# Https with let's encrypt behind a vpn?

**URL:** <https://meta.discourse.org/t/https-with-lets-encrypt-behind-a-vpn/112726>\
**Category:** Self-hosting\
**Created:** [March 27, 2019, 3:16pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/https-with-lets-encrypt-behind-a-vpn/112726 "2019-03-27T15:16:07Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Showing post:** 1

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**Author:** ![tbeaudry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/91b2a8/32.png) [@tbeaudry](https://meta.discourse.org/u/tbeaudry)\
**Post date:** [March 27, 2019, 3:16pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/https-with-lets-encrypt-behind-a-vpn/112726/1 "2019-03-27T15:16:08Z")

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Hi everyone,

Here is my situation. I have a discourse setup that is only privately accessible via my Universitie’s VPN. I wanted to know if https with let’s encrypt is going to work, or do i have to go about it a different way. I tried following the ./discouse-setup install method and entered an email to use for let’s encrpt, but the cert files weren’t created properly:

```
# ls -l /var/discourse/shared/standalone/ssl
total 4
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 0 Mar 26 17:23 perform-disco.concordia.ca.cer
-rw------- 1 root root 3247 Mar 26 17:23 perform-disco.concordia.ca.key

```

If i look at ./launcher logs app i see:

`nginx: [emerg] PEM_read_bio_X509_AUX("/shared/ssl/perform-disco.concordia.ca.cer") failed (SSL: error:0906D06C:PEM routines:PEM_read_bio:no start line:Expecting: TRUSTED CERTIFICATE)`

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

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