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NGINX can serve several HTTPS domains from one IP address by using TLS Server Name Indication (SNI). Create one server block per hostname, keep the same listen 443 ssl; endpoint in each block, and assign each block its own certificate and private key. The client sends the requested hostname during the TLS handshake, allowing NGINX to select the matching certificate.
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What makes multiple certificates work on one IP
HTTPS normally begins with a TLS handshake, before NGINX receives an HTTP request. At that point the server needs to know which certificate to present. TLS SNI solves the problem by allowing the client to include the hostname it intends to visit in the handshake.
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NGINX initially creates a connection in a default-server context. If the client sends SNI, NGINX can switch to the virtual server whose server_name matches that value and present that server’s certificate. If the client sends no SNI, uses a name that does not match, or connects by literal IP address, NGINX may present the certificate belonging to the default server instead.
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This is why a second domain can appear to have the wrong certificate even when its configuration exists: the client may not have supplied SNI, the name may not match exactly, or the intended configuration may not have been loaded.
Prerequisites and compatibility checks
Confirm NGINX and OpenSSL support SNI
Check the compiled NGINX features before changing configuration:
nginx -V 2>&1Review the output for the SNI support indication described in NGINX’s documentation. SNI support is documented from NGINX 0.5.23 onward. The ssl parameter on the listen directive is documented from NGINX 0.7.14 onward.
Also verify that the OpenSSL library used at runtime supports SNI. A dynamically linked library without the required TLS extension support can prevent SNI from working even when the NGINX binary itself was built with the feature.
Prepare DNS and certificate names
Each public hostname must resolve to the address where NGINX accepts HTTPS connections. More importantly, the hostname written in server_name must exactly match a name in that certificate’s Subject Alternative Name (SAN) set. A certificate for www.example.com does not automatically cover example.com, and a certificate for one unrelated domain cannot be made correct by changing NGINX configuration.
Plan the file layout and permissions
Keep each site’s certificate and key in a predictable directory, for example:
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/etc/nginx/tls/www.example.com/fullchain.pem
/etc/nginx/tls/www.example.com/privkey.pem
/etc/nginx/tls/www.example.org/fullchain.pem
/etc/nginx/tls/www.example.org/privkey.pemThe NGINX master process must be able to read the files when it starts or reloads. Private keys should remain readable only by the account or group that requires them; do not make key files broadly readable just to overcome a permissions error.
Build each certificate PEM correctly
For every hostname, the file named by ssl_certificate should contain the leaf certificate first, followed by the intermediate certificates that form the chain. This combined PEM is commonly called a full chain. Put the matching private key in the file named by ssl_certificate_key.
Do not swap a key between sites. NGINX must be able to pair each certificate with its corresponding private key, and the certificate itself must contain the requested hostname in its SAN set. A valid certificate for the wrong name is still the wrong certificate.
When several servers genuinely use one common certificate and key, the directives can be placed at http scope so the servers inherit them and NGINX keeps one memory copy. That optimization is appropriate only when the same certificate and key are intended for every inheriting server; separate domains normally need separate paths and separate keys.
Configure one HTTPS server block per hostname
Place the following pattern inside the NGINX http context. The two blocks intentionally listen on the same HTTPS endpoint:
http {
server {
listen 443 ssl;
server_name www.example.com;
ssl_certificate /etc/nginx/tls/www.example.com/fullchain.pem;
ssl_certificate_key /etc/nginx/tls/www.example.com/privkey.pem;
root /srv/www/example-com;
}
server {
listen 443 ssl;
server_name www.example.org;
ssl_certificate /etc/nginx/tls/www.example.org/fullchain.pem;
ssl_certificate_key /etc/nginx/tls/www.example.org/privkey.pem;
root /srv/www/example-org;
}
}What each directive does
listen 443 ssl;enables TLS on port 443. Every HTTPS block in this arrangement uses the same address and port.server_namedeclares the hostname that NGINX should match during SNI and during HTTP request routing. Use the exact names covered by the certificate.ssl_certificatepoints to the PEM containing the leaf certificate and its intermediate chain.ssl_certificate_keypoints to the private key paired with that certificate.rootis only an example of per-site content routing; proxy applications can use their own location and upstream configuration instead.
You can add additional domains by copying the block, changing server_name, and assigning the matching certificate paths. Do not put two unrelated certificates in one block and expect NGINX to infer which one to use; certificate selection is tied to the virtual server selected by the hostname.
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Choose the default server deliberately
When several servers share an address and port, one becomes the default for that listening socket. If no block is marked explicitly, the first matching listen definition is normally used as the default. You can make the choice clear with:
server {
listen 443 ssl default_server;
server_name _;
ssl_certificate /etc/nginx/tls/default/fullchain.pem;
ssl_certificate_key /etc/nginx/tls/default/privkey.pem;
return 444;
}The default certificate is what a non-SNI client, an unmatched hostname, or a request made directly to the IP address can receive. Select a certificate and response policy for that case intentionally. A default block that closes or rejects unknown names can prevent an unrelated site from being served, but clients that do not send SNI still cannot receive a name-specific certificate from another block.
Validate the configuration before reloading
- Run
nginx -V 2>&1and confirm that the build and runtime OpenSSL combination supports SNI. - Check every certificate’s SAN list and compare it with the corresponding
server_name. Include every name users will actually request, such as both an apex name and awwwname when both are used. - Verify that the certificate PEM begins with the leaf certificate and has the required intermediate certificates after it. Confirm that the private key is readable by the NGINX master process but not by unnecessary accounts.
