SSL certificates

[Bagit]

Can anyone help me with this please.

I am trying to set up taking online payments with an HSBC e-merchant account which requires a SSL certificate for my site. I have had some difficulty with my server saying they are not set up for these certificate. I do not intend or wish to process any card details on my site but forward them to HSBC through a third party shopping cart (Roman Cart). Is it possible to do this from some other https:// area that I can apply my certificate to or do I need to change servers?

Bagit

[Richard Conyard]

With HSBC you need to have SSL - there is no way around this. To be honest IMHO the HSBC merchant integration scheme is by far the worst I have worked with (and I've worked with a few). If you have to use HSBC you might end up having to change hosts, otherwise if you have the choice ditch HSBC and use someone like Secpay instead who are so much easier to work with.

[Bagit]

Thanks for the information Richard.
I did have a feeling that things would not go smoothly with HSBC. I have had several contacts with the help line and they haven't been positive. I have been looking at Secpay, Protx and others and that probably will be the route we will go.

Bagit

www.bagsone.co.uk

[MSOMedia]

Hi Bagit.

If you can get hold of an SSL certificate, I'd be happy to host the secure pages for you, if your cart system can handle this. PM or e-mail me if you're interested.

SECPay's a really good way to go as you can upload an HTML file with full formatting, so it will match your site's look and feel. I'm currently working on converting a client's eCommerce system from PayPal to SECPay, so if you need any help with integration just give me a shout.

-Mark

[Bagit]

Mark

Thanks for the the offer. I will keep it in mind.

Bagit

www.bagsone.co.uk

[DuaneJackson]

We use ProTX and HSBC. Do bear in mind you still need a merchant account with you bank, so don't go burining your bridges!

If I were you I'd change hosts. SSL installation is very straight forward and shouldn't be a problem for any half decent host.

[Bagit]

Duane

I agree SSL installation should be straight forward. We are going down the same route as you now though. Unfortunately at the moment the provider of the SSL certificate and my host are in "discussions" by e-mail as to how it can be done and why it can't be down! It makes interesting reading.

Bagit

www.bagsone.co.uk

[MichaelG]

Bagit

Where are you buying your SSL from? We use SECPAY (wonderful people) and a SSL cert from http://www.rapidssl.com (cheap and easy to set-up).

With SECPAY, we are using their XML/SOAP API for true silent commerce on http://www.kidspcgames.co.uk - this allows us to keep customers on our website (no need to send them to secpay payment page - or upload templates)

But you will still a merchant ID from a bank.

[DuaneJackson]

Duane

I agree SSL installation should be straight forward. We are going down the same route as you now though. Unfortunately at the moment the provider of the SSL certificate and my host are in "discussions" by e-mail as to how it can be done and why it can't be down! It makes interesting reading.

Bagit

www.bagsone.co.uk

Sounds like it could make entertaining reading. The only thing I can think of that might make it difficult is the lack of dedicated IP address, but even this is fairly easily sorted.

Best of luck

d

[Bagit]

Michael

We bought the certificate from www.ssl247.com We have applied to Protx abd fortunately we had the merchant ID set up before the SSS problems.

Bagit

ww.bagsone.co.uk

[MinuWeb]

SSL certificates are redily available from a number of places and can be bought, setup and active in only a few minutes. The only delay being the need to have a dedicated IP if you domain is not already on one.

I would also say dump your current host, most hosts setup the SSL cert for you free of charge as it does only take a few minutes.

[William Wilson]

My hosting includes ssl and cPanel allows the generation of certificates (haven't done it yet, don't know how) after reading this thread I may be missing somehing - why buy a certificate?

[MinuWeb]

self generated ssl certs always have a warning popup that can put of potential purchasers.

[Pilfo]

We use Romancart, which has its own shared certificate, so you do not need one. See the following link:-

http://www.romancart.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=3206&PN=1

Pilfo

[William Wilson]

Regarding ssl certificates where should they be stored on a site server?

[MinuWeb]

Regarding ssl certificates where should they be stored on a site server? It depends on the server.

There is a line in httpd.conf that tells where the ssl crt files are

[silverpuresilver]

We use ProTX and HSBC. Do bear in mind you still need a merchant account with you bank, so don't go burining your bridges!

Hi Bagit

We have recently set up with SECPay, and everything is going well at the moment.

With regard to merchant accounts, don't worry about your own bank if they're causing you grieft, you can actually use any bank.

Karen