Understanding Certbot and Redirect Challenges During WordPress Migration: A Beginner’s Perspective
Navigating SSL certificate issues can be daunting, especially when migrating multiple websites to a new server environment. Recently, I undertook the task of moving my web hosting setup from CentOS Stream 8 to AlmaLinux, hosting approximately seven different WordPress sites. Along the way, I encountered some perplexing challenges related to SSL certificates and server redirects that I’d like to share — both as a learning resource and an acknowledgment of the common hurdles faced by those new to server management.
The Migration Journey
My migration was manually executed, involving rsync commands to transfer website files and configurations, along with backing up databases. While this process worked smoothly on CentOS Stream, I faced unexpected obstacles after switching to AlmaLinux. Most notably, Certbot — the popular tool for obtaining and renewing SSL certificates — refused to install certificates, citing infinite redirect loops.
Troubleshooting the Issue
Initially, I thought the problem stemmed from misconfigured redirect rules or server settings. I checked my Nginx or Apache virtual host files, trying to identify any misused rewrite rules or conflicting directives. Despite my efforts, the errors persisted.
Seeking solutions, I turned to AI-assisted assistance: I fed Certbot error logs and my vhost configurations into a local AI model, hoping for reasoning. Unfortunately, this proved unhelpful in resolving the issue directly.
A Surprising Resolution
In a moment of trial and error, I opened each configuration file in Vim, closed them without making changes, and re-ran Certbot. To my surprise, the error suddenly disappeared — the certificates installed successfully, and redirects worked as intended. I didn’t modify any configuration; the fix was seemingly incidental.
Final Thoughts
This experience underscores how minor, often overlooked, actions — like revisiting configuration files — can sometimes resolve complex server issues. If you’re managing your WordPress sites on a Linux server and encounter redirect errors during SSL setup, consider double-checking your configurations and trying simple reload or refresh steps before diving into more complicated troubleshooting.
Remember, server management is a learning process, and even experienced sysadmins encounter puzzling moments. Patience and systematic troubleshooting are key — sometimes, all it takes is a fresh look, or a restart, to resolve a seemingly impossible problem.
Cheers to smoother migrations and secure websites!
