SSL Configuration

• Overview
• Prerequisites
• Let's Encrypt SSL Certificate
  • Installation Process
  • Certificate Renewal
• Custom SSL Certificate
  • Installation Process
  • Certificate Renewal
• Post-Installation Configuration
  • Update PanelAlpha URLs
  • Verify SSL Installation
• Common Problems

This guide walks you through configuring SSL certificates for your PanelAlpha installation.

Overview

PanelAlpha can operate using either a domain name or an IP address. When using a domain name, you can configure SSL certificates to secure HTTPS connections. This guide covers two methods:

• Let's Encrypt certificates — Free SSL certificates with automatic renewal
• Custom certificates — Use your own SSL certificates from any certificate authority

Downtime note: Requesting or swapping certificates requires stopping PanelAlpha containers briefly to free up port 80. Plan a short maintenance window.

Prerequisites

Before configuring SSL certificates, ensure you have:

1. Root access to your server via SSH
2. Domain name properly configured (if using domain-based SSL)
3. DNS resolution pointing to your server's IP address
4. Firewall configuration allowing ports 80 and 443

Let's Encrypt SSL Certificate

Let's Encrypt provides free SSL certificates with automatic renewal. This is the recommended option for most users.

Installation Process

1. Access your server via SSH with root privileges:

   ssh root@your-server-ip
   

2. Verify DNS resolution:

   nslookup your-domain.com
   

3. Check firewall settings — Ensure ports 80 and 443 are not blocked.

4. Stop PanelAlpha temporarily (the UI and API will be unavailable until restarted):

   docker compose -f /opt/panelalpha/app/docker-compose.yml down
   

5. Request the SSL certificate using certbot:

   docker run -it --rm --name certbot \
   -v "/etc/letsencrypt:/etc/letsencrypt" \
   -v "/var/lib/letsencrypt:/var/lib/letsencrypt" \
   -p 80:80 \
   certbot/certbot certonly --standalone \
   --cert-name panelalpha-app \
   -d YOUR_DOMAIN
   

   Important: Replace YOUR_DOMAIN with your actual domain name.

6. Complete the certificate request by following the terminal prompts:

   • Enter your email address
   • Accept the Terms of Service

7. Configure PanelAlpha to use the certificates:

   sed -i~ '/^SSL_CERT_FULLCHAIN=/s#=.*#=/etc/letsencrypt/live/panelalpha-app/fullchain.pem#' /opt/panelalpha/app/.env
   

   sed -i~ '/^SSL_CERT_PRIVKEY=/s#=.*#=/etc/letsencrypt/live/panelalpha-app/privkey.pem#' /opt/panelalpha/app/.env
   

8. Restart PanelAlpha:

   docker compose -f /opt/panelalpha/app/docker-compose.yml up -d
   

Certificate Renewal

Let's Encrypt certificates expire every 90 days. PanelAlpha provides an automated renewal script.

To renew your certificate:

bash /opt/panelalpha/app/letsencrypt-renew.sh

Wait for the confirmation message.

Automated Renewal Setup:

Add to crontab to check for renewal twice daily:

0 12,0 * * * /opt/panelalpha/app/letsencrypt-renew.sh >/dev/null 2>&1

Custom SSL Certificate

If you have an SSL certificate from a commercial certificate authority, follow these steps:

Installation Process

1. Access your server via SSH with root privileges:

   ssh root@your-server-ip
   

2. Prepare your certificate files:

   • Full chain certificate file (includes your certificate and intermediate certificates)
   • Private key file

3. Stop PanelAlpha temporarily:

   docker compose -f /opt/panelalpha/app/docker-compose.yml down
   

4. Configure PanelAlpha to use your certificates:

   sed -i~ '/^SSL_CERT_FULLCHAIN=/s#=.*#=/path/to/fullchain#' /opt/panelalpha/app/.env
   

   sed -i~ '/^SSL_CERT_PRIVKEY=/s#=.*#=/path/to/privatekey#' /opt/panelalpha/app/.env
   

   Important: Replace /path/to/fullchain and /path/to/privatekey with actual paths.

5. Restart PanelAlpha:

   docker compose -f /opt/panelalpha/app/docker-compose.yml up -d
   

Certificate Renewal

Custom certificates need manual renewal:

1. Obtain new certificates from your certificate authority
2. Update the certificate files on your server
3. Follow the installation process above with the new certificate paths

Post-Installation Configuration

Update PanelAlpha URLs

After installing SSL certificates, update your PanelAlpha configuration to use HTTPS URLs:

1. Access the PanelAlpha admin panel
2. Navigate to System Configuration → General Configuration
3. Update the following settings:
   • Application URL — Change to https://your-domain.com
   • Admin URL — Change to https://your-domain.com:8443

For detailed instructions, see General Configuration.

Verify SSL Installation

After completing SSL configuration:

1. Test HTTPS access by visiting https://your-domain.com
2. Check certificate validity using online SSL checker tools
3. Verify automatic HTTP to HTTPS redirection
4. Test admin panel access via HTTPS

Common Problems

If you encounter issues, refer to the Troubleshooting Center for common problems and solutions.

For additional support, contact our support team (opens new window).