How to Install a Free SSL Certificate on Dahua DSS Using Let’s Encrypt

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DSS CA Renewal Snip

Dahua DSS SSL Setup: Install a Free SSL Certificate Using Let's Encrypt

Dahua DSS requires an SSL certificate to enable secure HTTPS access. This guide explains the Dahua DSS SSL Setup, including how to generate a free SSL certificate using Let’s Encrypt, verify the domain via DNS (Nameserver method), and convert the SSL files into a format compatible with DSS.

In this Post take www.dsskenya.pro or dsskenya.pro as out sample domain

 

Step 1: Generate SSL Certificate Using Let's Encrypt

  1. Install Certbot from https://certbot.eff.org and select Windows & IIS.

  2. Open Command Prompt as Administrator and run:

    certbot certonly --manual --preferred-challenges dns --key-type rsa -d dsskenya.pro -d www.dsskenya.pro

    • The --key-type rsa ensures the generated private key is RSA-based, which is required by DSS.

  3. Certbot will prompt you to create a DNS TXT record for verification. It will look something like this:

    Please create a TXT record with the following details:
Name: _acme-challenge.dsskenya.pro
Type: TXT
Value: "PaLA0Uz0NMeVOfFssfdsAF96CZcQdpcIeMhO4Z7B2s0"

  4. Log in to your DNS provider (e.g., Hostinger) and add a new TXT record:

    • Host/Name: _acme-challenge.dsskenya.pro

    • Type: TXT

    • Value: "PaLA0Uz0NMeVOfFssfdsAF96CZcQdpcIeMhO4Z7B2s0"

    • TTL: Auto or 300 (5 minutes)

  5. Wait for DNS propagation (5–30 min) and verify using:

    nslookup -type=TXT _acme-challenge.dsskenya.pro

    or check https://www.whatsmydns.net

  6. Once the TXT record is globally available, press Enter in Certbot to complete verification.

 

DSS CA Renewal Snip

Step 2: Convert Let's Encrypt Files for Dahua DSS

After successful verification, Certbot generates the following files in: 📂 C:\Certbot\live\dsskenya.pro\

FilePurpose
privkey.pemPrivate Key (must be RSA)
cert.pemDomain Certificate
chain.pemIntermediate Certificate
fullchain.pemFull Chain Certificate

1. Merge the Certificate and Chain

Run the following command to combine cert.pem and chain.pem into ca_certificate.crt:

copy cert.pem + chain.pem ca_certificate.crt

2. Convert Private Key to DSS Format

Dahua DSS requires a password-protected RSA key, so convert privkey.pem into private.key:

openssl rsa -in privkey.pem -out private.key -passout pass:YourPassword

🔹 Replace YourPassword with the actual password you want to use in DSS.

Step 3: Upload SSL Certificate to DSS

  1. Open DSS Web Interface.

  2. Navigate to System Settings > Network > HTTPS Settings.

  3. Upload the following files:

    • CA Certificate: ca_certificate.crt

    • Private Key: private.key

    • Enter Password (set in Step 2).

  4. Enable HTTPS & Restart DSS.

Step 4: Verify HTTPS Connection

  1. Open https://dsskenya.pro in a browser.

  2. Check if DSS loads securely with SSL.

  3. Ensure HTTPS is enforced and no SSL errors appear.

Conclusion

By following this guide, you have successfully installed a Let’s Encrypt SSL certificate for Dahua DSS, ensuring secure HTTPS access. Since Let’s Encrypt certificates expire every 90 days, set up auto-renewal or repeat this process periodically.

💡 Tip: Use a cron job or Windows Task Scheduler to automate SSL renewal.

🚀 Now DSS is secure with free SSL! Let us know if you need any help. 🎉

DSS SSL Certificateby Mwandotheboss