You’ve probably heard the term SSL or HTTPS when setting up a website. But there’s one behind-the-scenes feature that makes it all work smoothly — SNI.
SNI, short for Server Name Indication, is a key feature that powers secure browsing for websites sharing the same IP address.
If you’re running multiple sites or using shared hosting, SNI is the reason you can serve HTTPS without needing a dedicated IP address.
SNI in Simple Terms
Before SNI, if you wanted your site to run over HTTPS (with the padlock icon), you’d need:
- A unique IP address for each domain
- A separate SSL certificate per site
- A complex server configuration
But that changed with SNI.
Here’s what happens when someone visits your HTTPS site today:
Your browser tells the server which domain it’s visiting (thanks to SNI), and the server responds with the right SSL certificate.
Without SNI, your browser wouldn’t know which certificate to load, and it could trigger a warning like “This connection is not secure.”
The Problem SNI Solved
Let’s say you host three websites:
cakes.co.kedesigns.co.kehostingplans.co.ke
All three use HTTPS, and you don’t want to pay for three different IP addresses.
SNI makes that possible.
It allows the web server to serve a different SSL certificate for each domain —e ven if they all use the same IP address.
This means your visitors can access each site securely, with the correct certificate, and without issues.
A Closer Look: How SNI Works During HTTPS
Here’s the technical flow, broken down:
- A browser (like Chrome or Firefox) requests a secure connection to a domain (e.g.,
cakes.co.ke) - The browser includes the domain name during the TLS handshake
- The server checks the domain and sends the correct SSL certificate
- A secure connection is established — quickly and without errors
Before SNI existed, the domain name wasn’t shared until after the SSL certificate was presented. That meant the server had to guess, or just show a default certificate — often leading to warnings.
Which Browsers and Systems Support SNI?
Almost all modern browsers and operating systems support SNI:
- Google Chrome (since version 6)
- Mozilla Firefox (since version 2)
- Safari (3.2 and above)
- Microsoft Edge
- Internet Explorer 7+ (on Windows Vista and newer)
- Android 3.0+ and iOS 4+
Not supported:
- Internet Explorer 6 on Windows XP
- Some very old embedded systems or legacy applications
If you’re targeting a general audience in Kenya, you’re safe using SNI. Most users now browse with up-to-date mobile and desktop browsers.
Why Hosting Providers Use SNI by Default
If you’re using shared hosting from providers like Truehost, HostPinnacle, or Hostinger, you’re already relying on SNI — even if you didn’t know it.
That’s because:
- IP addresses are limited resources
- Most shared servers run hundreds of websites
- SNI allows each of them to use SSL without dedicated IPs
Without SNI, your hosting provider would need to assign a unique IP address to every customer who wants HTTPS. T
hat’s costly, unnecessary, and inefficient.
When You Shouldn’t Use SNI
There are a few rare cases where SNI isn’t the best option:
- Your audience still uses Windows XP or old embedded browsers
- You’re building an internal system that doesn’t support modern protocols
- You need advanced SSL setups like wildcard SSL or multi-domain SAN certificates for legacy systems
- You’re deploying software behind a load balancer or gateway that lacks SNI support
In these cases, you should request a dedicated IP from your hosting provider and configure SSL manually.
Pros and Cons of Using SNI
Let’s break it down in a simple table:
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| No need for extra IP addresses | Doesn’t work on very old browsers or devices |
| Saves hosting and infrastructure costs | May require additional config for enterprise environments |
| Works on all modern browsers and devices | Wildcard/multi-site SSL might need more setup |
| Simplifies shared hosting setups | Not supported by some outdated load balancers |
Does SNI Affect SEO or Speed?
Here’s a clearer and more accurate version of that section:
Does SNI Affect SEO or Speed?
No, SNI doesn’t negatively affect your website’s SEO or speed.
Search engines like Google treat SNI-enabled HTTPS the same way they treat any properly configured SSL certificate. It doesn’t matter if your site is using a shared IP address through SNI or a dedicated one — as long as the HTTPS is valid and secure, you’re good.
In fact:
Google has confirmed that HTTPS is a positive ranking signal.
So using SSL through SNI can actually help improve your site’s visibility in search results.
As for speed — SNI has no noticeable impact on page load times. The TLS handshake might add a few milliseconds, but this is standard for all HTTPS connections, with or without SNI.
✅ What does affect speed and rankings is how well your site is optimized overall — things like image compression, caching, and mobile responsiveness.
Final Thoughts: SNI Is Now the Norm
SNI is what powers most of the secure web today. It’s how you’re able to launch a secure site on a budget, on a shared server, and without technical headaches.
To recap:
- SNI lets a single server serve multiple SSL certificates
- It’s supported by all major browsers and operating systems
- It eliminates the need for dedicated IP addresses
- You only need to worry if your audience still uses very old tech
If you’re setting up a website in 2025, your host almost certainly supports SNI — and you’ll benefit from it even if you don’t configure it manually.