Legacy Manual

Legacy | Web server security settings

PingPlotter’s web interface can be secured via HTTPS with TLS using PingPlotter’s self-signed web certificate, a certificate you provide, or through Let’s Encrypt.

There are important things to consider when using web certificates with PingPlotter:
  • PingPlotter's certificate can be invalidated by changing the password in the application. If this happens, you can delete the certificate from the default data directory - PingPlotter will generate a new one upon startup
  • If changing from one certificate to another (or after generating a new one from default), you will need to clear the browser's cache for it to accept a new certificate
  • If you'd like to store PingPlotter's certificate, navigate to the default data directory and open the certificate file. A password will be required and is located in the server_settings.json file within the same directory
  • Enabling Let's Encrypt will bypass any certificate preferences

Using PingPlotter’s self-signed certificate

To use PingPlotter’s self-signed web certificate, go to Edit → Options → Web Server and select both Enable HTTPS and Force HTTPS.

In certain browsers, you may be prompted with a warning. This is due to how PingPlotter handles administrator privileges. Simply choose to proceed to the localhost destination to access the web UI. To avoid this message, be sure to install PingPlotter as a service.

When the web interface is enabled for the first time, PingPlotter will generate its certificate within the default data directory.

If PingPlotter's self-signed certificate shows as expired you should be able to delete the pingplotter_web_https_certificate.pfx file (which should be in C:\ProgramData\PingPlotter 5 folder if running as a service or C:\users\user_name\AppData\Local\PingPlotter 5 if you're not running as a service). The next time you restart PingPlotter it will generate a new HTTPS certificate that expires a year from the current date.

Using a self-provided certificate

To use a self-provided web certificate, go to Edit → Options → Web Server and select Enable HTTPS. You will then have the option to Browse to the certificate location or enter its file path manually. You will also be required to enter the password for your selected certificate.

Note

Your certificate must have a private key and use either the .pfx or .p12 file format.

Using Let’s Encrypt

Let’s Encrypt is a free, automated, and open certificate authority that allows you to set up an HTTPS server that automatically obtains a browser-trusted certificate.

Within PingPlotter, go to Edit → Options → Web Server and select Enable HTTPS, then Use Let’s Encrypt. Once enabled, enter your Let’s Encrypt credentials.

**The feature in this topic is exclusive to PingPlotter Pro. See our product comparison page for more details**

 
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