A visible padlock builds trust with Ghanaian customers and is a small but real ranking signal with Google. DirectAdmin makes getting one free, and Vikalink includes Let's Encrypt on every hosting plan.
1. Log in to DirectAdmin
Access your DirectAdmin panel through the link in your Vikalink welcome email, or from your client area under My Services.
2. Open SSL Certificates
From the main menu, click SSL Certificates under the Account Manager section.
3. Choose "Free & automatic certificate via Let's Encrypt"
Select this option, tick the box to include the www version of your domain, and click Save.
4. Confirm the certificate installs
DirectAdmin will contact Let's Encrypt, verify domain ownership, and install the certificate automatically. This usually takes under a minute.
Key takeaway: Always secure both the root domain and the www subdomain in the same step — missing one means visitors on the other version still see a warning.
5. Confirm auto-renewal
Let's Encrypt certificates expire every 90 days. DirectAdmin renews them automatically by default, but it's worth checking back after your first renewal cycle to confirm it worked.
6. Force HTTPS redirection
Under Domain Setup, enable "Force HTTPS" for the domain so visitors and search engines are always sent to the secure version automatically.
7. Clear your cache and test
Open your site in a private browser window and confirm the padlock appears. If you use a caching plugin, clear it so old HTTP links don't linger.
8. Common issues
If the certificate fails to issue, check that your domain's DNS is already pointed to Vikalink's nameservers — Let's Encrypt needs to verify domain ownership before it can issue a certificate.