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To run a domain-based WordPress Multisite network, point a wildcard DNS record such as *.example.com to the server, configure the web server to accept every matching hostname, and then enable the subdomain option in WordPress Network Setup. All three layers—DNS, the virtual host, and WordPress rewrites—must route requests to the same installation directory. If any layer is missing, new subsites typically produce DNS errors, the wrong site, or a 404 response.
This guide covers the complete setup, the random-hostname test WordPress performs, HTTPS and mapped domains, and the decision between subdomains and subdirectories.
What a wildcard subdomain does in WordPress Multisite
A domain-based Multisite network gives each site its own hostname. If the main network is example.com, a site named “site1” is reached at https://site1.example.com. The hostname is selected from the site record in the WordPress network database, but DNS and the web server must also accept that hostname before WordPress can load it.
A wildcard record is a rule for otherwise-unlisted names below a domain. The DNS name *.example.com matches site1.example.com, store.example.com, and other first-level subdomains. It does not replace the normal record for example.com, and it does not automatically configure the web server or issue TLS certificates.
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“Wildcard subdomains are useful to allow end users of a domain-based WordPress multisite network to create new sites on demand.” — WordPress.org Developer Resources, Configuring Wildcard Subdomains, updated October 14, 2026.
On-demand creation is the important distinction. If an administrator manually creates every hostname and adds a separate DNS and virtual-host entry for each one, a wildcard is not strictly required. WordPress’s domain-based network workflow, however, expects wildcard routing so a newly created site can work without infrastructure changes.
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WordPress offers two address models during Network Setup. Decide which one matches your hosting and naming requirements before enabling Multisite, because changing the model later is a migration project rather than a simple setting change.
| Consideration | Subdomains (domain-based) | Subdirectories (path-based) |
|---|---|---|
| Example URL | site1.example.com |
example.com/site1 |
| DNS requirement | Wildcard DNS is required for on-demand sites. | No wildcard DNS is needed. |
| Web-server requirement | The virtual host must accept wildcard hostnames and use the network’s document root. | The existing host and rewrite rules handle paths on the main domain. |
| Best fit | Networks where each site should have its own hostname and the operator controls DNS and server routing. | Hosts where wildcard DNS or wildcard virtual-host configuration is unavailable. |
| Migration complexity | Changing hostnames affects DNS, cookies, certificates, links, and mapped domains. | Changing to hostnames requires DNS, virtual-host, certificate, and URL changes. |
| SSL and mapping | Plan certificate coverage for the network hostname and for any additional mapped domains. | The primary domain’s certificate normally covers the path-based sites; mapped domains still require their own DNS and HTTPS planning. |
WordPress states in Before You Create A Network that “on-demand domain-based sites require the wildcard subdomains method.” If your DNS provider or hosting account cannot create a wildcard record and route it to the same installation, choose subdirectories instead.
Prerequisites and checks
- Administrative access: You need access to the authoritative DNS provider and to the web-server or hosting control panel.
- A root web installation: WordPress recommends serving the network from the web-folder root. A non-root installation can work, but it requires additional virtual-host and redirect expertise.
- A single document root: The main domain and every wildcard hostname must reach the directory containing
wp-admin,wp-includes, andwp-config.php. - Rewrite support: Apache deployments need
mod_rewrite, enabled.htaccessprocessing, and suitableAllowOverridesettings. - HTTPS plan: Decide how the network hostname and any future custom domains will be covered by certificates before publishing sites.
- Backups and maintenance access: Take a database and file backup before enabling the network; the generated constants and rewrite rules change core request handling.
Do not begin by editing site URLs in the database. First make DNS and host routing work, then let WordPress’s Network Setup generate the correct constants and rewrite rules.
How the request reaches a subsite
A request for https://site1.example.com passes through three independent decisions:
- DNS lookup: The resolver asks for
site1.example.com. The wildcard record supplies the server address when no more-specific record exists. - Virtual-host selection: The web server receives the connection and the HTTP
Hostvalue. Its wildcard alias or equivalent host rule must select the WordPress virtual host and document root. - WordPress site resolution: Multisite rewrites send the request to WordPress. WordPress matches the hostname to a network site and loads that site’s settings and content.
A successful DNS lookup does not prove the virtual host is correct. Conversely, a correctly configured Apache or Nginx host cannot help if the hostname never resolves. Test each layer separately before changing WordPress data.
