How To Fix err_ssl_protocol_error On A WordPress Site

Some common solutions to fixing err_ssl_protocol_error on WordPress

When it comes to SSL-related problems the err_ssl_protocol_error is probably the king. From the user side there are plenty of different things that could be causing the ssl connection error message. Everything from the system time on your computer to your caching.

But what happens when the problem is site-side? What then? Here are some common troubleshooting tips to help resolve the err_ssl_protocol_error on WordPress.

Tip 1: Make sure you have enabled HTTPS on WordPress

You can get complete directions on how to do that in our guide to enabling HTTPS on WordPress. But suffice it to say that just installing an SSL certificate on your server is only half the battle. You still need to make sure that you’re configuring your server and website for service via HTTPS. If you missed this step, go back and do it now.

Tip 2: Make sure your URLs are updated

When you go into the General area of your Settings section in the WordPress dashboard, you will be greeted by URL fields. These are your WordPress URL and your website URL. Make sure that both start with “https://” and not “http://.” Both of them. That “S” is really important.

Tip 3: Check the links for your content

To avoid seeing err_ssl_protocol_error, all of the content being served on your website is going to need to have a URL that starts with https:// too. It can be arduous going through it all, but it’s important. At the very least, if you miss some URLs you’ll get slapped with mixed content warnings. Maybe worse. So check and make sure that any contest you’re putting on your site is secure. For static content consider using a secure CDN. There are plugins that can do this for you, but they can also cause problems, too. In fact, if you used a plugin for rewriting links, that could be the problem. Consider disabling it, going back to a backed up version of your website and then trying it manually.

Tip 4: Check your .htaccess file

You may an issue with your 301 redirects. So open your .htaccess file in your Root Directory. You should see the following snippet of code:

RewriteEngine On
RewriteCond %{HTTPS} off
RewriteRule ^(.*)$ https://%{HTTP_HOST}%{REQUEST_URI} [L,R=301]

If you don’t, add it right about the like that says, “That’s all, stop editing!,” and then save.

Tip 5: Check that your SSL was installed properly

If you’re still getting err_ssl_protocol_error on your WordPress site, we have a tool called the SSL certificate checker that will verify that your certificate is installed and your server is configured properly. Go ahead and run it on your website (just enter the URL and it will do the rest), if it comes back OK you’ll know the problem is with your site itself. If not, it’s time to head server-side to look for a fix.