http - Server Name Indication (SNI) on Java

Question

Can anyone help me get started on carrying out HTTP connections with server name indication in Java?

I'm trying to request content from a site I'm adminstering. I've been using Apache's HttpClient library, but my request for secure content fails because the website only uses SNI for HTTPS, and SNI isn't enabled in the DefaultHttpClient. I've looked for instruction on how to approach this within Apache's HttpClient library, but I see end up with this document: http://hc.apache.org/httpclient-3.x/sslguide.html, which is out of date (referring to code back when HttpClient and HttpCore were part of Apache's commons package).

So... any help?

Answer 1

you might want to track https://issues.apache.org/jira/browse/HTTPCLIENT-1119

the underlying client implementation of Java 7 is capable to support it and exposes the feature via SSLSocketImpl#setHost (called by sun.net.www.protocol.https.HttpsClient

on Java 7 use

    new URL("https://cmbntr.sni.velox.ch/").openStream()

until HTTPCLIENT-1119 is fixed