In the ever-expanding digital landscape, managing website security shouldn’t feel like a full-time job. For growing businesses, the challenge often lies in securing not just a main website, but the dozens of subdomains—like blog.yourdomain.com, shop.yourdomain.com, or portal.yourdomain.com—that power their brand.
At Host Sonu, we understand that efficiency is just as important as encryption. That’s why we’ve compiled this comprehensive guide to Wildcard SSL Certificates. If you’ve been wondering how to secure an unlimited number of subdomains without breaking the bank or your sanity, you’re in the right place.
What is a Wildcard SSL Certificate?
Before we dive into the FAQs, let’s clear up the basics. A Wildcard SSL Certificate is a unique type of digital certificate that allows you to secure a primary domain and an unlimited number of its first-level subdomains under a single umbrella.
Instead of buying a separate certificate for every branch of your site, you use a single wildcard character—the asterisk (*)—in your domain name (e.g., *.hostsonu.com). This placeholder tells browsers that the certificate is valid for any subdomain that sits in that spot.
FAQs About Buying Wildcard SSL Certificates Answered
1. Does a Wildcard SSL cover multiple levels of subdomains?
One of the most common misconceptions is that a single Wildcard SSL covers everything under your domain. In reality, it only covers one level of subdomains.
If you buy a certificate for *.yourdomain.com, it will secure:
- www.yourdomain.com
- blog.yourdomain.com
- mail.yourdomain.com
However, it will not secure dev.test.yourdomain.com. To secure second-level subdomains, you would need a separate Wildcard for *.test.yourdomain.com.
2. Is the main (root) domain covered?
Yes, but with a small caveat. We include the base domain (yourdomain.com) as a Subject Alternative Name (SAN) when you purchase a Wildcard for *.yourdomain.com. This ensures that your site is protected whether a user types the www or just the naked domain into their browser.
3. Are Wildcard SSLs more expensive than standard certificates?
Technically, the upfront price of a Wildcard SSL is higher than a single-domain certificate. However, the cost-per-subdomain is significantly lower. If you have three or more subdomains, a Wildcard SSL is almost always the more economical choice. Plus, you save on the hidden costs of administration—fewer CSRs to generate, fewer renewals to track, and fewer installations to manage.
4. Can I get an EV (Extended Validation) Wildcard SSL?
No. For security reasons, Certificate Authorities do not issue Wildcard SSLs at the Extended Validation (EV) level. EV SSL certificates require a strict verification of a specific organization and its legal physical location for a specific hostname. Because a Wildcard is by nature open-ended, it doesn’t meet the rigid requirements for the Green Bar or branded browser treatment associated with EV.
Host Sonu Tip: If you need the high-trust visual cues of an EV certificate for your main store but want to secure subdomains, we recommend a Hybrid approach using a Multi-Domain SAN certificate.
5. Can I use a Wildcard SSL on multiple servers?
Absolutely. Our Wildcard certificates come with unlimited servers support. This is incredibly useful if your mail server is hosted in one data center while your web server and customer portal are hosted elsewhere. You simply export the certificate and private key from your primary server and import them into the others.
6. What is the difference between a Wildcard SSL and a Multi-Domain (SAN) SSL?
The primary difference is flexibility vs. specificity:
Wildcard SSL: Secures unlimited subdomains for one specific domain (e.g., *.yourdomain.com). You don’t need to define the subdomains in advance.
Multi-Domain (SAN): Secures a list of specific, different domains (e.g., yourdomain.com, mysite.net, and anotherbrand.org). You must list every domain you want to protect when you buy SSL certificate.
7. How secure are Wildcard certificates?
In terms of encryption strength, they are identical to standard certificates (usually SHA-2 & 2048-bit encryption). However, they carry a slightly higher architectural risk. If the private key of a Wildcard SSL is compromised on one server, every subdomain using that certificate is potentially vulnerable.
At Host Sonu, we recommend using strong server-side security and restricting access to your private keys to mitigate this blast radius risk.
8. Do Wildcard SSLs work on all browsers and mobile devices?
Yes. Our Wildcard SSL certificates are recognized by 99.9% of modern web browsers and mobile operating systems. Whether your customers are using Chrome on a desktop or Safari on an iPhone, they will see the secure padlock icon and the HTTPS prefix across all your subdomains.
9. How do I install a Wildcard SSL?
The installation process is similar to a standard SSL, but with one key difference in the Certificate Signing Request (CSR). When you generate your CSR through your Host Sonu dashboard, you must enter the common name with an asterisk: *.yourdomain.com.
Once the CA validates your domain ownership (usually via a DNS record or email), you’ll receive the certificate files to install on your server (Apache, Nginx, IIS, etc.).
10. Can I add more subdomains later?
This is the biggest perk! Once you have a Wildcard SSL installed, any new subdomain you create (e.g., newproduct.yourdomain.com) is automatically secured. You don’t need to reissue the certificate, pay extra fees, or wait for validation again. It’s set it and forget it security for your growing infrastructure.
Why Choose Host Sonu for Your Wildcard SSL?
Managing your web presence shouldn’t be a headache. At Host Sonu, we offer high-assurance Wildcard SSL certificates from the world’s most trusted authorities, backed by:
- 24/7 Expert Support: Our team is ready to help you with CSR generation and installation.
- Automated Renewals: Never worry about a lapsed certificate again.
- Competitive Pricing: We offer the best value for growing businesses that need scalable security.
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