• The customer provides the existing certificate in a PFX export file which includes the private key.

If you are obtaining a new SSL certificate, we remind you that 3Essentials sells RapidSSL certificates, more info here.  If you prefer to purchase a certificate from another SSL certificate provider, you can generate your CSR (certificate signing request) via your control panel with the following instructions:

1. Note: your site MUST have a unique/static IP address in order to run an SSL certificate.  This is a technology requirement, not a 3Essentials requirement.  Some plans (our eCommerce plans) include a unique/static IP, and some plans do not.  If your hosting plan did not include a unique/static IP address for your domain, or if you are unsure, please check with our support team to verify or upgrade your plan to add a unique/static IP address.
2. Login to your control panel (reference welcome email for URL & login info).
3. Click on your domain.
4. Click the Certificates icon.
5. Click the "Add new certificates" icon.
6. Fill out the following fields only.
7. Certificate name:  This is a friendly name, such as MyCert
8. Bits:  Select 1024 (for 128bit encryption )
9. Country:  Select your country
10. State or province:  Enter your state or province
11. Location (City): Enter your city
12. Orginazation Name(Company):  Your name if you're an individual
13. Domain Name:  This is important.  Enter the URL you want the cert for, such as www.mydomainname.com or mydomain.com.  If you specify mydomain.com, and visitors access your site using www.mydomain.com, their browser will prompt them indicating the name of the site and the name on the certificate do not match.  So ensure you are specifying the name that will be used by your visitors when accessing your site via HTTPS. 
    • Do NOT add http:// 
    • Once the certificate is installed it CANNOT be renamed.  Your SSL vendor may charge extra for reissuing with a corrected name. 
14. Email:  Your email address
15. Once those fields only are entered, click the Request button.
16. The page will reload, and the CSR text will show below.  Copy the CSR text and submit with your purchase to your SSL certificate vendor.
    • NOTE: You may need to notify your SSL cert vendor that the CSR was generated by a PLESK CONTROL PANEL.  We've found that certain certificate vendors need to know this in order to generate the certificate properly and us to be able to install.
17. When you receive your SSL Certificate back from your vendor, return to the same section of the control panel, and use the CERTIFICATE - SEND TEXT section to update the certificate to the control panel.
18. Then submit a support request indicating you have placed your certificate information in the control panel, and are ready for us to enable SSL support on your site.  The support team will complete the final steps in the process to activate your SSL cert on your site.