This report provides a comprehensive, expert-level guide for replacing an expired PositiveSSL certificate with a free, automated Let's Encrypt wildcard SSL certificate for the domain hippiesue.com, hosted on a Namecheap Stellar Plus shared hosting plan. The analysis begins by contextualizing the current situation within Namecheap's service ecosystem, proceeds to a technical and financial comparison of SSL options, and concludes with a clear decision-making framework for selecting the optimal installation path.
The expiration of the PositiveSSL certificate on hippiesue.com is not an unexpected technical failure but rather the intended outcome of Namecheap's hosting and security service model. Namecheap's shared hosting plans, including the Stellar Plus package, provide a promotional offer of up to 50 free one-year PositiveSSL certificates[cite: 1]. This initial free certificate is designed to provide immediate security and a frictionless onboarding experience for new customers.
However, after this initial one-year term, the certificate expires and must be renewed through a paid transaction. This model positions the first-year SSL as an introductory offer, with the expectation of converting the hosting client into a recurring security customer. Namecheap actively markets its portfolio of paid SSL certificates, which are provided by the Certificate Authority (CA) Sectigo (formerly Comodo) and include a range of options from single-domain to wildcard certificates at various price points.
To support this commercial strategy, Namecheap has developed an integrated tool within its cPanel environment called "Namecheap SSL." This plugin is engineered to simplify the activation and installation process specifically for its paid PositiveSSL and EssentialSSL certificates. The tool creates a seamless "two-click" installation experience for customers who purchase or renew certificates directly through Namecheap.
Crucially, this convenience is exclusive to Namecheap's commercial offerings. The plugin does not support third-party certificates, and most notably, it does not provide any mechanism for installing or automating free certificates from Let's Encrypt. This creates a path of least resistance that guides users toward paid renewals. The lack of native support for Let's Encrypt on Namecheap's shared hosting platform can therefore be understood not as a technical oversight, but as a deliberate business decision. The hosting environment is optimized to monetize the implementation of web security, creating a strategic conflict with the open-source movement toward a universally free and encrypted web. The subsequent sections of this report detail the necessary workarounds to navigate this commercial framework.
When evaluating the replacement for the expired PositiveSSL, it is essential to understand the technical and financial distinctions between a free Let's Encrypt certificate and a paid certificate from a commercial CA like Sectigo.
From a security perspective, the core function of an SSL/TLS certificate is to enable an encrypted connection between a user's browser and the web server. The level of encryption is determined by the cryptographic protocols and ciphers used, not by the type or cost of the certificate. All modern SSL certificates, whether free from Let's Encrypt or a premium Extended Validation (EV) certificate, provide the same robust level of encryption. For the primary goal of securing data in transit for hippiesue.com, a Let's Encrypt certificate is technically equivalent to its paid counterparts.
The primary differences lie in validation levels, validity period, and maintenance methodology.
This enforcement of automation is a key philosophical and security distinction. While a 90-day renewal cycle may initially seem inconvenient, it represents a more modern and resilient security posture. Shorter certificate lifespans reduce the potential window of exposure if a certificate's private key were ever compromised. This principle, known as "certificate agility," is a security best practice. Therefore, by implementing an automated solution for Let's Encrypt, the administrator of hippiesue.com is not only eliminating a recurring cost but is also adopting a superior security methodology that minimizes risk over time. The choice is between a recurring annual fee for the convenience of a long-term certificate and a one-time setup effort to achieve a free, more secure, and fully automated solution.
Given that Namecheap's shared hosting does not provide a native, one-click tool for Let's Encrypt, a manual or semi-automated approach is required. The available methods vary in their initial complexity and long-term maintenance requirements. The two most viable and up-to-date methods for the Namecheap cPanel environment are using the **acme.sh** command-line client or the **CertSage** web-based client.
The **acme.sh** client is a powerful shell script that can fully automate the issuance, installation, and renewal of Let's Encrypt certificates directly from the cPanel terminal. It is the recommended path for a permanent, "set and forget" solution.
CertSage is a third-party ACME client that operates through a simple PHP web page uploaded to the server. It simplifies the certificate generation process into a user-friendly interface but does not support automatic renewal, requiring manual intervention every 90 days.
