SSL Certificates, and why you need a Dedicated IP.

A SSL Certificate is recommended for all websites that accept credit card payments or collect customer information that needs to remain secure. SSL encrypts your information before sending it and also activates the secure lock in your web browser.

If you purchase an SSL certificate, a dedicated IP is also required. This means that your site will have its own unique IP address.

Why do I need a dedicated IP for SSL installation?

Due to the process used by the web server to establish the SSL connection:

For shared hosting (when multiple domains share an IP), the web browser sends the requested domain name within the HTTP headers along with the request. This way, the domain name being accessed is identified, even though multiple domains are assigned to the same specific IP address.

When it comes to SSL, the certificate connection is established first. The certificate request received by the server contains only the IP address, not the domain name. The certificate must be sent before exchanging any other information. Therefore, only one certificate can be assigned per IP; otherwise, the server would not be able to determine which certificate to send.