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Step-by-step setup
1. Confirm the primary domain and installation location
Write down the exact primary domain, for example example.com, and verify that the current site is served from the web-folder root. Domain-based Multisite is simplest when the virtual host’s document root is the directory containing the existing WordPress files. If WordPress is installed in a subdirectory, obtain help from whoever manages the virtual host and redirects; WordPress specifically warns that non-root network installations need extra configuration.
Also decide whether the network will use HTTPS from the start. Changing every site from HTTP to HTTPS after launch can involve redirects, cookies, mixed-content fixes, and certificate changes.
2. Create the wildcard DNS record
At the authoritative DNS provider, add a wildcard record for the same server that already hosts the primary site. The official example is:
*.example.com A 192.0.2.1192.0.2.1 is a documentation address; replace it with the public address assigned to your WordPress server. Keep the existing record for example.com. In a control panel, the equivalent entry may be presented as a wildcard host, wildcard subdomain, or an asterisk in the name field.
Do not create only site1.example.com if you intend to create sites on demand. A one-off record proves that one name resolves but does not provide the wildcard behavior WordPress tests. DNS changes may take time to appear at recursive resolvers. Check the authoritative provider and allow for propagation before diagnosing WordPress.
3. Route wildcard hostnames in the web server
The web server must accept the wildcard hostname and serve the same directory as the primary site.
For Apache, add the wildcard alias to the virtual host that serves WordPress:
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ServerAlias *.example.comKeep the existing ServerName for the primary domain. The alias belongs in the correct virtual-host definition, not in an unrelated site. Reload or restart Apache using your platform’s normal procedure after validating the configuration.
Nginx, cPanel, Plesk, and DirectAdmin use different labels, but the requirement is identical: configure a wildcard server name or domain alias and point its document root at the existing WordPress directory. A panel’s “wildcard subdomain” feature is useful only if it routes to that same directory; a separate empty directory will produce a default page or a 404.
For Apache, verify that mod_rewrite is loaded, that .htaccess files are allowed for the WordPress directory, and that AllowOverride is not preventing the generated rules from being read.
4. Enable Multisite in wp-config.php
Back up the root wp-config.php, then add the Multisite permission before opening the Network Setup screen:
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define( 'WP_ALLOW_MULTISITE', true );Sign in as an administrator and open Tools → Network Setup. Select the Sub-domains option, review the network title and administrator email, and run the installation. WordPress displays a second set of instructions containing constants for wp-config.php and rewrite rules for the site’s configuration.
Copy those generated lines exactly into the locations WordPress specifies. They normally include network identifiers and cookie or path settings that must match the chosen address model. Do not substitute rules from a different installation or from a subdirectory network.
5. Apply the generated rewrite rules
On Apache, place the generated rules in the network’s .htaccess file and ensure the virtual host permits them. The rules allow WordPress to receive requests for subsites instead of the web server treating each hostname as a separate physical directory.
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On Nginx or a managed panel, translate the generated behavior into the platform’s configuration rather than placing Apache directives in an Nginx file. The goal is still the same: pass the wildcard hostname and requested path to the WordPress front controller while serving static files normally.
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6. Create a test subsite
From the Network Admin dashboard, open Sites → Add New. Enter a site address such as site1, a title, and an administrator email, then create the site. The resulting address should be https://site1.example.com (or HTTP if you deliberately configured the network that way).
Use a name that has no existing DNS record so you test the wildcard rather than a special-case host entry. Open the site in a new private-browser window and sign in through its own hostname. Check the front end, dashboard, media upload, and permalink navigation.
7. Pass WordPress’s random-hostname test
The Network screen checks a randomly generated hostname. WordPress’s documentation says, “To use a subdomain configuration, you must have a wildcard entry in your DNS.” If the random hostname does not resolve, stop and fix infrastructure before relying on new subsites.
- Verify the wildcard record exists at the authoritative DNS provider and points to the intended server.
- Confirm that the DNS response is not being replaced by a stale record at another provider or delegated nameserver.
- Confirm that the Apache alias or equivalent Nginx/panel wildcard host accepts the random hostname.
- Confirm that the wildcard host uses the same document root as the primary WordPress site.
- Check rewrite support and reload the web server after configuration changes.
- Wait for DNS propagation, then run the test again.
A failed random-host test is not fixed by editing the new site’s database URL. The hostname must first resolve and reach WordPress.
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Every hostname visitors use must be covered by HTTPS configuration. For the network’s own subdomains, plan certificate coverage for the primary domain and the subdomain pattern you publish. Confirm that the certificate presented by the selected virtual host matches the hostname before redirecting all traffic to HTTPS.
