How to Fix the NET::ERR_CERT_COMMON_NAME_INVALID Error

[Delaney martin]

Hello everyone,

I'm encountering a NET::ERR_CERT_COMMON_NAME_INVALID error and would greatly appreciate your insights and assistance in resolving it. If anyone has experience with this issue, your guidance would be invaluable.

[Clay Page]

The NET::ERR_CERT_COMMON_NAME_INVALID error occurs when the browser cannot verify a website's SSL certificate, leading to the inability to establish a secure connection. Typically, this problem arises due to a misconfiguration of the certificate on the server.


How to Fix the NET::ERR_CERT_COMMON_NAME_INVALID Error

1. Verify That Your SSL Certificate Is Correct

The most fundamental cause of the NET::ERR_CERT_COMMON_NAME_INVALID error is that your site’s domain doesn’t match the common name listed on your SSL certificate. So, the first fix you’ll want to try is viewing your certificate to determine if it’s been misconfigured.

To initiate the process, click the URL bar's "Not Secure" warning. From the menu that appears, choose "Certificate (Invalid):"



This will open a small window containing information about your SSL certificate:



This domain should correspond to the one you're attempting to access. If you still need to, you'll know your certificate needs to be correctly configured.

The best solution is to uninstall your current certificate and install a new one.


2. Check for Misconfigured Redirects

Reding your site from one domain to another without installing an SSL certificate on the initial domain can lead to errors. For instance, numerous SSL certificates may not inherently cover your site's www and non-www versions.

Consider this scenario: you configure www.test.com to redirect to example.com. If you have an SSL certificate installed on example.com but not on www.test.com, it's possible to encounter the NET::ERR_CERT_COMMON_NAME_INVALID error.

If you're uncertain about whether your website is redirecting visitors in this manner, you can verify it using Redirect Detective :

This utility examines redirects between the HTTP and HTTPS variants of your website and between www and non-www versions.

If you discover that redirects are causing issues with your SSL certificate, there are a couple of potential solutions to consider. First, you can modify the common name on the certificate to match the accurate domain version.

Alternatively, you can obtain an additional certificate for the domain you are redirecting from or opt for a SAN (Subject Alternative Name) certificate that encompasses both domains.


3. Make Sure Your WordPress Address and Site Address Match

1. Log into your WordPress Dashboard.
2. Navigate to Settings > General.

Check that your WordPress URL and Site URL are both the same.



Furthermore, if these URLs are configured with HTTPS, and you lack an SSL certificate, consider switching them to HTTP. Ensure to save any modifications you apply.

If, despite this adjustment, the error continues to persist, you might also need to update the addresses within your database through phpMyAdmin.

1. Log into your Cpanel account.
2. Scroll down to Database and choose phpMyAdmin.
3. Select your database, and then select the wp_options table.

Search for the home and siteurl rows. Check if you can visit your site after making any necessary address changes.




4. Assess Your Proxy Settings

A proxy server is employed to direct web traffic, preserving the anonymity of clients or origin servers. When proxy settings are improperly configured, they can impede web access and give rise to various issues, including SSL errors. To avert such problems, it's advisable to reset your proxy settings. For that,

1. From your Google Chrome browser, click on the three dots on the right side of the page.
2. Choose Settings and then Advanced.
3. After that, select the System option.
4. On this page, select Open your computer’s proxy settings.

5. Troubleshoot for a Browser Extension Conflict

Access your site using an incognito window to investigate whether a browser extension might cause the NET::ERR_CERT_COMMON_NAME_INVALID error. Open an incognito window in Google Chrome.

This step helps mitigate any interference from installed extensions. A browser extension is likely responsible for the issue if your site functions properly in incognito mode.

In such a scenario, the recommended approach is to disable your extensions individually, identifying which one triggers the error. Subsequently, you can remove the problematic extension to resolve the issue permanently.


6. Update Your Browser and Operating System (OS)

Using an outdated operating system can result in errors when accessing specific websites. Therefore, confirm that you are operating the most up-to-date Windows, macOS, or Linux version.

1. In Google Chrome, click on three dots from the right side of the page.
2. Select the Help > About Chrome.

You can view the version of your browser and enable automatic updates here: