Forum doesn't load after enabling SSL with Let's Encrypt

Product Support Self-hosting

AI-generated summary

The user pidge is experiencing issues with their Discourse forum after enabling SSL with Let’s Encrypt. The browser displays a “refused to connect” error message. mpalmer suggests examining the rebuild output and logs for clues.

pfaffman recommends running ./discourse-doctor to identify potential issues. Stephen asks for more context, such as whether the forum was installed using DigitalOcean, if there are other services running on the machine, and if Cloudflare is being used. pidge responds that they used DigitalOcean’s 1-click install and have not installed any other services.

The ./discourse-doctor script is run, and pfaffman asks for the output. pidge shares the output, which shows two Docker containers running and warns about non-official plugins. pfaffman notes that the presence of two containers may indicate a problem and suggests stopping the app and running it again to troubleshoot further.

1

Hey,

So I’m just starting a community with Discourse and after enabling SSL with this tutorial and after enabling it my forum just doesn’t load. My browser just says ‘(web address) refused to connect’.

I checked and I’ve followed every step of the tutorial, any suggestions?

Thanks, Matt

2

Based on what you’ve given us, the only thing that can be said for sure is, “something went wrong”. You’ll need to examine (and possibly share) the output of the rebuild, and potentially the logs, in order for anyone to be able to provide you with useful assistance.

3

You might try running ./discourse-doctor and see if it offers any clues.

4
  • Is this a DigitalOcean install following the guide?
  • is there anything else on the machine?
  • are you using cloudflare?
5

Sorry, just seen the replies now.

I used the DigitalOcean 1 click install then connected to it via SSH and completed the setup

No, I haven’t installed anything else.

No, I’m not.

I’ve just ran it, what am I looking for?

6

What output did it give you?

7

Is there anything specific? I don’t want to post the whole thing.

8

Did it print anything that made a suggestion or that something was wrong?

You could pm it or the url to me.

The script redacts sensitive information. What is there that you don’t want to share?

9

This is the output, it had my admin password and stuff in it so that’s removed. Any clues?

DISCOURSE DOCTOR Mon Aug 6 11:45:50 UTC 2018
OS: Linux Discourse-IFN 4.4.0-130-generic #156-Ubuntu SMP Thu Jun 14 08:53:28 UTC 2018 x86_64 x86_64 x86_64 GNU/Linux


Found containers/app.yml

==================== YML SETTINGS ====================
DISCOURSE_HOSTNAME=****
SMTP_ADDRESS=****
DEVELOPER_EMAILS=me@example.com,***********************
SMTP_PASSWORD=**********
SMTP_PORT=587
SMTP_USER_NAME=****
LETSENCRYPT_ACCOUNT_EMAIL=**** LETSENCRYPT_ACCOUNT_EMAIL

==================== DOCKER INFO ====================
DOCKER VERSION: Docker version 18.03.1-ce, build 9ee9f40

DOCKER PROCESSES (docker ps -a)

CONTAINER ID        IMAGE                 COMMAND             CREATED             STATUS              PORTS                                      NAMES
75595ba274d6        local_discourse/app   "/sbin/boot"        21 seconds ago      Up 20 seconds       0.0.0.0:80->80/tcp, 0.0.0.0:443->443/tcp   app

75595ba274d6        local_discourse/app   "/sbin/boot"        21 seconds ago      Up 20 seconds       0.0.0.0:80->80/tcp, 0.0.0.0:443->443/tcp   app

Discourse container app is running


==================== PLUGINS ====================
          - git clone https://github.com/discourse/docker_manager.git
          - git clone https://github.com/discourse/discourse-staff-notes.git
          - git clone https://github.com/angusmcleod/discourse-quick-messages.git
          - git clone https://github.com/discourse/discourse-spoiler-alert.git
          - git clone https://github.com/discourse/discourse-cakeday.git
          - git clone https://github.com/discourse/discourse-adplugin.git
          - git clone https://github.com/featheredtoast/discourse-pwned-passwords.git
          - git clone https://github.com/angusmcleod/discourse-locations.git
          - git clone https://github.com/discourse/discourse-canned-replies.git

WARNING:
You have what appear to be non-official plugins.
If you are having trouble, you should disable them and try rebuilding again.

See https://github.com/discourse/discourse/blob/master/lib/plugin/metadata.rb for the official list.

========================================
Discourse version at ***: NOT FOUND
10

The URL it offers has the password data redacted, but I should remove it from the file in /tmp as well.

Like there are two docker containers running. Is that true?

If you stop the app and then run it, the will also be in the discourse-doctor log file.