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Use WordPress Multisite when each domain needs its own site, content, and settings. Create a domain-based network, point every domain to the same WordPress directory, and map each hostname to a subsite. WordPress 4.5 and later include native domain mapping, so a mapping plugin is not required for the core operation.
If several domains should display exactly the same site, do not create multiple subsites. Choose one canonical domain and redirect the other hostnames at the web-server layer. Multisite is designed for separate network sites, not as a general-purpose alias system.
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The phrase “multiple domains on one WordPress install” can describe two different designs. Deciding which one you need prevents unnecessary database tables, login problems, and search-engine duplication.
| Requirement | Recommended design | What the visitor sees |
|---|---|---|
| Separate websites with independent pages, menus, users, and settings | WordPress Multisite with one subsite per domain | Each site opens on its own hostname, such as https://example.com |
| One website reachable through several domains | One canonical WordPress site plus web-server redirects for aliases | Non-canonical domains redirect to the chosen primary URL |
| Completely isolated updates, databases, and migrations | Separate WordPress installations | Each domain has its own installation and operational boundary |
A Multisite network shares WordPress core and network administration while allowing individual subsites to maintain their own content. It is therefore efficient for a group of related sites, but a network move or recovery is more complicated than moving one standalone site.
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How domain-based Multisite works
A domain-based network still has one WordPress code directory. DNS sends each hostname to the server, the server routes each hostname to that directory, and WordPress selects the matching subsite from the network tables. WordPress.org describes this as configuring both DNS and the server so the domain reaches the WordPress installation directory: prepare the network.
WordPress 4.5 introduced native domain mapping. The official documentation states: “In WordPress 4.5+, domain mapping is a native feature.” The mapping feature is documented at WordPress domain mapping. A plugin can still add workflow or provisioning features, but it is not required to perform the core mapping.
Subdomain network
A subdomain network gives new sites addresses such as site1.example.com. It is convenient when sites will be created on demand under one parent domain. Such networks need wildcard DNS so previously unknown subdomains can resolve to the server. The exact wildcard record and hosting control-panel steps depend on your DNS provider and server.
Subdirectory network
A subdirectory network gives sites addresses such as example.com/site1. It avoids wildcard subdomain DNS, but the URL path is shared with the main site. If the final public addresses will be unrelated domains, you can still create the network and then map those domains to individual subsites.
| Decision point | Subdomain network | Subdirectory network |
|---|---|---|
| Default site URL | site1.example.com |
example.com/site1 |
| DNS requirement | Wildcard DNS is needed for on-demand subdomains | No wildcard subdomain requirement |
| Best fit | Many sites created beneath one parent domain | Path-oriented sites or installations where wildcard DNS is undesirable |
| Mapped external domains | Can be mapped after the subsite exists | Can be mapped after the subsite exists |
Prerequisites and safety checks
Complete these checks before changing configuration. The official Create a Network guide requires a database and file backup, working pretty permalinks, and deactivated active plugins before network creation.
- Back up the database and all WordPress files. Keep a copy outside the server and confirm that it can be restored.
- Verify pretty permalinks. Open several existing posts and pages using their normal, non-query-string URLs. Fix rewrite problems before enabling the network.
- Deactivate active plugins. Record which plugins were active so you can test and reactivate them deliberately after the network is created.
- Confirm administrative access. You need access to
wp-config.php, the web-server or hosting control panel, DNS management, and Network Admin. - Inventory every hostname. List the primary domain, each future mapped domain, and any
wwwor non-wwwvariant you intend to redirect. - Plan HTTPS before launch. Each public hostname must have a certificate and serve HTTPS; do not leave mapped administrative login pages on plain HTTP.
- Check server support. Apache and IIS can receive generated Multisite rewrite rules. WordPress does not generate Nginx configuration, so an Nginx administrator must implement the rules manually.
Set up the network step by step
1. Enable the Multisite screen
- Open the WordPress installation’s
wp-config.phpfile. - Add
define( 'WP_ALLOW_MULTISITE', true );before the line that says WordPress has stopped editing the file. - Sign in to the WordPress dashboard and open Tools → Network Setup.
The screen generates instructions specific to your installation. Follow those generated lines rather than copying a generic example, because the required constants and rewrite block depend on whether you selected subdomains or subdirectories. The complete procedure is in Create a Network.
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2. Select the network URL model
On Network Setup, choose Sub-domains or Sub-directories. Enter a network title and network administrator email, then submit the form. WordPress displays a second set of installation-specific instructions for wp-config.php and the rewrite configuration.
