Recently, we've seen more customers showing interest in securing IP addresses with SSL certificates. During this process, one common question often comes up:

What is the difference between a public IP and a private IP when applying for an SSL certificate?

This topic sounds simple, but in practice, it can easily lead to confusion and unnecessary delays if not clarified early. So in this article, we'd like to share a few key points based on real support experiences, to help you order and deploy IP SSL certificates more smoothly.

Step 1: Know Your IP Type — Public vs Private

Before buying any certificate, the first step is to confirm:

Are you protecting a public IP or a private IP?

This matters a lot because they use different validation logic and even different certificate products.

• Public IP

Accessible from the internet (e.g. servers hosting websites, APIs, or public services).

• Private IP (Internal IP)

Used inside LAN or internal systems and not reachable from the public internet

(e.g. 192.168.x.x, 10.x.x.x, 172.16–31.x.x).
 

Step 2: Choose the Right Product

At NicSRS:

✅ All NicSRS SSL products support Public IP addresses

✅ Only one product currently supports Private IP addresses: sslTrus SSL

So before you place an order:

• If you're protecting a public IP → you can choose from all our SSL products.
• If you're protecting a private IP → you must use sslTrus SSL.

This simple check can save a lot of back-and-forth later.

Step 3: Order Process for Public IP SSL (Same as Domain SSL)

If your IP is public, the process is straightforward.

The workflow is exactly the same as a domain SSL certificate:

1. Log in to NicSRS console
2. Place the order for the SSL product
3. Fill in certificate information
4. Complete validation
5. Wait for CA issuance
6. Download and install the certificate

✅ Public IP SSL = Same apply + validate + deploy process as domain SSL.

Step 4: Order Process for Private IP SSL (Slightly Different)

Private IP SSL works a little differently.

Here's the correct way to handle it:

1) Confirm the correct product

Currently, only the sslTrus SSL product at NicSRS supports private IPs, so please confirm this with your Account Manager first.

2) Place the order

After product confirmation, you can place the order in the console and submit the application information as usual.

3) Contact your NicSRS Account Manager to submit the order

WHOIS and DNS validation methods are not applicable to IP-based certificates.

Instead, your Account Manager will assist you with the order submission and follow up until the certificate is issued.

⏱ Usually, the certificate is issued within 30 minutes.

Step 5: Installing a Private IP Certificate

After issuance, the certificate needs to be deployed on your web server.

For the installation guide, please contact your NicSRS Account Manager to obtain the relevant documentation.

For Private IP SSL, each client device must manually import the certificate chain, including:

• Root Certificate

• Intermediate Certificate

The import guide for the certificate chain can also be obtained from your NicSRS Account Manager.

Optional: Installation Help

If you'd like help with installation, NicSRS also offers paid SSL installation service.

Just let us know — our team will be happy to assist.

Final Tip

Before buying an IP SSL certificate, always ask yourself:

“Am I securing a public IP or a private IP?”

This one question can help you:

• avoid wrong product selection
• reduce delays
• speed up certificate issuance
• and save a lot of communication time

If you're unsure, just contact NicSRS — we're always here to help you pick the right solution.