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nicubunu_Ornamental_deck_Black_JokerA Wildcard SSL Certificate allows you to secure your main domain AND all first level sub-domains of that domain. Wildcard certificates can easily be identified by the asterisk which precedes the domain name in the certificate subject field (for example, *.domain).

When would I need a Wildcard SSL?  
If you have multiple subdomains which you need to secure, then a wildcard certificate is perfect for you. Wildcards also grow with your business, and allow you to secure any new sub-domains you may add in the future.

A single wildcard SSL certificate for domain.com can be used to secure all of the sub domains of your domain. For example, a wildcard certificate for mydomain.com can secure:

  • payments.mydomain.com
  • secure.mydomain.com
  • login.mydomain.com
  • forums.mydomain.com
  • mail.mydomain.com
  • anything.mydomain.com

Why should you consider a Wildcard SSL?

  • Save money over individual certificate purchases
  • You only have one certificate to manage instead of many
  • Google now ranks https pages higher in search results
  • Take advantage of this by expanding https to all pages on your sub-domains

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Who are the leading Wildcard SSL Providers ?

  1. Comodo
  2. Godaddy
  3. Thawte
  4. Geotrust
  5. Digicert

Where would I install a Wildcard SSL?
Wildcard SSL certificates are installed on the webserver that powers your website. Popular webserver types include Apache, Microsoft IIS, NGINX and Tomcat. There are no extra steps or difficulties when installing a wildcard certificate versus installing a regular certificate, and the CA that you buy your wildcard from will provide you with specific installation instructions for your webserver type.

 

 

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