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Custom domain mapping is a separate layer from wildcard subdomains. Suppose a site in the network should also answer at customer.example.net. That domain needs DNS pointing to the WordPress server, a virtual-host entry that accepts it, and a certificate covering it. Additional domains rely on Server Name Indication (SNI) so the server can present the correct certificate for each hostname. The primary network certificate does not automatically prove ownership or provide HTTPS for unrelated domains.
Map and test one custom domain at a time. Verify the certificate, canonical URL, login cookies, redirects, and media links before publishing the domain. Keep the original network hostname available for administration and recovery until the mapped address is confirmed.
Using WP-CLI instead of the dashboard
Administrators who automate provisioning can use WP-CLI’s Multisite installer. The official option for a domain-based network is:
wp core multisite-install --subdomains ...The ellipsis represents the normal required installer arguments for your environment; use the command’s help output to supply the database credentials, network domain, path, and administrator details. WP-CLI changes WordPress configuration, but it does not create DNS records or virtual-host aliases. Complete the DNS and web-server work first, and then verify the generated configuration and random-hostname behavior.
Subdomains versus subdirectories: a practical decision
Choose subdomains when hostname separation matters
- Each site should be presented as its own hostname, such as
news.example.comorevents.example.com. - You control authoritative DNS and can create a wildcard record.
- You can configure the hosting platform’s wildcard virtual host and document root.
- You are prepared to plan certificate coverage and, if needed, SNI for mapped domains.
Choose subdirectories when infrastructure control is limited
- Your provider does not offer wildcard DNS or wildcard virtual-host configuration.
- Sites can share the primary hostname, using addresses such as
example.com/news. - You want to avoid a DNS dependency for every newly created site.
- You prefer a simpler initial deployment and do not need separate hostnames.
Neither model removes the need for WordPress rewrite rules. The difference is where site identity appears: the hostname for subdomains, or the path for subdirectories.
Troubleshooting by symptom
| Symptom | Likely layer | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| The random hostname test fails or the browser reports that the domain cannot be found. | DNS | Check the wildcard record at the authoritative provider, its target address, nameserver delegation, and propagation. Make sure the record is *.example.com, not only one named subdomain. |
| The hostname resolves but shows the hosting company’s default page. | Virtual host | Confirm the wildcard alias is attached to the WordPress virtual host and that its document root is the existing WordPress directory. |
| The primary site works but every subsite returns 404. | Rewrite or host routing | Check the generated Multisite rules, Apache mod_rewrite, .htaccess support, and AllowOverride. On Nginx, verify the equivalent front-controller rules. |
| A subsite opens the main site instead of its own content. | Hostname matching | Confirm the request reaches the wildcard virtual host and that the site address in Network Admin → Sites matches the hostname being tested. |
| HTTPS shows a certificate warning. | TLS/SNI | Inspect the certificate returned for the exact hostname. Add coverage for the network hostname or mapped domain and ensure the correct SNI virtual host is selected. |
| Only a non-root installation fails while a root installation works. | Path and redirects | Review the virtual-host document root, redirects, and path rules. WordPress warns that non-root domain-based networks need additional virtual-host expertise. |
| A mapped custom domain resolves but redirects to the original network address. | Domain mapping and canonical settings | Confirm the mapped domain is configured for the intended site, its DNS and virtual host are active, and HTTPS is valid before changing canonical URLs. |
After each infrastructure correction, repeat the random-hostname test and open a newly created subsite. Do not make several unrelated database or URL edits at once; they can hide whether DNS, the virtual host, or WordPress caused the original failure.
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- Create a second test site with a different address to prove that the wildcard works for more than one name.
- Test both the front end and dashboard over the final HTTP or HTTPS scheme.
- Verify that permalinks, media URLs, and login redirects stay on the intended hostname.
- Document where the wildcard DNS record, virtual-host configuration, certificate settings, and network constants are maintained.
- Keep a backup of
wp-config.php,.htaccessor equivalent server rules, and the Multisite database before major server migrations. - When moving servers, change DNS and the virtual host together, then wait for propagation and rerun the random-host test.
The reliable pattern is straightforward: DNS catches every new hostname, the web server sends every matching request to the same WordPress directory, and Multisite resolves the hostname to the correct site. Treat those as separate checks, and wildcard subdomains become predictable rather than a source of unexplained 404 errors.
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