# Configuring ldap client, need cert **URL:** \ **Category:** SLES Networking\ **Created:** [March 23, 2012, 7:39pm UTC](https://forums.suse.com/t/configuring-ldap-client-need-cert/22408 "2012-03-23T19:39:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![toneyc](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/958977/32.png) [@toneyc](https://forums.suse.com/u/toneyc)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2012, 7:39pm UTC](https://forums.suse.com/t/configuring-ldap-client-need-cert/22408/1 "2012-03-23T19:39:04Z")
I am configuring my first SLES11SP2 server today and the LDAP configuration has got me stopped in my tracks. There’s a new button on the “yast2 ldap” screen that is “Download CA Certificate” and a new section in the Advanced page that has a blank for Certificate Directory and CA Certificate File. How and where do I get the information needed for these? I really need more information about certificates in SLES in general if anyone has a link for documentation of same. I’m clueless when it comes to certs and how they are used and where they come from, etc. Thanks, Toney. ---
**Author:** ![malcolmlewis](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex022/user_avatar/forums.suse.com/malcolmlewis/32/11375_2.png) [@malcolmlewis](https://forums.suse.com/u/malcolmlewis)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2012, 7:57pm UTC](https://forums.suse.com/t/configuring-ldap-client-need-cert/22408/2 "2012-03-23T19:57:08Z")
> [@toneyc](#): > > I am configuring my first SLES11SP2 server today and the LDAP > configuration has got me stopped in my tracks. There’s a new button on > the “yast2 ldap” screen that is “Download CA Certificate” and a new > section in the Advanced page that has a blank for Certificate Directory > and CA Certificate File. How and where do I get the information needed > for these? I really need more information about certificates in SLES in > general if anyone has a link for documentation of same. I’m clueless > when it comes to certs and how they are used and where they come from, > etc. > > Thanks, > Toney. Hi Your subject is confusing LDAP Client, or are you talking about a LDAP server? If it’s a server, then all is normally done during the install (CA Root Certificate). – Cheers Malcolm °¿° (Linux Counter #276890) SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop 11 (x86\_64) Kernel 3.0.13-0.27-default up 1 day 3:54, 2 users, load average: 0.00, 0.01, 0.05 CPU Intel i5 CPU M520@2.40GHz | Intel Arrandale GPU ---
**Author:** ![toneyc](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/958977/32.png) [@toneyc](https://forums.suse.com/u/toneyc)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2012, 9:16pm UTC](https://forums.suse.com/t/configuring-ldap-client-need-cert/22408/3 "2012-03-23T21:16:57Z")
[QUOTE=malcolmlewis;3485]Your subject is confusing LDAP Client, or are you talking about a LDAP server?[/QUOTE] LDAP client. -Toney. ---
**Author:** ![malcolmlewis](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex022/user_avatar/forums.suse.com/malcolmlewis/32/11375_2.png) [@malcolmlewis](https://forums.suse.com/u/malcolmlewis)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2012, 9:34pm UTC](https://forums.suse.com/t/configuring-ldap-client-need-cert/22408/4 "2012-03-23T21:34:13Z")
> [@toneyc](#): > > malcolmlewis;3485 Wrote:[color=blue] > > > Your subject is confusing LDAP Client, or are you talking about a LDAP > > server?[/color] > > LDAP client. > > -Toney. Hi Have a read here; [http://www.suse.com/documentation/sles11/singlehtml/book\_security/book\_security.html#sec.ldap.yast.client](http://www.suse.com/documentation/sles11/singlehtml/book_security/book_security.html#sec.ldap.yast.client) [http://www.suse.com/documentation/sles11/singlehtml/book\_security/book\_security.html#sec.ldap.yast.client.conf.basic](http://www.suse.com/documentation/sles11/singlehtml/book_security/book_security.html#sec.ldap.yast.client.conf.basic) The certificates should come from the LDAP server your connecting to (if they are needed). – Cheers Malcolm °¿° (Linux Counter #276890) SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop 11 (x86\_64) Kernel 3.0.13-0.27-default up 1 day 5:32, 3 users, load average: 0.22, 0.11, 0.07 CPU Intel i5 CPU M520@2.40GHz | Intel Arrandale GPU ---
**Author:** ![toneyc](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/958977/32.png) [@toneyc](https://forums.suse.com/u/toneyc)\ **Post date:** [March 23, 2012, 10:17pm UTC](https://forums.suse.com/t/configuring-ldap-client-need-cert/22408/5 "2012-03-23T22:17:52Z")
Ok. I unchecked the TLS/SSL box and was able to continue. Thanks! However… If I want to use SSL I’ll need the cert. I understand that they need to come from the LDAP server, but where? It asks for a “CA Certificate URL for Download”, what should that URL be? I’ve tried [http://LDAPServerName](http://LDAPServerName) and [https://LDAPServerName](https://LDAPServerName) but neither works. Thanks, Toney. ---
**Author:** ![toneyc](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/958977/32.png) [@toneyc](https://forums.suse.com/u/toneyc)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2012, 9:02pm UTC](https://forums.suse.com/t/configuring-ldap-client-need-cert/22408/6 "2012-09-11T21:02:15Z")
The Internet is great. I was trying to get this fixed today and thought I would come here and post the question only to find that I already did it! Specifically, I need more information on section 4.4.1.4. 😃 Toney. ---
**Author:** ![tkp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ed655f/32.png) [@tkp](https://forums.suse.com/u/tkp)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2015, 3:23pm UTC](https://forums.suse.com/t/configuring-ldap-client-need-cert/22408/7 "2015-03-05T15:23:28Z")
I know it’s an old thread, but I have come across questions like this before. The first tab/page where you can click “Download CA Certificate” is used to retrieve a certificate that you have already exported and placed somewhere. Then, when you go into to the “Advanced Configuration”, you have 2 options…“Certificate Directory” and “CA Certificate file”. So the first allows you to choose a folder to store multiple Certificates (in a folder) the other allows you to select a specific issuing CA certificate for the connection…that’s how I understand it. So in any case, I would say, you need to export the certificate first, you can’t use the config tool to connect and then store the certificate locally.