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Asked: 2024-09-27T07:22:18+05:30 In:

What steps do I need to follow to install an SSL certificate on my WordPress website that is hosted on Google Cloud?

I’ve been trying to step up my website’s security by installing an SSL certificate on my WordPress site, which is hosted on Google Cloud, but I keep hitting a wall. I’m not exactly a tech wizard, so all the tutorials I’ve found are either too technical for me to understand or they skip over essential details. It’s super frustrating!

I know having an SSL certificate is crucial for protecting my visitors and improving my site’s SEO, plus it will make that annoying “Not Secure” warning disappear. I’ve tried a couple of approaches, but nothing has worked out so far.

So, I’m wondering if anyone can break it down for me into simple, step-by-step instructions. Like, do I need to go through the Google Cloud Console to set anything up before diving into WordPress? I’ve heard about Let’s Encrypt being a free option, but I’m not sure how to even start with that.

Also, once I get the certificate, what’s the actual process of installing it in WordPress? Are there any steps I need to take after installation, like updating my database or changing URLs from HTTP to HTTPS? The whole process feels so overwhelming, and I’m a bit worried about messing something up and causing my site to go offline or something worse.

If anyone has done this before and can share their experience or some key steps I need to take, I’d really appreciate it. Screenshots or a simple checklist would be a lifesaver too! Just trying to get this sorted so I can finally feel confident that my site is secure. Thanks in advance for any help you can provide!

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    2 Answers

    1. Step-by-Step Guide to Install SSL Certificate on Your WordPress Site

      Installing an SSL certificate on your WordPress site hosted on Google Cloud can be tricky, but don’t worry! Here’s a simple breakdown to help you out:

      1. Google Cloud Console Setup

      Before anything else, you have to go to your Google Cloud Console:

      1. Log in to your Google Cloud Console.
      2. In the left sidebar, go to Compute Engine and then VM Instances.
      3. Find your instance and click on it. You’ll need the external IP later!

      2. Install Let’s Encrypt

      Let’s Encrypt is a free SSL certificate provider. To install it:

      1. Connect to your instance via SSH. You can do this by clicking on the SSH button next to your VM instance.
      2. Once connected, run these commands to install Certbot:
        3. sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install certbot
sudo apt-get install python3-certbot-apache

      After that, you should run:

      sudo certbot --apache

      This will automatically detect your domain and get the SSL for you.

      3. Follow the Prompts

      Certbot will ask you a few questions. Just follow the prompts:

      • Agree to the TOS (Terms of Service).
      • Choose your domain.

      4. Updating WordPress

      Now that you have your SSL certificate:

      1. Log into your WordPress dashboard.
      2. Go to Settings > General.
      3. Change your WordPress Address (URL) and Site Address (URL) from http:// to https://.
      4. Save the changes.

      5. Update Your Database

      To help with the transition, you might need to update any old HTTP links in your database:

      1. Use a plugin like Better Search Replace:
      2. Install it via Plugins > Add New.
      3. Once installed, go to Tools > Better Search Replace.
      4. Search for http://yourdomain.com and replace it with https://yourdomain.com.
      5. Run the search and replace. Be careful!

      6. Final Steps

      After everything, check your site:

      1. Visit your website using https:// to make sure it works.
      2. Look for a padlock icon in the address bar.

      7. Confirmation

      Lastly, you might want to verify your SSL installation:

      Go to What’s My SSL Certificate to see if everything is set up properly.

      And that’s pretty much it! Don’t stress, just take it step-by-step. If you follow this checklist, you should be all good to go! Good luck!

    2. To install an SSL certificate on your WordPress site hosted on Google Cloud, the first step is to access the Google Cloud Console. Navigate to the Google Cloud Console, and select your project. In the left-hand menu, go to Compute Engine and then to VM Instances. Once here, you’ll need to install the Certbot tool for obtaining your Let’s Encrypt SSL certificate. Use the command line in your SSH terminal to install Certbot with the appropriate commands for your operating system. Afterward, request an SSL certificate using Certbot, which will automatically configure the certificate for your web server.

      After you have successfully installed the SSL certificate, you will need to update your WordPress site to use HTTPS. Start by logging into your WordPress dashboard. Navigate to Settings > General, and update both the WordPress Address (URL) and Site Address (URL) to begin with “https://” instead of “http://”. Additionally, to ensure that all links within your site point to HTTPS, you can use a plugin like Really Simple SSL which assists in the transition. Lastly, remember to update your database to replace old URLs; you might need to run a SQL query via phpMyAdmin or use a plugin like Better Search Replace for this purpose. With these steps completed, your site should now be secured, and you can check that the SSL is active by navigating to your site and observing the URL bar for the padlock icon.

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