WordPress comes with some powerful features; among them, the multisite subdomain option enables you to manage multiple WordPress websites from a single WordPress installation.
After setting up a WordPress Multisite, you can create new websites as subdomains or subdirectories of the main site and assign users to manage each site separately.
This blog will go through the processes to set up a multisite subdomain for your WordPress account.
Let’s get started!
Follow These 7 Steps for WordPress Multisite Subdomain Setup
Step 1: Backup your WordPress site
Before setting up a Multisite network, it’s essential to back up your existing WordPress site. It ensures you have a copy of your site if anything goes wrong during the setup process.
Plus, your main website will remain safe if the process forces you to delete something or if anything problematic happens.
Step 2: Enable Multisite in your WordPress installation
To access the Multisite option, you’ll need to add a few lines of code to your WordPress installation’s wp-config.php and .htaccess files. Here is the process,
- log in to your WordPress site’s admin area and navigate to the root directory of your WordPress installation on your web server.
- Locate the wp-config.php file and open it in a text editor.
- Add the following lines of code to the file, just before the line that says “/*
/* Multisite */
define( ‘WP_ALLOW_MULTISITE’, true );
- Now, Save the wp-config.php file and close it.
- Next, locate the .htaccess file in the root directory of your WordPress installation and open it in a text editor.
- Add the following code to the top of the file before any other code,
# BEGIN WordPress
RewriteEngine On
RewriteBase /
RewriteRule ^index\.php$ - [L]
# add a trailing slash to /wp-admin
RewriteRule ^wp-admin$ wp-admin/ [R=301,L]
RewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME} -f [OR]
RewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME} -d
RewriteRule ^ - [L]
RewriteRule ^(wp-(content|admin|includes).*) $1 [L]
RewriteRule ^(.*\.php)$ $1 [L]
RewriteRule . index.php [L]
# END WordPress- Save the .htaccess file.
Once you’ve completed these steps, you should see a new “Network Setup” option in your WordPress admin menu under “Tools.” You can follow the on-screen instructions to set up your Multisite network from there.
Step 3: Choose the Subdomain structure for your network
When setting up a Multisite network, you can choose between using subdomains or subdirectories for your sites. Choose the “subdomain” structure for your network.
Read More: How to Move WordPress cPanel from one to another?
Step 4: Create a Wildcard Subdomain record in your DNS settings
Before creating subdomains for your Multisite network, you must create a wildcard subdomain record in your DNS settings. This tells your web server to accept any subdomain for your primary domain.
To create a wildcard subdomain record,
- Log in to your domain registrar or web hosting provider account.
- Navigate to the DNS management section of your account.
- Look for an option to create a new DNS record.
- Choose “CNAME” as the record type.
- In the “Name” or “Alias” field, enter an asterisk (*) symbol to represent the wildcard subdomain.
- In the “Value” field, enter your main domain name. For example, if your main domain is “example.com,” you would enter “example.com” as the value.
- Save the DNS record.
Step 5: Install WordPress on your Subdomains or Sub-directories.
If you’ve chosen the subdomain structure, you’ll need to create a wildcard subdomain record in your DNS settings. If you’ve chosen the subdirectory structure, you can skip this step. Then, install WordPress on each subdomain or subdirectory.
Step 6: Configure your network settings.
Go to your WordPress dashboard’s “Network Admin” section and configure your network settings. This includes setting up your main site and adding any necessary plugins or themes to your network.
In the “Network Settings” screen, you’ll see several options you can configure for your Multisite network. Here are some key settings to consider,
- Site Registration: Choose whether to allow users to register their own sites on your network or require administrator approval.
- New Site Settings: Choose the default settings for new sites created on your network, such as the default theme and whether to activate certain plugins.
- Upload Settings: Set the maximum file size for uploaded files on your network.
- Language Settings: Choose the default language for your network.
Step 7: Create new Subdomains on your network.
In your network admin dashboard, you can create new subdomains on your network. Each subdomain will have its unique WordPress site but share the same WordPress installation and plugins.
Finalizing on WordPress Multisite Subdomain Setup
The WordPress Multisite Subdomain Setup is a powerful way that provides a streamlined approach to managing multiple websites from a single dashboard. By effectively utilizing this setup, you can optimize your resources, enhance organization, and create a scalable network of sites tailored to your needs.
As you continue to grow and expand your online presence, mastering the intricacies of the WordPress Multisite Subdomain Setup will prove invaluable in ensuring the efficiency and success of your web projects.
Stay ahead of the curve and make the most of this versatile platform, propelling your projects to new heights of success.