在AWS EC2 Ubuntu16 LTS服务器上设置页面默认加载HTTPS

Hey there! Since you've already wrapped up the SSL setup and got your config files in place, let's walk through getting your site to load over HTTPS by default (with automatic redirects from HTTP). Here's what you need to do:

Step 1: Enable Apache's Rewrite Module #

First, make sure the rewrite module is enabled—this is what lets us create the HTTP-to-HTTPS redirect rule. Run these commands:

sudo a2enmod rewrite
sudo systemctl restart apache2

Step 2: Add HTTP-to-HTTPS Redirect Rules #

Since you created /etc/apache2/httpd.conf (instead of using the default 000-default.conf), we'll add the redirect logic directly here. Open the file with your preferred editor (like nano):

sudo nano /etc/apache2/httpd.conf

Paste in the following virtual host block for port 80 (HTTP):

<VirtualHost *:80>
    # Enable rewrite engine
    RewriteEngine On

    # Redirect all HTTP traffic to HTTPS permanently
    RewriteCond %{HTTPS} off
    RewriteRule ^(.*)$ https://%{HTTP_HOST}%{REQUEST_URI} [L,R=301]
</VirtualHost>

The R=301 flag means this is a permanent redirect, which is best for SEO and ensures browsers cache the redirect for future visits.

Step 3: Ensure Your HTTPS Virtual Host is Enabled #

Chances are you have an SSL config file in /etc/apache2/sites-available/ (like default-ssl.conf from your earlier setup). Let's make sure it's enabled so Apache uses it for HTTPS traffic:

sudo a2ensite default-ssl.conf

Step 4: Verify Apache Configuration & Restart #

Before restarting, check for any syntax errors in your configs—this saves you from unexpected downtime:

sudo apache2ctl configtest

If you see Syntax OK, go ahead and restart Apache to apply all changes:

sudo systemctl restart apache2

Step 5: Test the Redirect #

Open your browser and visit http://your-domain-or-ec2-ip—you should automatically be redirected to https://your-domain-or-ec2-ip. If not, double-check your AWS security group allows both port 80 (HTTP) and 443 (HTTPS) inbound traffic.

Quick Check: Is httpd.conf Being Loaded? #

Ubuntu's Apache setup usually pulls configs from the sites-enabled directory by default, so make sure your httpd.conf is being included in the main Apache config. Open /etc/apache2/apache2.conf and add this line if it's missing:

Include /etc/apache2/httpd.conf

Save the file and restart Apache again if you made this change.

内容的提问来源于stack exchange，提问作者OtagoHarbour