Would you like to learn how to install the Let’s Encrypt certificate on the IIS server of a computer running Windows? In this tutorial, we are going to show you how to install the Let’s Encrypt client and configure an HTTPS website on the IIS server.

• Windows 2012 R2
• Windows 2016
• Windows 2019

In our example, the IIS server IP address is 35.160.86.106.

Hardware List:

The following section presents the list of equipment used to create this tutorial.

Every piece of hardware listed above can be found at Amazon website.

Tutorial Windows – IIS Installation

Open the Server Manager application.

Access the Manage menu and click on Add roles and features.

Windows 2012 add role

On the Server Roles screen, select the option named: Web Server IIS.

Click on the Next button.

IIS Installation

On the following screen, click on the Add features button.

IIS Features

On the Features screen, click on the Next button.

Windows 2012 - Features

On the Role service screen, click on the Next button.

IIS - Role Service

On the Summary screen, click on the Install button.

IIS installation summary

Congratulations! You have finished the IIS service installation on a computer running Windows.

Tutorial IIS Virtualhost – DNS configuration

Access the GODADDY website and purchase a DNS domain.

In our example, we purchased a domain named:

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You can use any website to purchase a DNS domain, GoDaddy is just my personal choice.

Create a DNS entry pointing your website to the computer running IIS.

In our example, we created a DNS entry pointing WWW.GAMEKING.TIPS to 35.160.86.106.

IIS - MULTIPLE WEBSITES DNS

Use the NSLOOKUP command to test your DNS configuration.

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Here is the command output.

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Open your browser and try to access the HTTP version of the website.

In our example, the following URL was entered in the Browser:

• http://www.gameking.tips

IIS - DEFAULT WEBSITE

Congratulations! You have finished the required DNS configuration.

Tutorial IIS – Creating a Website on IIS

Start the application named: IIS Manager.

Start IIS Windows

On the IIS Manager application, right-click on the default website.

Select the option named Edit bindings.

IIS - Host header binding

Select the HTTP option and click on the Edit button.

IIS - EDIT BINDINGS

Enter a nonexistent website hostname and click on the OK button.

This will make sure that the IIS default website is never used.

IIS - Enable host header

Create a directory to store the virtual host files.

IIS - Virtualhost directory

In our example, we created a directory named GAMEKING on the root of drive C.

Inside this directory, create an HTML file to be used as a test page.

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On the IIS Manager application, select the folder named Sites

On the right part of the screen, access the option to Add a Website.

IIS ADD VIRTUAL HOST

On the Website configuration screen, perform the following configuration:

• Site name – Enter an identification to the new Website.
• Application pool – DEFAULTAPPPOOL.
• Physical path – Select the directory where the Website files are stored.
• Type – HTTP
• IP address – All Unassigned.
• Port – 80.
Hostname – Enter the website DNS address.
• Start Website immediately – Yes.

Click on the OK button.

IIS VIRTUALHOST - LETS ENCRYPT

Open your browser and enter the DNS address of the new website.

In our example, the following URL was entered in the Browser:

• http://www.gameking.tips/

The Test page should be presented.

IIS VIRTUAL HOST - WEBSITE

Congratulations! You successfully configured the IIS virtual host feature.

Tutorial IIS – Installing the Let’s Encrypt certificate

Access the WIN-ACME website and download the client for Windows.

IIS - LETS ENCRYPT DOWNLOAD

Extract the latest version of the WIN-ACME Zip file.

IIS - WIN-ACME LETS ENCRYPT

In our example, we created a directory named WIN-ACME on the root of drive C.

Double-click the file named WACS to start the HTTPS certificate installation.

Press (N) to create a new certificate.

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Enter the identification number of the website.

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Press (A) to automatically perform the required configuration.

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Press (Y) to confirm the selection.

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Press (Y) to continue the installation.

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Press (Y) to agree with the Terms of service.

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Enter an email address to be notified about issues detected.

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Wait for the Let’s Encrypt certificate installation to finish.

The IIS server will be automatically configured.

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Press (Q) to quit.

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In our example, we used Lets’s Encrypt to automatically install an HTTPS certificate on the IIS server.

The system automatically creates a scheduled task to verify and renew the Let’s Encrypt certificate.

IIS - LETS ENCRYPT RENEW

Open your browser and enter the DNS address of the new website using the HTTPS protocol.

In our example, the following URL was entered in the Browser:

• https://www.gameking.tips/

The HTTPS Test page should be presented.

IIS - LETS ENCRYPT CONFIGURATION

Verify the certificate properties.

IIS - LETS ENCRYPT CERTIFICATE

Congratulations! You successfully configured the IIS virtual host feature.