When browsers flag your direct booking website as "Not secure" or warn that the connection isn't private, the SSL certificate is missing or incomplete. SSL is the technology behind the padlock browsers show next to a secure address, and Smoobu issues the certificate for your site automatically, but only once your domain's DNS records are clean. That is the most common blocker, so start at the top and work down.
First, check
Does your site load at all? If the address shows an error or a blank page instead of your website with a warning, you have a different problem: start with My website isn't loading or can't be reached.
Try the SSL setting first, then give it an hour
In your Website Builder, click Go to Editor, open More, then Settings, then Site SSL. Click the button to generate or regenerate the certificate, then wait about an hour. Many "Not secure" cases clear on their own once the certificate is regenerated. If nothing has changed after an hour, work through the DNS checks below before contacting Smoobu Support.
Your DNS records aren't clean yet
The certificate can only be issued when your domain's DNS records (the address-book entries at your domain provider that point your domain at your site) are exactly right. Confirm your records are correct and that nothing conflicts with them: the checks are in My website isn't loading or can't be reached. You can look up what your domain currently shows the world with a free checker like whatsmydns.net.
Two record types deserve special attention, because either one silently blocks the certificate:
-
No AAAA record may exist for
wwwor the root (@). An AAAA record does the same job as an A record but for a newer type of internet address (IPv6). Your Smoobu site doesn't use it, and its presence stops the certificate from being issued, so delete any you find. -
A CAA record, if you have one, must allow Let's Encrypt. A CAA record tells the internet which companies may issue certificates for your domain. Most domains don't have one, and that's fine. If yours does, it must include
letsencrypt.org, the service that issues your certificate, or nothing can be issued.
A DNS change usually takes effect within a few hours, but it can take up to 48 hours to reach everywhere.
Your domain is behind Cloudflare's proxy
If your DNS is managed at Cloudflare, turn the proxy (the orange cloud icon) off for the www and root records. With the proxy on, Cloudflare answers for your domain before Smoobu's certificate check can reach it, so the certificate is never issued.
Your web address is longer than 64 characters
A certificate can't be issued for an address longer than 64 characters, counting the www. prefix. If your domain is longer than that, it can't get a certificate through Smoobu; use a shorter domain for your website.
Only one of www.yourdomain.com and yourdomain.com is secure
If the padlock shows on one version of your address but not the other, the certificate was issued for one variant only. The certificate is tied to the www host, so the bare domain on its own shows "Not secure" until the address includes www.: click Go to Editor, open More, then Settings, then Site Domain, set the address there so it starts with www., save, and generate the certificate again under Site SSL. Generate it only once your DNS is fully in place; a certificate generated before then has to be regenerated afterwards. This is a separate setting from the Own URL field on the Basics tab, which stays without www. The new certificate usually becomes active within a few hours, and can take up to 24 hours.
The Generate Certificate button is stuck or does nothing
A disabled or stuck Generate Certificate button (in the editor under More, then Settings, then Site SSL) means your DNS isn't detected yet. Re-check your records with a checker like whatsmydns.net, make sure no AAAA or CAA record is in the way (see the first section), and turn the Cloudflare proxy off if you use Cloudflare. Then give the change time to take effect. If the button still won't work 48 hours after your last DNS change, contact Smoobu Support.
The padlock shows, but the browser says "Not fully secure"
This means the certificate is fine and one element of the page still loads over plain http:// instead of https://. It usually comes from custom code or a third-party widget you embedded. Open that element in the editor and change every http:// address in it to https://.
You fixed the cause, but the warning is still there
After a certificate is issued, browsers can keep showing their cached warning for another 2 to 3 hours. Test in a private browser window first. If the warning survives past that and everything above checks out, the certificate needs to be reissued on Smoobu's side: contact Smoobu Support, and add a screenshot of your DNS settings so they can spot anything unusual right away. A reissued certificate usually takes effect within a few hours, and can take up to 24 hours.
Check it's fixed
Open both www.yourdomain.com and yourdomain.com in a private browser window. Both load with the padlock and without any warning.
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Still stuck?
If these steps didn't fix it, contact the Smoobu team: open the Help menu to open a ticket or book a call slot, or use the chat bubble in the bottom-right corner. To get the fastest answer, please include:
- Your Smoobu User ID (in the profile-icon menu, top right).
- The property name or ID, if it's about one property.
- The Booking ID, if it's about one booking (Bookings, then View more).
- The channel name, if it's about channel sync (Booking.com, Airbnb, Vrbo, and so on).
- A short step-by-step: what you did, what you expected, and what happened.
- Screenshots or a short screen recording of the problem.
- Your browser and operating system, if something looks wrong on screen.
Comments
6 comments
My website is having security issues. Please help. Sandy
Hi Sandy,
I have just created a ticket for you on this matter. A new certificate will be ready within 30 min to 2 hours and your site will be safe again.
Thanks for flagging it.
Best,
Marianne
thank you very much!
my website yellowcottages.com is down it said, "your connection is not private."
Please need help!
Cindy Grieves
(828) 553 9265
My SSL certificate has not been working for over 2 weeks. Getting no replies from support. What is going on?
My website aptlisland.net is not working and it is saying that it is not private despite me having a domain guard etc. The site is hosted by a German host 'Strato'.
Please could you also confirm that I have connected the domain to Smoobu correctly.
Ivan Draper
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