Let's encrypt for SSL on root domain: example.com while using: gitlab.example.com for gitlab

Following a droplet install on Digital Ocean using Ubuntu 18.04 Gitlab CE 13.4.4 I discovered Let’s Encrypts latest in auto deployment , Thank you for that btw.

While installing we set EXTERNAL_URL to gitlab.example.com and successfully had SSL enabled on that domain. However example.com was not SSL enabled and after many dead ends it is time to ask the community how to enable SSL on the root domain.

Attempting to try changing EXTERNAL_URL to example.com. worked and now SSL was enabled at example.com however gitlab.example.com failed SSL.

I have attempted to use the Pages let’s Encrypt function - however it requires a cname to get to the pages url - however with our external_url configured to gitlab.example.com using a cname is redundant…

I also looked into ci/cd environment variables - but this didn’t work to create SSL protection for root domain Example.com - from my experiments.

Objective: enable lets encrypt ssl protection for gitlab.example.com, www.example.com and example.com

Since setting EXTERNAL_URL to gitlab.example.com works we are working with that for now.

Goal: Adding Let’s Encrypt. SSL Cert to the root domain and www. cname for example.com using the integrated Lets Encrypt with GitLab 13.4.4. ( Now 13.5. )

Ideas?

Have you checked this solution that greg suggested. It might be a solution for you as well?