Import SSL VPN certificates and Certificate Authorities

This article outlines importing SSL VPN certificates and Certificate Authorities (CAs). You’ll need to import CAs to authenticate signed certificates produced by that CA. For example, you may want your secondary Smoothwall Appliance to authenticate certificates created by your main Smoothwall Appliance’s CA.

Import a CA from the Certificate authorities page

1. Go to Network > VPN > Certificate authorities.
   

   Note

   You can only import CA files from this page, not certificate files or other file types.

2. In the Import Certificate Authority certificate section, select Choose File.
3. Locate and select the file.
4. Select Import CA certificate from PEM.
5. Check the upload:
   
   • If the upload succeeds, the Import Certificate Authority certificate section displays ‘Upload successful’.
   • If the file format is incorrect, a banner appears with the message ‘Not a PEM file’. You will also see ‘Upload successful’ but no file uploads.

Import a certificate from the Certificates page

1. Go to Network > VPN > Certificates.
   

   Notw

   If you import a CA file on this page, only the certificate imports, and you can’t use it as a Certificate Authority.

2. In the Import certificates section, choose one of the following options:
   • For Import PKCS#12 filename:
     1. Enter the Password set for the file.
     2. Select Choose file.
     3. Locate and select a .p12 or .pfx file.
     4. Select Import certificate and key from PKCS#12.
   • For Import PEM filename:
     1. Select Choose file.
     2. Locate and select a .pem file.
     3. Select Import certificate from PEM.
3. Check the upload:
   • If the upload succeeds, the Import certificates section displays ‘Upload successful’.
   • If the file format is incorrect, a banner appears with the message ‘Not a PEM file’. You will also see ‘Upload successful’ but no file uploads.