Secure Sockets Layer, or SSL, is a protocol used to encode the information exchanged between a server and its users. The practical application of employing an SSL is to secure the information which visitors submit on your Internet site - a login page, a payment page if you run a web-based store, etc. Any info they input in any box on the site will be submitted securely to the server, so their login or payment details shall be protected from being accessed by unauthorized individuals. Normally, an SSL certificate needs a dedicated IP address to be installed, meaning that the overall cost for your web presence shall be bigger. While this may not be an issue for a larger enterprise, it may matter for a non-profit organization or a small online store that does not generate big revenue if additional money should be spent. That is the reason why we have taken advantage of an extension known as Server Name Indication (SNI) and we have made it possible to use a shared server IP address to install an SSL certificate.
Shared SSL IP in Shared Hosting
You'll be able to use a shared IP address for an SSL certificate with each shared hosting plan which we offer and irrespective if the SSL is ordered through our company or through a third-party company. If the SSL is acquired on our end, not only can you select the shared IP to be set during the order, but you can also select our auto-configuration option, so as soon as you complete the purchase and approve the certificate, our system will install it for you within a matter of seconds and you will not need to do anything personally. The one difference between using a shared IP address and a dedicated one is that your website won't appear if you try to open https://the-IP-address instead of https://your-domain-name, but other than that, everything shall be the same. With this function you could protect the data of your clients and have a risk-free website without the added expense for a dedicated IP address.
Shared SSL IP in Semi-dedicated Hosting
Any SSL certificate could be employed with our specially set up shared IPs, therefore if you have a semi-dedicated hosting account, you'll be able to use this option with only a few clicks when you install a certificate which you obtain through us or through some other vendor. For the SSLs that we offer you are also able to take advantage of an extra function and have our system set everything up for you. Thus the minute you approve the SSL, the shared IP address shall be set for the given domain name or subdomain and the certificate shall be installed without any action required on your end, and thus any information that website visitors submit on your site shall be protected. The SSL will work in the same exact way regardless if it's set on a shared or a dedicated IP address and the 1 thing which is different between the two setups is that entering the shared IP address as a URL inside an Internet browser won't open your site.