Set up Wildcard SSL for Godaddy domain with Let's Encrypt

Summarize

1. Update DNS settings with two type A records pointing to the server’s IP address.
2. Install Certbot by following instructions on their website.
3. Install Certbot GoDaddy DNS from https://github.com/miigotu/certbot-dns-godaddy.
4. Create GoDaddy Credentials with a configuration file from your developer.godaddy.com account.
5. Validate the domain using sudo certbot certonly command.
6. Renew the certificate with sudo certbot renew command.
7. Restart your application/load balancer to reload the certificate file.

Let’s Encrypt is a free, automated, and open certificate authority brought to you by the nonprofit Internet Security Research Group (ISRG). That’s why I use this Certificate Authority for my website and other wildcard domains (*.knyl.me).

To get a Let’s Encrypt certificate, you’ll need an ACME client software, and most people use Certbot.

Installation

1. Update DNS Settings

   Add two type A records (@ and *) to your DNS domain pointing to your server’s IP address.

   ----------------------------------------
   |  Type  |  Name  |        Data        |
   ----------------------------------------
   |    A   |    @   |  <your server IP>  |
   |    A   |    *   |  <your server IP>  |
   ----------------------------------------
   

   

   The second record is used for wildcard domains. If you only want to get a certificate for your original domain, add two type A records: @ and www.

2. Install Certbot on server

   Go to Certbot’s website, choose the software and system.

   

   Follow the instructions to install Certbot.

3. Install Certbot GoDaddy DNS

   Because Certbot does not have an official DNS plugin for GoDaddy, you have to install a third-party plugin from **https://github.com/miigotu/certbot-dns-godaddy**.

   pip install certbot-dns-godaddy
   

4. Create GoDaddy Credentials

   Certbot GoDaddy Plugin requires a configuration file containing GoDaddy API credentials obtained from your developer.godaddy.com account.

   • Go to API keys, create a key:

   

   • Save the key and secret to your backup notes.

   

   • Create a credential file on your server using the key and secret above:

credentials.ini

    dns_godaddy_secret      = 0123456789abcdef0123456789abcdef01234567
    dns_godaddy_key = abcdef0123456789abcdef01234567abcdef0123

5. Validate domain

   Use this command to validate:

   sudo certbot certonly \\
   --authenticator dns-godaddy \\
   --dns-godaddy-credentials <path_to_credentials.ini> \\
   --dns-godaddy-propagation-seconds 90 \\
   --keep-until-expiring --non-interactive --expand \\
   --server <https://acme-v02.api.letsencrypt.org/directory> \\
   -d 'example.com' \\
   -d '*.example.com' # remove if you don't need to validate wildcard domains
   

   After the progress is finished, your certificates will be stored at /etc/letsencrypt/live/example.com.

6. Renew

   • Test automatic renewal:

   sudo certbot renew --dry-run
   

   • Renew:

   sudo certbot renew
   

   

Last but not least

Remember to restart your application/load balancer to reload the certificate file.

Conclusion

These are all the steps to set up Wildcard SSL for GoDaddy domains with Let’s Encrypt. I hope this article is helpful for you.

If you have any questions, feel free to ask in the comments below!