Page can't be displayed when you connect through SSL - IIS7

Question

I am using IIS 7.0 for my production environment( Windows Server 2008 R2). I have IIS website that hosts Web API for some front end applications. It is hosted on port 443 (https). Now I need to have another IIS web site for hosting another Web API under the port number 8443 (https) with SSL enabled and with client certificate for enhanced security. Once the SSL setup was enabled the website stopped working and the new website is not reachable.

Similar issue is mentioned in the below blog :

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/troubleshoot/developer/webapps/iis/site-behavior-performance/page-cannot-displayed-when-you-connect-ssl

But these setup is not found in IIS 7.

Could you please explain the right approach to have a different web API to be hosted of https with different port number with SSL enabled and with client certificate option.

Answer 1

To host multiple IIS websites on the same server with different SSL certificates, you need to make sure that each website is bound to a unique IP address and port combination.

Here are the steps to follow:

1. Assign a unique IP address to your server: To assign a unique IP address, you can contact your network administrator or follow the instructions from your hosting provider.
2. Create a new website in IIS: Open IIS Manager and create a new website by right-clicking on the "Sites" node and selecting "Add Website." Give your website a unique name, select the physical path for your website, and choose the unique IP address and port number you want to use (in this case, 8443).
3. Install the SSL certificate: Once you have created the website, you need to install the SSL certificate. You can use the same SSL certificate that you used for your first website, or you can get a new SSL certificate. To install the certificate, select your new website, click on "Bindings," and then click "Add." Select "https" as the type, choose your SSL certificate, and enter the port number (8443).
4. Enable client certificate authentication: To enable client certificate authentication, you need to enable SSL settings for your website. Select your website, click on "SSL Settings," and select "Require SSL." Check the box "Require client certificates."
5. Test your website: After following these steps, test your website to make sure it is reachable and functioning as expected.

Note: Make sure your firewall allows traffic on the new port (8443) and the new IP address assigned to the server.