I've been using Network Solutions for my DNS and SSL certificates, but I'm getting really frustrated. I started the process to acquire a new SSL certificate two weeks ago, and after multiple calls and a lot of waiting, I'm still without it. The tech team keeps making adjustments to my CNAME records and telling me to wait, but no progress has been made. Today, I found out that previous techs didn't even mention changes I needed to make. It's been a real headache! I want to know if I'm obligated to stick with Network Solutions for my SSL certs or if I can switch to another provider. Has anyone else dealt with this? What options do I have?
5 Answers
Honestly, I switched to ssls.com for my certificates, and I found them to be way more affordable. Network Solutions charged me an arm and a leg for one year!
You definitely don't have to stick with Network Solutions for your SSL certs. There are many other providers out there, like Let's Encrypt, that can offer you the certificates you need without the hassle. Plus, automating certificate renewals is becoming more important, especially since certificate lifetimes are about to be reduced significantly.
Can I go for a wildcard cert with Let's Encrypt, or is that not an option?
You just need to have your server accessible on the internet when you get the cert.
Don't feel tied to Network Solutions. You can buy SSL certificates from various vendors, and many have partnerships with different Certificate Authorities (CAs) to avoid the issues you're facing now. It's definitely worth looking into better options.
Thanks for the input, everyone. After countless calls to Network Solutions, I've finally received my SSL cert—only 16 days after kicking off the process, and just three days before it expired. What a nightmare! It's clear I need to find a new provider, like ZeroSSL or Namecheap, because I'm done with this nonsense.
You absolutely can get your SSL certs from any provider you want. I've had a much better experience with other companies, so I recommend exploring your options.
I can't believe they charge that much! I thought $170 a year for a wildcard cert was steep, but now I see it could be worse!