Install a browser certificate

Make your browser trust the controller, so the Motorcortex tools can open an encrypted connection to it.

  6 minute read  

The browser and the controller only talk over encrypted connections: HTTPS for the pages and WSS for the live data. Your browser accepts such a connection only when it trusts the controller’s certificate. You make it trust the controller by installing one file, the Motorcortex CA certificateA certificate authority (CA) certificate vouches for other certificates. A browser that trusts a CA accepts every certificate that CA has signed. , once per PC.

Why one file is enough

The controller makes its own server certificate at every start-up, for all of its addresses and its host name, and signs it with the Motorcortex Root CA. Your browser checks that signature. When you have imported the Root CA, the check passes for every controller that uses it, whatever its address.

Once, on your PC At every start-up, on the controller Download mcx.cert.crt mcx.cert.crt The Motorcortex Root CA Download › import Browser trust store Trusts every certificate that the Motorcortex Root CA signed cert-gen Makes a server certificate for its addresses and host name, signed by the Root CA When you open https://192.168.2.100 looks up the signer Browser checks Is the server certificate signed by a root it trusts? sends its certificate Yes: padlock The page opens, the tools connect No: security warning NET::ERR_CERT_AUTHORITY_INVALID

Download the certificate

Click the button to download mcx.cert.crt. It lands in your downloads folder.

Download button for the Motorcortex certificate mcx.cert.crt

Install it

Where the certificate goes depends on your system and browser. Chrome and Edge on Windows, and Chrome and Safari on macOS, use the certificates of the system. Chrome on Ubuntu has its own list. Firefox has its own list on every system.


Chrome on Ubuntu

Chrome on Ubuntu keeps its own list of trusted certificates. Using Firefox? Open the Firefox tab instead.

  1. Type chrome://certificate-manager/ in the address bar and press Enter.

  2. Go to Local certificates, and under Custom click Installed by you.

    Chrome Certificate Manager, Local certificates: Installed by you under Custom

  3. Next to Trusted Certificates, click Import.

  4. Select the mcx.cert.crt you downloaded and open it.

  5. Motorcortex Root CA now shows under Trusted Certificates.

    Chrome Certificate Manager, Installed by you: Motorcortex Root CA listed under Trusted Certificates

Windows

Chrome and Edge use the certificates of Windows, so you install the file in Windows itself. Using Firefox? Open the Firefox tab instead.

  1. Double-click the downloaded mcx.cert.crt. If Windows asks whether to open it, click Open.

    Windows Downloads folder with mcx.cert.crt

  2. In the Certificate window, click Install Certificate....

    Windows Certificate window of the root certificate with the Install Certificate button

  3. The Certificate Import Wizard opens. Keep the store location Current User and click Next.

    Certificate Import Wizard: store location Current User

  4. Select Place all certificates in the following store.

  5. Click Browse....

    Certificate Import Wizard: Place all certificates in the following store, with the Browse button

  6. Select Trusted Root Certification Authorities.

  7. Click OK.

    Select Certificate Store: Trusted Root Certification Authorities selected

  8. Certificate store: now shows Trusted Root Certification Authorities. Click Next.

    Certificate Import Wizard with Trusted Root Certification Authorities as the certificate store

  9. Click Finish.

    Completing the Certificate Import Wizard, with the Finish button

  10. Windows warns that you are about to install a root certificate. Click Yes: this is the certificate you want to trust.

    Windows security warning about installing the Motorcortex Root CA certificate, with the Yes button

  11. Windows reports that the import was successful. Click OK.

    The import was successful message

  12. Restart Windows, so every browser picks up the certificate.


macOS

Chrome and Safari use the certificates in Keychain Access, so you install the file there. Using Firefox? Open the Firefox tab instead.

  1. Double-click the downloaded mcx.cert.crt and allow Keychain Access to add it.

    macOS prompt to add the certificate to Keychain Access

  2. Motorcortex Root CA now shows in Keychain Access, but it is not trusted yet.

    Keychain Access with Motorcortex Root CA in the list

  3. Double-click Motorcortex Root CA to open its trust settings.

  4. Set When using this certificate to Always Trust.

    Trust settings of Motorcortex Root CA: When using this certificate set to Always Trust

  5. Close the window and confirm with your macOS password to save the change.


Firefox

Firefox keeps its own list of trusted certificates, so you import the file in Firefox itself. The steps are the same on every system.

  1. Open the menu at the top right.

  2. Open Settings.

    Firefox menu with Settings

  3. Go to Privacy & Security.

  4. Scroll down to Security and click View Certificates....

    Firefox Privacy and Security settings with the View Certificates button

  5. In the Certificate Manager, open the Authorities tab.

  6. Click Import....

    Firefox Certificate Manager, Authorities tab, with the Import button

  7. Select the mcx.cert.crt you downloaded and open it.

  8. In the Downloading Certificate window, tick Trust this CA to identify websites.

  9. Click OK.

    Firefox Downloading Certificate window with Trust this CA to identify websites ticked

Check it works

Open https://controller_ip_addressThe IP address of your controller. In most cases 192.168.2.100. in the browser you installed the certificate for.


It works

The address bar shows a padlock and the Motorcortex page opens. The text under the logo does not matter here; the padlock does.

Chrome at https://192.168.2.100 with a padlock in the address bar and the Motorcortex logo

It does not work

Chrome shows Your connection is not private with the code NET::ERR_CERT_AUTHORITY_INVALID. Chrome does not trust the certificate yet.

Chrome warning Your connection is not private with NET::ERR_CERT_AUTHORITY_INVALID

Check that Motorcortex Root CA is in the list where you imported it: under Installed by you in chrome://certificate-manager/ on Ubuntu, in the Windows store, or in Keychain Access with Always Trust on macOS. If it is missing, install it again.


It works

The address bar shows a padlock and the Motorcortex page opens. The text under the logo does not matter here; the padlock does.

Firefox at https://192.168.2.100 with a padlock in the address bar and the Motorcortex logo

It does not work

Firefox shows Warning: Potential Security Risk Ahead. Firefox does not trust the certificate yet.

Firefox warning Warning: Potential Security Risk Ahead for 192.168.2.100

Check that the certificate is in the Authorities tab of the Firefox Certificate Manager: look for Motorcortex Root CA under Vectioneer Certificate Authority. If it is missing, import it again.

Firefox Certificate Manager, Authorities tab: Motorcortex Root CA under org-Vectioneer Certificate Authority

Still a warning after a new import? Close every window of the browser and open it again. For other browser problems, see the FAQ.

Next: Step 3: deploy an application.