Installing SSL

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  • CorbinH
    Senior Member
    • May 2009
    • 232
    • 4.0.0

    Installing SSL

    Hi at vB,
    I am planning to update our site Australian Photoholics Forum "ausph.com" to SSL.
    Last time we tried this, we broke our site which was down for a week!
    Everyone here was very helpful and we got the site up and running and it's now working fine.
    We have a free SSL certificate and I received the following instructions from our host (HostGator) to force SSL.

    ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Add the following code in the .htaccess file to force SSL.
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    RewriteEngine On
    RewriteCond %{SERVER_PORT} 80
    RewriteRule ^(.*)$ https://www.ausph.com/$1[R=301,L]
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    I notice that the code is slightly different to what is in the current .htaccess file (marked with ??)
    Can you advise as to which code I should use?

    *** first section of .htaccess file for "ausph.com" located in the "public_html" folder:
    -------------------------------------
    <IfModule mod_rewrite.c>
    RewriteEngine On

    #To redirect users to the secure version of your site, uncomment the lines below
    ?? #RewriteCond %{HTTPS} !=on
    ?? #RewriteRule .* https://%{SERVER_NAME}%{REQUEST_URI} [R=301,L]


    </IfModule>
    -------------------------------------

    I have read the vB Forum instructions for installing the SSL via AdminCP in our vBulletin software (our version is 5.4.3) which are:
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    I HAVE MY CERTIFICATE INSTALLED - WHAT NEXT?
    vBulletin 5
    Go to vBulletin Options > vBulletin Options > Site Name / URL / Contact Details.
    Edit these three settings: 'vBulletin URL'; 'Login URL'; 'Core URL' and add the 's' into the URL.
    For example, if your URL is http://www.contoso.com/forum, change it to https://www.contoso.com/forum
    NOTE: Do not remove the word 'core' at the end of the core URL. You will break your site!

    Then go to Settings > Options > Server Settings & Optimization Options > Use Remote jQuery
    Set this to Google.

    The key to all three vBulletin versions is that all you do in the URL settings is change http to https. Do not alter any other part of the URL.

    Once you have changed these settings, go to AdminCP > Maintenance > General Update Tools, and rebuild the styles. (In vB3 this is AdminCP > Maintenance > Update Counters). Leave the default settings and just run this update tool.

    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Do I change the .htaccess file first THEN do the vB changes, or the other way around?
    Can the changes be UNDONE if it breaks our site?
    Do I need the site OFFLINE before making the changes?
  • Wayne Luke
    vBulletin Technical Support Lead
    • Aug 2000
    • 73981

    #2
    Originally posted by CorbinH
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Add the following code in the .htaccess file to force SSL.
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    RewriteEngine On
    RewriteCond %{SERVER_PORT} 80
    RewriteRule ^(.*)$ https://www.ausph.com/$1[R=301,L]
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    I notice that the code is slightly different to what is in the current .htaccess file (marked with ??)
    Can you advise as to which code I should use?

    *** first section of .htaccess file for "ausph.com" located in the "public_html" folder:
    -------------------------------------
    <IfModule mod_rewrite.c>
    RewriteEngine On

    #To redirect users to the secure version of your site, uncomment the lines below
    ?? #RewriteCond %{HTTPS} !=on
    ?? #RewriteRule .* https://%{SERVER_NAME}%{REQUEST_URI} [R=301,L]


    </IfModule>
    Generally your hosting provider knows more about their servers than we do. The code we provide doesn't rely on a port because we don't know what port you're using and can't assume that you're using default ports.

    Do I change the .htaccess file first THEN do the vB changes, or the other way around?
    Six one way, half a dozen the other.

    Can the changes be UNDONE if it breaks our site?
    Yes. You would just reverse your steps.

    Do I need the site OFFLINE before making the changes?
    No. However, you might try the changes on a test installation so you can work out any kinks before going live.
    Translations provided by Google.

    Wayne Luke
    The Rabid Badger - a vBulletin Cloud demonstration site.
    vBulletin 5 API

    Comment

    • CorbinH
      Senior Member
      • May 2009
      • 232
      • 4.0.0

      #3
      Thanks Wayne, I'll give it a go.

      Comment

      • CorbinH
        Senior Member
        • May 2009
        • 232
        • 4.0.0

        #4
        I followed the instructions below via AdminCP:

        vBulletin Options > Site Name / URL / Contact Details.
        Edit these three settings: 'vBulletin URL'; 'Login URL'; 'Core URL' and add the 's' into the URL.

