How to install SSL Certificate on Windows Server

Install SSL certificate on Windows Server involves several steps, including generating a CSR, submitting it to a Certificate Authority (CA), and installing the certificate.

Step 1: Generate a Certificate Signing Request (CSR)

• Open IIS Manager:
  • Click Start and press Enter.
• Select the server name:
  • In the Connections panel, click on your server’s name.
• Open Server Certificates:
  • Double-click on the Server Certificates feature.

• Create Certificate Request:
  • In the Actions panel on the right, click Create Certificate Request.

• Distinguished Name Properties:
  • Fill in the requested information:
    • Common Name: The fully qualified domain name (FQDN) for your site.
    • Organization: Your company’s legally registered name.
    • Organizational unit: Your department’s name within the organization.
    • City/locality: The city where your organization is located.
    • State/province: The state/province where your organization is located.
    • Country/region: The two-letter country code (e.g., US for the United States).

• Cryptographic Service Provider Properties:
  • Select Microsoft RSA SChannel Cryptographic Provider.
  • Choose a bit length of 2048 (recommended).

• Save the CSR:
  • Choose a location to save the CSR file and click Finish.

Step 2: Submit the CSR to a Certificate Authority (CA)

• Submit the CSR:
  • Go to your chosen Certificate Authority’s website and submit the CSR file to request an SSL certificate.

• Verification:
  • The CA will verify your information. Follow their instructions for domain and organizational validation.
• Download the SSL Certificate:
  • Once the CA has issued the certificate, download all provided files, including the primary certificate and any intermediate certificates.

Step 3: Install SSL Certificate on Windows Server

• Open IIS Manager:
  • Click Start, type inetmgr, and press Enter.
• Select the server name:
  • In the Connections panel, click on your server’s name.
• Open Server Certificates:
  • Double-click on the Server Certificates feature.

• Complete Certificate Request:
  • In the Actions panel, click Complete Certificate Request.

• Browse to the location where you saved the certificate file.
• Enter a friendly name for the certificate (this is an internal identifier).

• Install Intermediate Certificates:
  • If your CA provided intermediate certificates, you need to install them. This can be done through the Microsoft Management Console (MMC).

Step 4: Bind the SSL Certificate to Your Website

• Open IIS Manager:
  • Click Start, type inetmgr, and press Enter.
• Select the website:
  • In the Connections panel, expand Sites and select the site you want to secure.
• Edit Site Bindings:
  • In the Actions panel, click Bindings.
  • Click Add to create a new binding.

• Add HTTPS Binding:
  • Set Type to https.
  • Select the IP address (or leave as All Unassigned if applicable).
  • Set Port to 443.
  • Select the SSL certificate you installed from the SSL Certificate dropdown.

• Apply and Close:
  • Click OK, then Close. to install SSL Certificate on Windows Server

Step 5: Test the SSL Certificate

• Restart IIS:
  • In the Actions panel, click Restart to restart IIS.
• Verify the Installation:
  • Open a web browser and navigate to your site using https://. Verify that the SSL certificate is properly installed and that the browser shows a secure connection.

Troubleshooting Tips

• Intermediate Certificates: To install SSL Certificate on Windows Server Ensure that all intermediate certificates are installed properly. Missing intermediate certificates can cause SSL errors.
• Certificate Chain: Use online tools like SSL Labs’ SSL Test to verify that the certificate chain is correctly configured.
• Firewall Settings: To install SSL Certificate on Windows Server Ensure that port 443 is open in your firewall settings to allow HTTPS traffic.

By following these steps can install SSL Certificate on Windows Server, you should be able to successfully install SSL Certificate on Windows Server and configure an SSL certificate on your Windows Server. If you encounter any issues, refer to the documentation provided by your Certificate Authority or seek assistance from your server administrator.