HTTPS: An Overview
Are you looking to move from HTTP to HTTPS (HyperText Transfer Protocol Secure) your WordPress or vBulletin site? But, you have no idea what SSL or HTTPS is. Do not worry, we will help you to cope with it.
What is the HTTPS and why we need it for?
The main aim of HTTPS is to protect the data transfer, to to proceed it in safe manner, to shield our personal or sensitive data, to provide a secure connection (especially if you are dealing with the payment information). Secure HTTP or HTTPS - is an encryption method that secures the connection between the users browser and the server. So, if you can see in your browser address bar HTTPS instead of HTTP - do not worry, it means the site you are working with has made sure that no one can steal your data.
How to Setup your WordPress to HTTPS
The requirements for using SSL in WordPress is not very rich and hard.
1/ All you need to do is purchase a SSL certificate (some of WordPress hosting providers offer free SSL!) and to ask your web hosting provider to install it on your server.
2/ Add `s` to your site URL fields (Log in WordPress CP->Settings ->General):
- WordPress Address (URL)
- Site Address (URL)
For example, if your URL is http://www.shopsite.com/forum, change it to https://www.shopsite.com/forum.
3/ Ask your host to configure redirect any http traffic to https.
How to do it by yourself
RewriteEngine On
RewriteCond %{SERVER_PORT} 80
RewriteRule ^(.*)$ https://yourdomain.com/$1 [R=301,L]4/ Now, check your site URL to ensure that you have all properly installed in different browsers.
How to Setup your vBulletin site
1/ The first thing you will need to do is the same as with WordPress - to get a valid SSL certificate for your domain.
2/ The next step is quite simple. Log into your vBulletin AdminCP, and then follow the appropriate instructions below for your version.
The key to all three vBulletin versions is that all you do is change HTTP to HTTPS. Do not alter any other part of the URL.
vBulletin 32. Edit 'Forum URL' and add the 's' into the URL.
For example, if your URL is http://www.shopsite.com/forum, change it to https://www.shopsite.com/forum
2. Edit 'Forum URL' and add the 's' into the URL.
For example, if your URL is http://www.shopsite.com/forum, change it to https://www.shopsite.com/forum
2. Edit these three settings: 'vBulletin URL'; 'Login URL'; 'Core URL' and add the 's' into the URL.
For example, if your URL is http://www.shopsite.com/forum, change it to https://www.shopsite.com/forum.
NOTE: Do not remove the word 'core' at the end of the core URL. You will break your site!
3/ Once you have changed these settings, go to AdminCP > Maintenance > General Update Tools, and rebuild the styles. (In vB3 this is AdminCP > Maintenance > Update Counters). Leave the default settings and just run this update tool.
4/ Your site should now load and run normally when using HTTPS in the URL. However, you now need to redirect any HTTP traffic to HTTPS, so that everyone using your site uses the secure connection. Again, in most cases, the simplest way to arrange this is to ask your host to configure it for you. They shouldn't charge for doing this, and it won't take them very long. Replace the domain.com with your actual domain name and then click Save Changes button.
How to do it by yourselfRewriteEngine On
RewriteCond %{SERVER_PORT} 80
RewriteRule ^(.*)$ https://domain.com/$1 [R=301,L]
5/ Check your site URL to ensure that you have all properly installed in different browsers.
Great! Now you have both sites with HTTPS. The last thing you need to do is to connect the platforms via vBSSO and have fun!
