How to install a free Let's Encrypt SSL

Every Rivervo hosting plan includes free SSL certificates from Let's Encrypt, automatically renewed every 90 days. You don't pay for SSL on our platform — ever.

The 30-second version

1. Log in to cPanel.
2. Find SSL/TLS Status.
3. Select your domain (tick the checkbox).
4. Click Run AutoSSL.
5. Wait 60 seconds.

Done. Your site is now served over HTTPS.

What's actually happening

Let's Encrypt is a non-profit certificate authority that issues free TLS certificates. Our AutoSSL service talks to Let's Encrypt on your behalf, issues the cert, installs it on the web server, and renews it automatically before it expires.

You never touch a private key. You never run certbot. It just works.

Forcing HTTPS for all visitors

Having an SSL cert installed isn't enough — you need to force visitors to use it. Otherwise http://yourdomain.com still serves unencrypted pages.

In WordPress

1. Install the free Really Simple SSL plugin.
2. Activate it.
3. Click Enable SSL.

It handles the redirect and updates internal URLs for you.

Manually, via .htaccess

Edit .htaccess in your site's root and add at the top:

RewriteEngine On
RewriteCond %{HTTPS} off
RewriteRule ^(.*)$ https://%{HTTP_HOST}%{REQUEST_URI} [L,R=301]

In a custom app (Node, Python, etc)

Most frameworks have a single-line option. For example in Express:

app.use((req, res, next) => {
  if (req.header('x-forwarded-proto') !== 'https') {
    return res.redirect(`https://${req.header('host')}${req.url}`)
  }
  next()
})

How do I verify the cert is working?

Visit https://yourdomain.com in a browser. You should see a padlock in the address bar with no warnings.

For a more thorough check, run your domain through SSL Labs' test. Aim for an A or A+ grade. If you're below that, open a ticket and we'll help you tune the cipher suite.

Does it renew automatically?

Yes. AutoSSL checks every cert 30 days before expiry and renews it. You should never see an expired certificate.

If you ever DO see one (it's extremely rare), the most common cause is the domain stopped pointing to our servers — Let's Encrypt can't validate a domain it can't reach. Fix the DNS and re-run AutoSSL manually from SSL/TLS Status.

Can I use my own SSL certificate instead?

Yes. If you have a purchased SSL (from Comodo, DigiCert, whoever), you can upload it in cPanel → SSL/TLS → Manage SSL. But there's almost no reason to — Let's Encrypt is issued by the same trust roots as paid certs and browsers treat them identically.

One legitimate reason to buy: some business verification certs include an organisation name in the cert subject. If you legally need that, buy one. Otherwise, free is fine.

Common issues

• "AutoSSL failed: Let's Encrypt could not verify the domain" — means DNS isn't pointing to our server. See pointing a domain to hosting.
• "Mixed content" warnings after enabling SSL — your site has hardcoded http:// references to images or scripts. Use a search-and-replace in WordPress or manually update the URLs.
• Cert works but shows wrong domain — make sure AutoSSL ran on the right domain. If you have multiple domains on one account, run it for each.

Anything else, open a ticket.