How to Enable SSL After Purchase
At Nixzoehost, purchasing an SSL certificate is like buying a "security credit." The certificate exists in your account, but it isn't protecting your website yet. To "enable" it, you must link it to your domain through a process called Activation.
If you have just completed your purchase and aren't sure what to do next, follow this guide to get your green padlock.
Step 1: Locate Your Purchased Certificate
Immediately after purchase, your certificate is in an "unassigned" state.
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Log in to your Nixzoehost Client Area.
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Navigate to the SSL Certificates section in your dashboard.
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Look for your certificate in the list. It will have a status of "New" or "Purchased."
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Click the Activate button to begin.
Step 2: Submit the Application (The CSR)
To enable the certificate, the Certificate Authority needs to know which server the website lives on.
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You will be asked to paste a CSR (Certificate Signing Request).
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If you have Nixzoehost hosting, you can generate this in cPanel. If you use a different host, you must generate it there.
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Paste the code and click Next.
Step 3: Complete Validation
The certificate won't "turn on" until you prove you own the domain. Choose one of the three standard methods:
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Email: Click a link sent to an address like
admin@yourdomain.com. -
DNS: Add a CNAME record to your domain settings.
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HTTP: Upload a small text file to your websites folder.
Step 4: Installation
Once the validation is successful, the Certificate Authority will "issue" the certificate. You will receive an email with your certificate files (.crt).
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Go to your hosting control panel (e.g., cPanel).
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Upload the certificate files under the SSL/TLS section.
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Once installed, your SSL is officially enabled!
Important: Activation vs. Enabling
In the hosting world, "Enabling" usually refers to two specific things:
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Manual Certificates: You must follow the steps above (Activate -> Validate -> Install).
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AutoSSL: If you are using Nixzoehost Shared Hosting, our system may enable a free SSL for you automatically within 24 hours of your domain pointing to our servers. You can check this in cPanel under SSL/TLS Status.
Quick Troubleshooting
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Status says "Expired": This usually happens if a certificate was purchased but not activated within a certain timeframe. Contact our support team to reset the credit.
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Status says "Pending": This means you have started the process but haven't finished the Validation (Step 3). Your SSL won't enable until the validation is green.