- Test syntax and file access with:
nginx -tDo not reload after a failed test. Fix the reported path, permission, duplicate-listen, or syntax error first.
- Reload NGINX through the service manager used by your operating system. A systemd host commonly uses
systemctl reload nginx; another platform may use a different service command. The command must perform a reload of the tested configuration rather than restarting an unrelated installation. - Test each hostname with SNI explicitly:
openssl s_client -connect 203.0.113.10:443 -servername www.example.com
openssl s_client -connect 203.0.113.10:443 -servername www.example.orgInspect the certificate returned by each connection, including its subject, SAN entries, issuer, and chain. The -servername value is essential: without it, the test intentionally behaves like a client that did not send SNI and will commonly show the default certificate.
Why NGINX can show the wrong certificate
The test used a literal IP address
A browser or TLS client connecting to https://203.0.113.10/ has no hostname that identifies one of the virtual servers. NGINX therefore has to use the default-server context. Test with the real hostname, or use openssl s_client with -servername.
The client did not send SNI
Older or otherwise incompatible TLS clients may omit SNI. They can receive only the default certificate when several names share one address. If those clients are a requirement, use separate IP addresses so each HTTPS server has an unambiguous endpoint.
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server_name and SAN do not match
Check spelling, punctuation, and subdomain depth. A certificate containing www.example.com does not cover example.com unless that apex name is also listed. NGINX can route a request to a block whose certificate does not contain the requested name, but the client will report a hostname-validation error.
The intended block was not loaded
A valid file on disk has no effect until the active NGINX configuration includes it and a successful reload applies it. Run nginx -t, confirm the paths shown in the active configuration, and reload through the correct service manager. If two installations of NGINX exist, make sure the command you test and the service you reload refer to the same installation.
The default block wins during the handshake
Inspect all listen 443 definitions for an unintended default_server assignment or a block that appears first and becomes the implicit default. The default matters whenever SNI is absent or unmatched; it does not replace a correctly matched SNI block.
The certificate chain is incomplete
An incomplete PEM can cause trust errors even when the leaf certificate is the correct one. Rebuild the file with the primary certificate first and the intermediate certificates after it, then retest with openssl s_client. Keep this chain issue separate from hostname selection: adding intermediates does not make a certificate cover a different domain.
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Permission or path errors appear during configuration testing or reload. Check ownership, directory traversal permissions, and the exact spelling of every filename. Grant the NGINX master process the minimum read access needed for the key and certificate files.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Alternatives to separate SNI certificates
SNI is usually the simplest design when each domain needs an independent certificate, but other arrangements can fit particular naming or compatibility requirements.
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| Approach | Client compatibility | Best fit | Management considerations | Limits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Separate certificates with SNI | Requires clients to send SNI | Unrelated domains sharing one IP | Each hostname has its own PEM, key, renewal, and server block |
Non-SNI clients receive the default certificate |
| One SAN certificate | One certificate can serve listed names without selecting among separate certificates | A known group of exact hostnames managed together | One certificate and key to deploy and renew | The SAN field has a finite size; every required name must be listed |
| Wildcard certificate | Uses one certificate for matching names | Many subdomains at one level, such as *.example.org |
One certificate can simplify deployment across those subdomains | A wildcard covers one subdomain level; it does not cover example.org itself or www.sub.example.org |
| Separate IP addresses | Works for clients that do not send SNI | Legacy-client compatibility or strict endpoint separation | Each HTTPS service gets an unambiguous address and can retain independent configuration | Requires additional addresses and corresponding network allocation |
The naming pattern should drive the choice. A SAN certificate is practical when the complete list of exact names is stable. A wildcard is useful only within its single-level scope. Separate IPs are the compatibility fallback when clients cannot send SNI. Independent SNI certificates avoid putting unrelated names and renewal schedules into one certificate.
Advanced NGINX certificate patterns
Different certificate types for the same names
Current NGINX versions can repeat ssl_certificate and ssl_certificate_key for different certificate types, such as RSA and ECDSA, when the available OpenSSL capabilities support them. This lets compatible clients receive an appropriate certificate type while the same hostname remains in one virtual-server design. Test the resulting handshake from the client types you need to support before deploying this arrangement broadly.
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Variable certificate filenames
NGINX documents support for variables in certificate filenames from version 1.15.9. Variable paths can support more dynamic layouts, but they add configuration complexity and make file-selection mistakes harder to diagnose. Static, hostname-specific paths are easier to audit for a small set of sites.
Certificate caching
NGINX documents certificate caching from version 1.27.4. Treat this as a version-specific capability rather than a requirement for ordinary SNI configuration. The basic design works with explicit certificate paths in each server block.
Deployment checklist
- Every HTTPS hostname has its own
serverblock or an intentional shared-certificate design. - All blocks use the same intended HTTPS address and port, normally
listen 443 ssl;. - Each
server_nameexactly matches a SAN entry in its certificate. - Each certificate PEM starts with the leaf certificate and includes the required intermediates.
- Each private key matches its certificate and has restricted read access.
- The default server is deliberate for unmatched, literal-IP, and non-SNI connections.
nginx -tsucceeds before the reload.- Every hostname is tested with an SNI-aware command such as
openssl s_client -connect 203.0.113.10:443 -servername hostname.example. - The service manager reloads the same NGINX installation whose configuration was tested.
With those conditions met, one IP can terminate HTTPS for multiple names cleanly: SNI selects the certificate during the handshake, and the matching HTTP virtual server then serves the requested site.
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