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DCHost / Practical guide

How to troubleshoot SSL errors and HTTPS problems

Does the browser show a privacy warning when you open the site? Or does the page load with missing images? These symptoms can have different causes.

HTTPS is the encrypted connection between a browser and a website. An SSL/TLS certificate helps verify the domain used in that connection. Follow the checks below to find which setting needs attention.

Visual guideCheck HTTPS in order

Different settings can cause similar symptoms; locate the failing stage first.

  1. Requested domain

    Check the complete URL shown in your browser.

  2. DNS destination

    Which server do A/AAAA and www records reach?

  3. Certificate

    Does the name match, are the dates valid and is it on the correct server?

  4. Page content

    Redirects and the images requested by the page must work with HTTPS too.

With a CDN, the certificate visitors see can differ from the certificate on your main server.

Before you start​

  1. In your own browser, copy the complete URL that fails.
  2. Record the displayed error code and the time you saw it.
  3. Check example.com and www.example.com separately; a certificate may not cover both. These domains are examples.
  4. Have access to hosting, DNS and application settings. Note recent changes and copy any configuration file before editing it.
Do not bypass certificate warnings

Do not disable browser certificate verification while troubleshooting. Do not enter passwords or payment information over a connection reporting a certificate error.

1. Identify where the failure occurs​

Find the symptom you can see in the table, then follow the matching checks below. Avoid changing every setting at once.

What do you see?What should you check first?
The certificate name does not match the addressThe domain in the browser and the names covered by the certificate
The certificate is expired or not yet validCertificate dates and your device's clock
Some visitors see a different certificateA/AAAA records, the old server and any CDN
“Too many redirects”HTTPS rules in the application, hosting and any intermediate server
The page loads but some images or scripts are blockedResources requested over HTTP; the browser Console

A CDN or reverse proxy is a service between visitors and your main server. Its settings can also affect the connection.

2. Verify that DNS reaches the right server​

Where? At the authoritative DNS provider and in your hosting service details.

  1. Open the DNS records. Compare the A record's destination with the service's IPv4 address.
  2. If there is an AAAA record, check its destination too; it directs visitors using IPv6.
  3. Verify that the www record also points to the correct destination.
  4. Compare old or incorrect destinations with the service details before editing them.

Installing a certificate on the new server will not help visitors who still reach the old server.

For a CDN or reverse proxy, the browser-facing certificate can differ from the certificate at your main server. Identify which connection fails. Do not disable encryption as a fix.

3. Inspect the certificate in the control panel​

Where? In the hosting control panel.

  1. In cPanel, open SSL/TLS Status. Depending on the version, this may be a tab under SSL/TLS Certificates.
  2. Find the domain you are checking.
  3. Confirm that the certificate covers this name, is within its validity dates and is installed on the server.
  4. If the service offers AutoSSL, read the domain's status and the last reported error.
  5. For validation failures, check DNS and the domain validation method in use.

A CAA record limits which authorities may issue certificates for your domain. Confirm that your intended issuer is allowed; do not delete the record without understanding the restriction.

If the certificate looks correct but the error remains, contact support about the certificate chain or server installation. The chain lets a browser connect the certificate to a trusted authority. Do not share private keys, account passwords or complete configuration files.

Visual guideThe certificate must cover the name

This is a name-matching example using sample domains.

  • URL opened in the browser

    https://example.com

  • Name covered by the certificate

    example.com must be covered; a certificate listing only other.example is not enough.

Check www.example.com separately. Matching the name is one check; validity dates and the trust chain also matter.

4. Make HTTPS redirect rules consistent​

A redirect loop happens when rules keep sending the browser back and forth. For example, one rule sends HTTP to HTTPS while another sends HTTPS back to HTTP.

  1. Verify that a valid certificate is ready first.
  2. Save the existing redirect settings and files.
  3. Compare HTTPS rules in hosting settings, .htaccess, application plugins and any CDN.
  4. Identify conflicting rules. Change one place at a time and check the result.
  5. In WordPress, check whether the site URL starts with http:// or https://, along with any intermediate server configuration.

Do not stack code snippets from the internet without understanding your server setup. Include full URLs in a support request; “the site does not open” alone does not identify which rules conflict.

5. Fix mixed content and test again​

Mixed content means an HTTPS page requests an image, font or script over HTTP.

  1. In your own browser, open developer tools and select Console.
  2. Reload the page and find the resource URLs requested over HTTP.
  3. Confirm that each resource works at its HTTPS address.
  4. Update the address in the relevant theme, content or application setting.
  5. Refresh the application and any CDN cache, then check the page again.

For bulk URL changes in a WordPress database, back up first and use the WordPress migration guidance. Simple text replacements can damage serialized data stored in a structured format.

Expected result and rollback​

Successful result: Your chosen root-domain and www arrangement works consistently, without certificate warnings or mixed content errors.

  1. Open the home page and important internal pages.
  2. After certificate errors are resolved, test sign-in and forms.
  3. If a new redirect breaks access, restore the previous saved rule.

Before restoring a database, check whether it would affect content created since the backup. Reinstalling an expired certificate or one for a different domain is not a fix; you need a valid certificate for the correct domain.

What to include in a support request​

Include these details in the support request:

  • The complete URL that fails.
  • The browser's error code and the time it appeared.
  • Recent DNS or redirect changes.
  • Any CDN or reverse proxy service in use.

These details help reproduce the issue. You do not need to include a private key or password.

Official references​