdomain)
AutoSSL also covers your mail subdomain (mail.yourdomain.com), which secures:
- Webmail access at
yourdomain.com/webmail - IMAP/SMTP connections for email clients (Outlook, mobile apps)
mail.yourdomain.com is included.
Troubleshooting
AutoSSL not issuing for a domain
- DNS not propagated: The domain must resolve to your server's IP. Check with whatsmydns.net
- Incorrect nameservers: Verify nameservers are
ns1.cynethost.comthroughns4.cynethost.com - CAA record conflict: If you have a CAA DNS record, it must allow the AutoSSL provider. Remove restrictive CAA records or add the correct one
- Domain expired: Renew the domain first
"Not Secure" warning despite SSL being active
- HTTPS redirect is not enabled — Force HTTPS via cPanel → Domains
- Mixed content — Some resources load over HTTP (see section above)
- Browser cache — Clear cache or test in incognito mode
SSL certificate expired
AutoSSL renews automatically. If it fails to renew:
- Go to cPanel → SSL/TLS Status
- Run AutoSSL manually
- If it still fails, check DNS and contact Cynet support
Multiple domains and SSL
AutoSSL covers all domains on your cPanel account — primary, addon, parked, and subdomains. There's no need to install separate certificates for each domain.