The following table provides a direct comparison to inform the selection of the most appropriate method for managing the SSL certificate for hippiesue.com.
| Feature / Consideration | Method 1: acme.sh (CLI) | Method 2: CertSage (Web UI) |
|---|---|---|
| Initial Setup Difficulty | Moderate to High | Low |
| Wildcard Support | Excellent (Fully Supported) | Excellent (Fully Supported) |
| Auto-Renewal | Yes (Fully Automated via Cron Job) | No (Manual Renewal Required <90 days) |
| Technical Skill Required | Comfortable with Command Line (SSH/Terminal) | Basic cPanel & File Management |
| Long-Term Maintenance | Minimal ("Set and Forget") | High (Action required every ~60-80 days) |
| Recommendation | Recommended for a permanent, robust solution. | Viable for users uncomfortable with the command line. |
This report will provide detailed, step-by-step instructions for both methods. Method 1 is strongly recommended to achieve the goal of a fully automated, free, and secure wildcard certificate.
Before proceeding with the installation, it is critical to understand the validation mechanism required for wildcard certificates. This knowledge will clarify why the installation process for a wildcard is more involved than for a single-domain certificate.
Let's Encrypt uses the Automated Certificate Management Environment (ACME) protocol to verify that an applicant has control over a domain name before issuing a certificate. The protocol offers several types of "challenges" to prove this control.
The most common method is the HTTP-01 challenge. This involves placing a specific file with a unique token at a known URL on the web server (e.g., http://hippiesue.com/.well-known/acme-challenge/<token>). The Let's Encrypt server then attempts to retrieve this file. If successful, it proves control over that specific hostname. However, this method cannot be used to issue a wildcard certificate like *.hippiesue.com. A wildcard certificate covers an unlimited number of subdomains (e.g., www.hippiesue.com, shop.hippiesue.com, blog.hippiesue.com), many of which may not even exist yet. It is impractical and insecure to prove control over every possible subdomain individually.
To solve this, Let's Encrypt requires the use of the **DNS-01 challenge** for all wildcard certificate requests. This method proves control over the entire domain namespace. The process involves the ACME client providing a unique token, which the applicant must then place in a specific DNS TXT record under the domain name _acme-challenge.hippiesue.com. The Let's Encrypt validation server then performs a DNS lookup for this TXT record. If the value of the record matches the expected token, it confirms that the applicant has administrative control over the domain's DNS zone, which is a much higher level of authority. This proof is sufficient to grant a certificate that covers the entire domain and all its subdomains.
Both Method 1 (acme.sh) and Method 2 (CertSage) will use the DNS-01 challenge to obtain the wildcard certificate for hippiesue.com.
The DNS-01 challenge requires the creation of a TXT record. This is done within the Namecheap account dashboard, not the cPanel hosting control panel. The following steps outline how to access the required interface.
When prompted by the ACME client during the installation process, this is the interface where a new record will be created with the following fields:
_acme-challenge.After adding the record, there will be a propagation delay, which can range from a few minutes to an hour, before the record is visible globally and can be verified by Let's Encrypt.
This method utilizes the acme.sh script, a powerful and versatile ACME client that works exceptionally well within the Namecheap cPanel environment. It achieves full automation of certificate issuance, installation, and renewal, making it the ideal long-term solution.
The success of this method hinges on a key technical detail: acme.sh leverages the cPanel User API (cpanel_uapi) for both DNS modification and certificate installation. This means it operates entirely within the permissions already granted to the cPanel user account, bypassing the need for restricted, provider-level Namecheap API keys that often prevent automation with other tools. It is a self-contained solution perfectly suited for shared hosting.
The acme.sh script is run from a command-line interface. Namecheap provides a web-based "Terminal" in cPanel, but it first requires SSH (Secure Shell) access to be enabled for the account.
With SSH access enabled, the acme.sh client can now be installed.
~/.acme.sh/). No root permissions are required.
curl https://get.acme.sh | sh -sacme.sh --upgrade --auto-upgradeacme.sh --set-default-ca --server letsencryptThe acme.sh client is now installed and configured in the hosting account.
This is the core step where the wildcard certificate is requested from Let's Encrypt and automatically installed into cPanel.
