SAN

How it works

• A certificate carries a main name plus a list of other names it covers.
• Browsers check the address you typed against that list.
• One certificate can cover the www address, the bare domain and other subdomains.
• A name missing from the list shows a security warning to visitors.

What can go wrong (example scenario)

A shop's certificate covered only the www address. Customers who typed the bare domain saw a warning that the site was not secure, until the missing name was added to the list.

How WILDCARD handles it

Managed Hosting and Domain Security cover the certificates and DNS records that sit behind your website addresses.

• One certificate covers a website and its booking subdomain.
• A mail server certificate lists both mail and autodiscover names.
• A browser warning appears because the address visited is missing from the list.

A question owners ask

Why does my site show a name mismatch warning?

The address in the browser is not on the certificate's list. Adding the missing name and reissuing the certificate fixes it.