Redirecting a Web Server’s IP Address to the HTTPS Version of Its Associated Website: 1 Example Using Drupal and 1 Using Publii

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  To solve the issue where entering the raw IP address redirects users to http://example.com instead of https://example.com, you can configure Apache to force redirection from the IP address to the HTTPS version of the domain. Here's how you can achieve this:
  Steps to Redirect IP to HTTPS Version
  1. To solve the issue where entering the raw IP address redirects users to http://example.com instead of https://example.com, you can configure Apache to force redirection from the IP address to the HTTPS version of the domain. Here's how you can achieve this:

  2. Steps to Redirect IP to HTTPS Version

     1. Access Your Server via SSH: Connect to your Linode VPS using SSH.
     2. Open the Apache Configuration: You need to edit the Apache configuration file. Typically, this file is found in /etc/apache2/sites-available/000-default.conf or another file you've configured for your virtual host.
     3. Run: sudo nano /etc/apache2/sites-available/000-default.conf
     4. Configure Redirection for IP Address: Add the following configuration to redirect traffic from the IP address to https://example.com:
     5. <VirtualHost *:80>
        ServerName 123.123.123.123
        Redirect 301 / https://example.com/
        </VirtualHost>
     6. Enable Apache Rewrite Module: If it’s not already enabled, you need to enable the Apache rewrite module to handle redirections:
        • sudo a2enmod rewrite
     7. Reload Apache: After saving the configuration file, reload Apache to apply the changes:
     8. sudo systemctl reload apache2
     9. Now, when a user tries to access your server using the raw IP address (e.g., http://123.123.123.123), they will be redirected to https://example.com, ensuring that all traffic is encrypted and routed through the secure version of your website.

        Problem #2:

        We have a Publii website: https://myblog.com. The IP address of the hosting Linode VPS is 111.111.111.111. Currently, accessing the IP address in a browser takes you to http://myblog.com. How can we fix this to redirect users to https://myblog.com?

        For the Publii website hosted on a Linode VPS using Apache, we follow a similar approach to ensure that accessing the raw IP address redirects users to the HTTPS version of the website.

        Steps to Redirect IP to HTTPS Version for Publii

        1. Access Your Server via SSH:
        Connect to your Linode VPS using SSH:

        ssh username@111.111.111.111
     2. Edit the Apache Configuration File:
     Open the Apache configuration file for the Publii site. This file is usually found in /etc/apache2/sites-available/, named something like myblog.conf:
     
     
  3. sudo nano /etc/apache2/sites-available/myblog.conf
  4. Configure Redirection for IP Address:
     Add a VirtualHost block to redirect requests from the IP address to https://myblog.com:
  5. <VirtualHost *:80>
         ServerName 111.111.111.111
         Redirect 301 / https://myblog.com/
     </VirtualHost>
  6. Enable Apache Rewrite Module (if needed):
     To handle redirections, make sure the rewrite module is enabled:
  7. sudo a2enmod rewrite
  8. Reload Apache to Apply Changes:
     Save your changes to the configuration file, then reload Apache to apply the new settings:
  9. sudo systemctl reload apache2
  10. With this setup, any requests made to http://111.111.111.111 will automatically redirect to https://myblog.com, ensuring a consistent and secure browsing experience for your users.

Summary

Redirecting the raw IP address to the HTTPS version of a website is crucial for maintaining secure connections, consistent branding, and user trust. By configuring Apache correctly, both the Drupal and Publii websites can automatically redirect all traffic, including from their IP addresses, to their secure HTTPS versions, ensuring all users experience the highest level of security and confidence in your site.