New networks can have restrictions based on the age or URL structure of an existing installation. If WordPress does not offer the structure you expected, read the generated notice and resolve the stated condition before proceeding; do not force a different model by editing database values manually.
3. Apply the generated configuration
- Copy the additional constants shown by Network Setup into
wp-config.php. - Replace the existing WordPress rewrite block in the server configuration with the network rules shown by the installer.
- Save the file, reload the web server if your hosting environment requires it, and return to the dashboard.
Apache and IIS instructions are covered in the network guide. For Nginx, use the generated URL structure and implement equivalent multisite routing in the server configuration yourself; WordPress explicitly notes that it cannot generate Nginx configuration. See Multisite administration.
Route every domain to the same installation
Mapping in WordPress cannot work if the request never reaches WordPress. For each domain, perform both sides of the routing requirement:
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- DNS: Create the necessary DNS record so the hostname resolves to the server’s IP address. Use the record type and value required by your DNS provider and hosting environment.
- Server hosting entry: Add the domain as a virtual host, add-on domain, or equivalent entry, and set its document root to the existing WordPress installation directory.
- Canonical host handling: Decide whether the
wwwand non-wwwforms are separate mapped sites or one preferred form with a redirect. - Propagation test: Confirm that each hostname reaches this WordPress installation before attempting to map it in Network Admin.
WordPress’s preparation documentation summarizes the requirement: “Whichever methods you use, you will need to configure your DNS (to map the domain name to the server’s IP address) and server (to map the domain name to the WordPress installation directory).” Read the full guidance at Prepare your network.
Install HTTPS for every hostname
Obtain and install an SSL certificate that covers the primary domain and every mapped domain. If the domains are on the same server, Server Name Indication (SNI) allows the server to present the correct certificate for each hostname. Configure HTTP-to-HTTPS redirects only after HTTPS works on every host, and check that administrative URLs, media, and embedded resources do not load insecurely.
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Every mapped domain should serve HTTPS because WordPress administration cookies and credentials travel through that hostname. The domain-mapping documentation explains the SSL and SNI requirement at Domain Mapping.
Create subsites and map their domains
1. Create the subsite
- Sign in as a Super Admin.
- Open Network Admin → Sites → Add New.
- Enter the site address, title, and administrator email, then create the site.
The initial site address follows the network model, for example site1.example.com in a subdomain network or example.com/site1 in a subdirectory network. Use a stable internal address even if the public address will be a separate domain.
2. Replace the public address with the mapped domain
- In Network Admin → Sites, locate the new subsite and select Edit.
- On the Info tab, find Site Address (URL).
- Enter the complete public URL, including the scheme, such as
https://example.com. - Save the change, then open the mapped domain in a private browser window.
Use the exact HTTPS form that the server presents. Do not append a path unless the site is intentionally served from a path. The official mapping instructions describe this same Site Address (URL) edit at Domain Mapping.
3. Configure site-specific administration
Visit the subsite dashboard through its mapped URL, review Settings → General, and verify that WordPress Address and Site Address remain consistent with the mapped hostname. Assign the appropriate site administrator, activate only plugins and themes that are compatible with Multisite, and set the site’s menus, widgets, and content independently from other subsites.
Fix mapped-site login and cookie failures
A common symptom is a mapped site that displays correctly but reports blocked cookies, repeatedly returns to the login page, or silently fails to authenticate. Do not add cookie constants preemptively. The official troubleshooting instruction says to add the following line to wp-config.php, after the network configuration, when that documented symptom occurs:
define( 'COOKIE_DOMAIN', $_SERVER['HTTP_HOST'] );Apply the change in a test window, clear cookies for the affected host, and sign in again. If the problem persists, inspect HTTPS redirects, mixed hostnames, proxy headers, and caching rules before changing additional WordPress constants. Validate the result on every mapped domain because a cookie setting that fixes one hostname can affect another.
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Native mapping or a plugin?
For WordPress 4.5 and later, native mapping is the baseline. Choose a plugin only when you need workflow or features beyond assigning a subsite’s URL, and confirm that it supports your WordPress version, hosting stack, HTTPS arrangement, and caching layer.
| Option | Strengths | Trade-offs |
|---|---|---|
| Native Multisite mapping | Included in WordPress 4.5+, fewer moving parts, documented by WordPress.org | DNS, virtual-host setup, certificates, and rewrite rules remain your responsibility |
| Domain-mapping plugin | May add bulk assignment, provisioning, or registrar-oriented workflows | Another component to update and troubleshoot; compatibility must be checked |
A plugin cannot replace DNS or server routing. If a hostname does not reach the installation directory, neither native mapping nor a plugin can select the intended subsite.