--issue: Request a new certificate.-d hippiesue.com -d '*.hippiesue.com': Specify that the certificate should be valid for both the root domain and all its subdomains.--dns dns_cpanel: Use the cPanel API as the method for automatically creating the necessary TXT record for the DNS-01 challenge. The script will handle creating the record, waiting for propagation, and then cleaning it up.acme.sh --issue -d hippiesue.com -d '*.hippiesue.com' --dns dns_cpanelThis process may take a few minutes as the script communicates with the Let's Encrypt API and waits for DNS propagation.
--deploy-hook cpanel_uapi automates this entire process. It will also ensure that whenever the certificate is automatically renewed in the future, the new certificate is also automatically deployed.
acme.sh --deploy -d hippiesue.com --deploy-hook cpanel_uapiUpon successful completion of this command, the Let's Encrypt wildcard certificate is now issued, installed, and active for hippiesue.com.
The final step is to confirm that the certificate is correctly installed and that the automation for renewal is in place.
crontab -lThe output should show a line corresponding to the acme.sh cron job.
acme.sh --listWith these verifications complete, the process is finished. The SSL certificate for hippiesue.com and all its subdomains will now remain valid indefinitely without any further manual intervention.
This method is an alternative for those who are not comfortable using the command line. It uses CertSage, a web-based ACME client, which simplifies the process but requires manual renewal every 60-80 days to prevent expiration.
certsage.php file from its official source, typically found on the Let's Encrypt community forums.public_html.certsage.php file directly into the public_html directory.http://hippiesue.com/certsage.php. This will load the CertSage interface.hippiesue.com
*.hippiesue.com_acme-challenge.hippiesue.com) and a unique, long string for the TXT record value. **Do not close this browser tab.**CertSage does not automate renewals. To keep the website secure, this process must be repeated before the 90-day expiration period ends.
certsage.php page and following the steps will issue a new certificate with a fresh 90-day validity. The new certificate files must then be manually installed in cPanel, as described in the next section.This section covers the final server-side configuration steps. For users of Method 1 (acme.sh), these steps are for verification only, as the deployment hook handles them automatically. For users of Method 2 (CertSage), these steps are mandatory.
After obtaining the certificate files from CertSage, they must be manually installed in cPanel.
hippiesue.com.-----BEGIN...----- and -----END...----- headers and footers for each part.Once the certificate is installed (by either method), the final step is to verify it and ensure all website traffic uses the secure https:// protocol.
https://hippiesue.com. The browser should show a padlock icon in the address bar, indicating a secure connection. Clicking the padlock should show details about the certificate, confirming it was issued by Let's Encrypt.http:// to https://, an HTTPS redirect must be configured. There are two effective ways to do this in the Namecheap environment.
hippiesue.com in the list and ensure the toggle under the "**Force HTTPS Redirect**" column is turned on. This is the simplest method..htaccess file in the website's root directory (public_html). Using the cPanel File Manager, edit the .htaccess file and add the following lines at the top:
RewriteEngine On
RewriteCond %{HTTPS} off
RewriteRule ^(.*?)$ https://%{HTTP_HOST}%{REQUEST_URI}This rule checks if a connection is not secure and, if so, issues a permanent (301) redirect to the https:// version of the same URL.
With the redirect in place, the SSL setup is complete. All traffic to hippiesue.com and its subdomains is now fully encrypted.
By following the procedures outlined in this report, the expired paid PositiveSSL certificate for hippiesue.com has been successfully replaced with a free, robust Let's Encrypt wildcard certificate.
If Method 1 (acme.sh) was implemented, the domain now benefits from a fully automated, self-maintaining security configuration. The certificate will renew and redeploy itself without any required intervention, providing a permanent solution that eliminates both recurring costs and administrative burden. This represents the industry best practice for certificate lifecycle management.
If Method 2 (CertSage) was chosen, the domain is now secured with a valid Let's Encrypt certificate. However, this configuration requires diligent manual maintenance. A strict schedule of renewing and reinstalling the certificate every 60-80 days is essential to prevent service interruptions and security warnings caused by expiration.
In both cases, the website's traffic is now encrypted to the same high standard as any commercial SSL certificate, ensuring the privacy and security of its users' data.
An SSL certificate is a foundational component of website security, but it is not a complete solution. It protects data in transit, but it does not protect the server or the website application itself from vulnerabilities. To maintain a strong overall security posture for hippiesue.com, the following ongoing practices are recommended:
By combining the newly installed, automated SSL certificate with these proactive security measures, hippiesue.com can maintain a secure and trustworthy presence on the web.