Domain & DNS
Check Your SSL Certificate
Verify HTTPS works, HTTP redirects to it, and the certificate chain is trusted.
Problem: Your website may show security warnings or have an expired or misconfigured certificate.
We connect to your domain over HTTPS, confirm the handshake succeeds against a trusted root, and check whether plain HTTP is redirected to the secure version.
What we'll check
- HTTPS connection succeeds
- Certificate chain is trusted
- HTTP redirects to HTTPS
- HSTS header present
- Mixed-content signals in the HTML
What SSL/TLS actually does
TLS encrypts traffic between the visitor and your server and proves the server is who it claims to be. Without a valid certificate, browsers show a full-page interstitial warning that stops most visitors.
Common SSL errors and what causes them
- NET::ERR_CERT_DATE_INVALID — the certificate expired. Renewal or auto-renewal failed.
- NET::ERR_CERT_COMMON_NAME_INVALID — the certificate does not cover the hostname used, often
wwwversus the apex domain. - NET::ERR_CERT_AUTHORITY_INVALID — self-signed certificate, or a missing intermediate in the chain.
- Mixed content warnings — the page loads over HTTPS but pulls images or scripts over HTTP.
How to fix certificate problems
- Reissue the certificate and confirm the automated renewal job runs.
- Include every hostname you serve, including
www. - Install the full chain, not just the leaf certificate.
- Redirect all HTTP traffic to HTTPS with a 301.
- Add
Strict-Transport-Securityonce HTTPS is stable everywhere. - Update hard-coded
http://asset URLs in your database or templates.
Does SSL affect SEO?
HTTPS is a lightweight ranking signal, but the real impact is behavioural: a browser warning stops visitors before they see the page, and referral data from HTTPS sources is lost on HTTP pages.
Frequently asked questions
- How often do SSL certificates expire?
- Free automated certificates such as Let's Encrypt last 90 days and renew automatically. Paid certificates typically run for a year.
- Do I need to pay for an SSL certificate?
- For most business websites, no. A free automated certificate provides the same encryption. Paid certificates mainly add organisation validation and warranties.
- What is HSTS?
- A response header that tells browsers to only ever connect to your domain over HTTPS, preventing downgrade attacks. Enable it once HTTPS works on every subdomain you serve.