AutoInstall SSL supports using the ACME protocol to install your SSL certificate. There are two ways you can choose to use ACME:
How To Access ACME Automation
Here’s how to access ACME automation options from with AutoInstall SSL.
Option 1: Select ACME as your environment:
You’ll be given ACME credentials that you can use with any ACME-compatible client you choose.
Option 2: Select your environment for step-by-step instructions
Or, you can choose your environment to get step-by-step instructions. Note that you may need to click “Agent Options” to choose the ACME option.
How to Setup ACME Automation
Step 1: Installing the ACME Agent
Unless your website hosting environment supports ACME natively (Caddy web server, for example) you’ll need to install an ACME-compatible agent on your server. AutoInstall SSL will suggest a compatible ACME agent for your environment, or you can choose and install any ACME-compatible agent.
Step 2: Issuing & Installing your SSL Certificate
Each ACME client works a bit differently, but in general you’ll need to run one or more commands to:
- Register your ACME agent with the certificate authority’s server, using provided ACME EAB (external account binding) credentials
- Request a certificate and complete validation (using file or DNS validation)
- Install the certificate in the desired location (eg in your web server)
AutoInstall SSL provides pre-built commands for several popular environments, with your credentials pre-populated in the commands.
Important Note About Validation Methods
In most cases, file validation is the easiest and best option to use.
For wildcard certificates, you’ll need to use DNS validation. This requires:
- A DNS provider that supports API access
- An ACME agent with a connector/plugin for your DNS provider
Please reach out to our team if you need help finding a compatible DNS provider and/or plugin for your existing provider.