Apache, IIS, and Nginx differences
Apache
Apply the rewrite block generated by Network Setup in the appropriate configuration file or .htaccess, according to your hosting provider’s rules. Confirm that the rewrite module is enabled and that the document root points to the WordPress directory.
IIS
Use the IIS rules generated by WordPress and ensure the site binding includes every mapped hostname. A binding that omits a domain can send the request to a different site before WordPress sees it.
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WordPress does not generate Nginx configuration. The Nginx administrator must write the multisite rewrite and PHP routing rules, include every server name, and reload Nginx safely. Test a static file, the front page, a permalink, /wp-admin/, and a subsite URL after each configuration change.
Verify the finished network
Use this checklist before publishing content on the new domains:
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- Each domain resolves to the intended server and reaches the same WordPress directory.
- HTTP requests redirect to the chosen HTTPS URL without a redirect loop.
- The mapped front page, one deep permalink, an image, and a 404 page load correctly.
- The browser address bar stays on the mapped domain instead of reverting to the temporary subdomain or subdirectory.
- Logging in and logging out works from the mapped hostname, including a private browsing session.
- Links, canonical tags, feeds, sitemaps, and uploaded media use the intended hostname.
- Users with access to one subsite cannot administer another site unless they are explicitly Super Admins.
- Caches and content-delivery layers vary correctly by hostname and do not serve one subsite’s page to another.
- Backups include the shared WordPress files and the complete Multisite database.
Troubleshoot by symptom
The domain shows a hosting placeholder or another website
DNS or the virtual-host entry is wrong. Confirm the hostname’s DNS answer, then verify that the server entry uses the same document root as the WordPress installation. Mapping the URL in Network Admin will not correct a server-level mismatch.
The site returns 404 errors for posts and pages
Rewrites were not applied correctly. Recheck the network-generated rules, confirm pretty permalinks work, and reload Apache, IIS, or Nginx as required. On Nginx, inspect the hand-written multisite rules rather than looking for an automatically generated file.
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Edit the subsite in Network Admin → Sites and confirm that Site Address (URL) contains the complete mapped HTTPS URL. Then clear site and page caches and retest in a private window.
Only one domain works over HTTPS
The certificate or server binding does not cover every hostname. Install certificates for all mapped domains, configure SNI bindings, and test each hostname directly before enabling global HTTPS redirects.
Login loops or cookies are blocked
First check that the login URL, HTTPS scheme, proxy headers, and cache exclusions are consistent. If the exact blocked-cookie symptom remains, test the documented COOKIE_DOMAIN definition and clear old cookies for the affected domain.
New subdomains do not resolve automatically
A subdomain network needs wildcard DNS for on-demand sites. Add the wildcard record required by your DNS provider and ensure the server accepts the wildcard hostname. Manually created mapped domains can instead use explicit DNS and virtual-host entries.
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Multisite centralizes core files, network users, and administration. That is useful when the sites share an operational team and can follow the same upgrade and backup schedule. Separate installations are usually a better boundary when sites need unrelated administrators, incompatible plugins, independent deployment schedules, or a simple site-by-site migration path.
The WordPress administration handbook notes that moving a Multisite network is more complicated than moving one site. Make that migration cost part of the decision before converting an established standalone installation.
Ongoing administration
- Keep a domain inventory: document DNS records, server bindings, certificate coverage, mapped subsite, and canonical redirect for every hostname.
- Test updates in a staging copy: a shared WordPress core or network-wide plugin change can affect every subsite.
- Renew certificates before expiry: monitor each mapped hostname, not only the primary domain.
- Review permissions: network administrators can affect all sites; grant site administrators only the access they need.
- Back up at network scope: preserve the database tables for every subsite and the shared uploads and configuration files.
- Monitor redirects and canonical URLs: domain changes can create loops, duplicate URLs, or links pointing to an old temporary address.
For separate sites, the durable pattern is therefore: one Multisite network, one subsite per domain, DNS and server routing for every hostname, HTTPS with SNI, generated rewrite rules appropriate to the server, and native mapping through each subsite’s Site Address (URL). Use a canonical redirect instead when the domains are only aliases for identical content.
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