Apache Friends Support Forum

I use XAMPP 8.2.4 running on an intranet Server (Windows Server 2019) for Intranet use only. No access from Web necessary.
We use basically Microsoft Edge to access it but also firefox from windos clients and also want to access from mobiles (IOS,Android) via WLAN. Edge and also firefox require certs for ssl since they tell, that the page is not secure.
I have tried several hints from forums but all w/o success. the last caused apache not starting anymore.
So I had to switch back eliminate the include for the ssl support to make it start again.

Now my question:
Has somebody did it with success and can give me a step by step decription, how to easily activate
SSL and creating a selfsigning cert with openssl for the Apache without expiry if possible.
I want to force https requests in future and deny non ssl

The computer is member of a windows domain and has a DNS name and static IP
Access only via LAN- or VPN-Intranet connection.

Thanks in advance

BigMac121263 wrote:a selfsigning cert

That is a major issue, i never succeeded in running selfsigned certificates, as all my browsers (Chrome, Firefox, Opera) do not accept selfsigned certificates. There are tutorials out there in the internet how to get Chrome etc. working with selfsigned certificates, but none of them are working for me. I think, its more or less impossible. Its far easier to get a certificate from a known issuer (i.e. LetsEncrypt) and install those.

BigMac121263 wrote:without expiry if possible

No, thats impossible as well. All "official" certificates are valid for max. one year (or less). But thats not a big issue, if you once succeded in installing SSL, its quite easy to repeat that process.

My basic issue is to create a cert with Open SSl on the apache and activate the ssl support and get apache running with it.
But I cannot get in running. I have successfully created the two files (cert and key) and activated it in the con files as descrivbed in several forums but after activating, apache does not start.

when activating ssl by entry

Include conf/extra/httpd-ssl.conf

in httpd.conf
apache fails starting

What can you see in the error_log?

Of course its not sufficient to simply including httpd-ssl.conf, you have to apply your credentials to httpd-ssl.conf. That file is only an (not working) example.