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BlueHost: getting WWpass Service Provider certificate with cPanel

Step-by-step guide

For those who use BlueHost shared hosting service to run their Web site, it might be impossible to create key pairs and request X.509 certificate with OpenSSL command-line utility. Instead you can use cPanel web interface to accomplish the task. Here are step-by step instructions.

Step 1: Login

Login to your BlueHost account and select cPanel tab

cPanel / cPanel tab

Step 2: Security

Scroll down till "Security" section and click on SSL/TLS manager icon

cPanel / Security section

Now Create a private key

cPanel / Private key section

Step 4: Set key length and description

Set 4096 bits key length, add a key decription (the description is local cPanel identifier, write whatever you want here) and press "Generate" button

cPanel / Set key length and description

Step 5: Key generated

When your private key will be generated, Select and copy ALL the text inside "Encoded Private Key" text field.

cPanel / Key generated

Step 6: Save key text

Save this text into a text file on your desktop computer. Windows users: start notepad.exe, paste the private key content and save the file as "your_website_url.key", e.g. "example.com.key"

Step 7: Certificate Signing Request

Return to SSL/TLS manager page and select "Certificate Signing Request" link

cPanel / Certificate Signing Request

Step 8: Generate new CSR

You will be presented with Certificate Signing Request (CSR) in the next window. You may store it in the "your_website_url.csr" file on your computer.

cPanel / Certificate Signing Request ready

Step 9: Finish

Save this text into a text file on your desktop computer. Windows users: start notepad.exe, paste the private key content and save the file as "your_website_url.key", e.g. "example.com.key"

Basically all the required information is now generated and may leave cPanel and proceed with your developer account.

BlueHost Wordpress settings

When your certificate will be ready (say in a file "your_website_url.crt"), you may upload key and certificate files into your Bluehost home directory - e.g. into ~/etc/ssl directory. Now your setup page for Wordpress WWPass plugin may look as follows:

cPanel / setup page for Wordpress WWPass plugin