        I changed the 3 settings by adding the "s" to the "http" and I clicked SAVE.
        THESE ARE THE ONLY SETTINGS I EDITED !!

        I then proceeded to click on the following:
        Settings > Options > Server Settings & Optimization Options > Use Remote jQuery
        Set this to Google.

        The site immediately broke with this error
        Click image for larger version  Name:	SH7_ 562.jpg Views:	1 Size:	55.9 KB ID:	4401264
        I can now no longer get into the site to undo the settings I changed, as you said I could.
        WE NEED HELP TO RESET THIS SITE BACK TO "HTTP"
        HOW CAN WE DO THAT?


        Other screenshots:

        This comes up when initially loading forum.

        Click image for larger version

Name:	Crash-1.jpg
Views:	524
Size:	89.9 KB
ID:	4401265
        And if I click on one of the links I get this.

        Click image for larger version

Name:	Crash-2.jpg
Views:	484
Size:	67.8 KB
ID:	4401266
        Last edited by CorbinH; Wed 24 Oct '18, 11:36pm.

        Comment

        • Mark.B
          vBulletin Support
          • Feb 2004
          • 24286
          • 6.0.X

          #5
          This is an issue with your SSL certificate. You need to ask your host what is going on.
          MARK.B
          vBulletin Support
          ------------
          My Unofficial vBulletin 6.0.0 Demo: https://www.talknewsuk.com
          My Unofficial vBulletin Cloud Demo: https://www.adminammo.com

          Comment

          • CorbinH
            Senior Member
            • May 2009
            • 232
            • 4.0.0

            #6
            I have done nothing to create a problem with the SSL certificate. The only thing I did was make the changes to the settings via AdminCP to change the vBulletin URL, Login URL and Core URL. by adding the "s" to HTTP.
            Because we had issues with this previously, I asked here to verify the procedure and you said it was reversible. Please explain how I can do that.

            Where is the URL settings stored? in the database? or another file somewhere? Can this file be edited to get the URL's back to HTTP from the new HTTPS?
            Last edited by CorbinH; Thu 25 Oct '18, 3:20am.

            Comment

            • BirdOPrey5
              Senior Member
              • Jul 2008
              • 9613
              • 5.6.3

              #7
              Upload the /install/ directory to the /core/ directory (you can get a copy from the original VB download zip file for 5.4.4 or whatever version you have installed), from the do_not_upload directory upload the tools.php file to the /install/ directory as well.

              Delete install.php from the /install/ directory, Don't want to risk running it by mistake.

              Assuming you have not yet "forced" https via .htaccess (delete those lines if you haven't already) you then go to yourside.com/core/install/tools.php

              Login with your Customer Number.

              There is an option- near the bottom - to change the site URL. Take the "s" out of the https URL. Make sure the boxes are checked to update the other URLs as well.

              Save changes.

              Delete tools.php

              Delete or rename the /install/ directory (I usually keep it since it can be useful but rename it to somethig hard to guess like /install297392717dn2/ in case I need it in the future I can just rename it again.

              NOTE- If your browser is still giving you the https error try clearly your browser cache or just try a different browser to make these changes.

              So yes, it is reversible, but the underlying issue is with your SSL certificate.

              Comment

              • CorbinH
                Senior Member
                • May 2009
                • 232
                • 4.0.0

                #8
                A huge Thank you Joe. We are back up and running!!!
                Last edited by CorbinH; Thu 25 Oct '18, 5:15am.

                Comment

                • rudiamirudin
                  New Member
                  • May 2013
                  • 24
                  • 5.0.0

                  #9
                  My site when open with user hrclub.id (without www) the ssl not run. But if we use www.hrclub.id or https://hrclub.id or https://www.hrclub.id ssl can run. can help me?

                  Comment

                  • Wayne Luke
                    vBulletin Technical Support Lead
                    • Aug 2000
                    • 73981

                    #10
                    Originally posted by rudiamirudin
                    My site when open with user hrclub.id (without www) the ssl not run. But if we use www.hrclub.id or https://hrclub.id or https://www.hrclub.id ssl can run. can help me?
                    No. You must contact your Hosting Provider for support with SSL Certificates. This is not something that is controlled by vBulletin. vBulletin is a Web App. It is not a Web Server.
                    Translations provided by Google.

                    Wayne Luke
                    The Rabid Badger - a vBulletin Cloud demonstration site.
                    vBulletin 5 API

                    Comment

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