How to redirect from http to https?

[taogem]

I just had my hosting service reinstall/update my SSL.

They included a note that I need to redirect my ZenCart subdomain from http to https.

Looking for info on how to do that ..

I faintly remember when first installing this SSL a few years ago that the https was optional ? Not necessarily a must ?

[DrByte]

SSL is still optional. But since you're collecting customer information, it's always advised to use SSL on sensitive pages.

There's a tutorial for that: https://www.zen-cart.com/tutorials/index.php?article=14

[taogem]

DrByte,

Maybe I am missing something in that link, but don't see how that redirects my present http to a https ?

I am also just now learning from that link that apparently there is yet another step required ? I need to "enable/turn on" my SSL after my hosting service installed it ?

I thought once it was intalled that the site is secured.

[DrByte]

Um ... You're completely misunderstanding what SSL / HTTPS is and how it works, as well as how Zen Cart works.

a) Your hosting company has given you an SSL address for your site, often at: https://your_domain.com (it could take other forms, as mentioned in the tutorial above)
b) You need to make sure the HTTPS_SERVER setting in your Zen Cart configure.php files contains THAT address.
c) and to tell Zen Cart to take advantage of SSL, you need to tell it to do that, by setting the ENABLE_SSL to true.

That's what the tutorial article I mentioned is showing you how to do.

[gilby]

DrByte,

Maybe I am missing something in that link, but don't see how that redirects my present http to a https ?

I am also just now learning from that link that apparently there is yet another step required ? I need to "enable/turn on" my SSL after my hosting service installed it ?

I thought once it was intalled that the site is secured.

If you have edited the configure.php files then zen automagically redirects http to https as required.

You imply that you expect your whole site to be https!
That is not recomended or required.

When in the store front you click on login....
It should automatically change to https

If it doesn't then you haven't actually edited the configure.php files
(Edit the permissions first to make them writable)

Ooops Dr Byte is too fast...
What Dr Byte say!!!!!!..................