The Order and Setup Process of a SSL Certificate

When you buy an SSL certificate from us, you’re not buying a ready-made file you can just download.

Instead, you’re buying the right to issue a certificate for a specific domain (like example.mu) – and then you must complete a few steps so the Certificate Authority (CA) can verify that you really control that domain.

This article walks you through:

1. What happens after you place an order
2. Why you receive a “Configure SSL Certificate” email
3. How to generate a CSR
4. Validation options (Email vs DNS)
5. What to do if email validation doesn’t work
6. What happens after validation (issuing & installing the SSL)

1. Important: We facilitate the purchase – you must complete the configuration

Our system does not automatically create or install the SSL for you.

We handle:

• Selling the SSL certificate
• Linking your order to the Certificate Authority (CA)
• Providing you a dashboard to configure and validate the SSL

You (or your IT/hosting provider) must:

• Generate a CSR (Certificate Signing Request)
• Configure the SSL using the link we email you
• Choose a validation method (Email or DNS)
• Complete validation so the CA can issue the certificate
• Install the issued certificate on your web server / hosting

2. The Email You Receive After Ordering (“Configure SSL Certificate”)

After placing your SSL order, you receive an email similar to this:

Subject: Configure your SSL Certificate

Thank you for your order of an SSL Certificate.
Your certificate requires configuration before it can be issued. Please click the button below to begin the process.

Configure SSL Certificate

Before your SSL certificate can be issued, you’ll first need to generate a CSR (Certificate Signing Request) and provide it through the configuration link above. We recommend using DNS validation for a smoother and faster approval process.

If you experience any issues during the process, simply reply to this email and our team will be happy to assist.

This email is not the SSL certificate itself.

It’s the starting point of the configuration process.

Click the “Configure SSL Certificate” button to open the configuration page in your dashboard.

3. Step One: Generate a CSR (Certificate Signing Request)

Before the certificate can be created, the CA needs technical information about your server and domain. This information is contained in a CSR.

A CSR includes:

• Your domain name (www.example.mu, example.mu, etc.)
• Your organisation details (for OV/EV certificates)
• Your server’s public key
• Country, city, and other details

You generate the CSR on the server where the SSL will be installed, usually via:

• cPanel / Plesk / other hosting control panel
• Your web server (Apache, Nginx, IIS, etc.)
• Your system administrator / developer

Once the CSR is generated, it will look like a long block of text starting with:

-----BEGIN CERTIFICATE REQUEST-----
MIIC...
...etc...
-----END CERTIFICATE REQUEST-----

What to do with the CSR

• Go to the SSL configuration page (from the email button).
• Paste the entire CSR (including the BEGIN and END lines).
• Check that the domain in the CSR is correct.
• Continue to the validation method step.

4. Step Two: Choose a Validation Method (Email or DNS)

On the dashboard, you’ll see two main options for proving you own the domain:

1. Email Validation
2. DNS Validation (recommended)

Both methods achieve the same goal: prove to the CA that you control the domain.
They do not depend on having a website already working – they just prove domain ownership.

Option A: Email Validation

With Email validation, the CA sends a confirmation email to one of a few standard email addresses tied to your domain.

These are usually addresses like:

• [email protected]
• [email protected]
• [email protected]
• [email protected]
• [email protected]

Important:

You cannot enter any random email address (like info@, support@, or Gmail).

Only the default approver addresses offered in the dashboard are allowed by the CA.

You must have access to the selected mailbox to complete validation.

How it works:

1. On the configuration page, choose Email validation.
2. Pick one of the listed email addresses from the dropdown (e.g. [email protected]).
3. The CA sends an email to that address with a verification link.
4. Someone who has access to that inbox must open the email and click the approval link.
5. Once approved, the CA issues the certificate.

If the email never arrives or the mailbox doesn’t exist, validation will fail, and the SSL will not be issued.

In that case, you should switch to DNS validation (see below).

Option B: DNS Validation (Recommended)

DNS validation is often simpler and more reliable, especially when:

• You don’t use or don’t have access to the default email addresses
• Your mail service is not set up yet
• You’re having deliverability issues (emails not arriving)

How it works:

1. On the configuration page, choose DNS validation.
2. The system will show you a special DNS record, usually a TXT record, like:

Record type: TXT

Name/Host: something like _acme-challenge.example.mu

Value: a long random string provided by the CA.

3. Log in to your domain’s DNS management (this might be at your domain registrar, your hosting provider, or a DNS service like Cloudflare).
4. Add the DNS TXT record exactly as shown (type, host/name, and value).
5. Save the DNS changes.
6. Wait for DNS propagation (usually a few minutes to a couple of hours).
7. The CA will automatically check the DNS record. Once it sees the correct value, it approves and issues the certificate.

You do not need to click any link or receive any email if DNS validation is used.

5. What if Email Validation Fails or Email Is Unreachable?

If:

• The email address (e.g. [email protected]) doesn’t exist
• You don’t have access to that mailbox
• You aren’t receiving the verification emails
• Your email service is not yet set up on that domain

…then Email validation will not work, and the SSL will never be approved that way.

In this situation, we strongly recommend:

Use DNS validation instead.

DNS validation:

• Does not rely on any email account
• Works even if your website or mail is not yet live
• Is generally more reliable and faster once the DNS record is correctly added

So, if you’re unsure about email, or the default email addresses are unreachable, please:

1. Go back to the SSL configuration page.
2. Select DNS validation.
3. Add the required TXT record to your DNS, as shown.

6. Step Three: Certificate Issuance & Installation

Once the Certificate Authority (CA) has validated your domain (by Email or DNS):

1. The SSL certificate is issued.
2. You’ll receive a confirmation email and/or see the certificate files available in your dashboard.
3. The certificate package usually contains:
4. The main certificate file (.crt)
5. Sometimes an intermediate CA bundle
6. At this stage, the certificate must be installed on your web server.

Important: Installation and CSR Generation Are Not Included

Our service only facilitates the purchase and activation of SSL certificates.

We do not provide:

• CSR generation
• SSL installation on your server
• Server configuration or troubleshooting

These steps must be performed by:

• Your hosting provider
• Your server administrator
• Your web developer

Installation Overview (For Your Hosting Provider or Admin)

To install the issued certificate, your hosting provider or admin will typically:

• Log in to your hosting panel (e.g. cPanel, Plesk, or server console).
• Go to the SSL/TLS or Certificate Management section.
• Upload/paste:
• The issued certificate
• The CA bundle/intermediate certificate (if provided)
• The private key (created at the time you generated the CSR)

We do not install SSL certificates, generate CSRs, or manage server settings.

If you are unsure who can handle this for you, please contact your hosting provider or developer.

After Installation

Once correctly installed, your website will load over HTTPS, showing a secure padlock icon in the browser.