A digital certificate associating a unique identifier for a computer-based appliance with an authentication key pair for that appliance is obtained from a certificate authority using a different, manufacturing key pair for the appliance. The manufacturing key pair may be generated by the appliance at or about its time of manufacture. The public key portion of the manufacturing key pair along with the unique identifier for the appliance may be provided via secure means to the certificate authority prior to the request for the digital certificate concerning the authentication key pair. Eventually, the digital certificate associated with the authentication key pair may be used by the appliance when joining a network, as part of a one-way or two-way authentication process.