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Ever since WordPress added multisite support to its feature set, people have been using it as an easy way to create and manage multiple websites from one account.

Domain mapping is one of the ways you can extend the functionality of the WordPress multisite feature to create your own website with its own identity. This guide will show you how.

Here’s what we’ll cover:

What is domain mapping in WordPress?

WordPress multisite domain mapping is the process of connecting subsites. WordPress multisite From network to top-level domain name. Network websites with domain-mapped URLs can have a separate identity from other websites on the network.

Typically, when you create a multisite network in WordPress, one main site acts as the core of the network and is used to manage all other websites. This main website has the network’s primary domain: www.mainsite.com.

The subsites that make up the rest of the network have domain names based on the domain name of the main domain.

Therefore, when a multisite network creates a website using a subdomain, the new site’s web address follows this layout: www.subsite1.mainsite.com, www.subsite2.mainsite.comand so on.

When a network creates a new site using subdirectories, the new site’s address follows this layout: www.mainsite.com/subsite1, www.mainsite.com/subsite2and so on.

Domain mapping allows each subsite in your network to have a domain name that is not associated with the top-level domain of your core website.Therefore, instead www.subsite1.mainsite.com or www.mainsite.com/subsite1you can have www.mainsite2.com.

WordPress Multisite Domain Mapping: Use Case

The main benefit of domain mapping is that it gives websites on your WordPress multisite network a unique identity. This feature makes it ideal for a variety of scenarios.

If your company has multiple brands, you can create a multisite network with subsites for each brand. Domain mapping allows each website to have a unique ID on the front end, allowing you to manage all your websites from the same WordPress admin dashboard.

Freelancers or agencies can use domain mapping in a multisite network to manage multiple domains. Each client website becomes a subsite with a separate domain name.

Multinational organizations that need localized websites for each country in which they operate can create maps. Country code top level domain (ccTLD) to each subsite.

Private WordPress users who enjoy building online communities for various interests and hobbies can also use domain mapping to manage their websites.

Multisite domain mapping requirements

WordPress multisite domain mapping is a relatively simple process. Two major requirements must be met before you begin.

Absolutely required:

  • a Multiple domain hosting plans: To host multiple domains and websites, you need a hosting plan that includes this feature. Most hosts don’t limit this feature to just one type of plan, so you can take advantage of the multi-domain hosting feature with shared, managed, enterprise, or dedicated hosting plans.

Additionally, hosting plan prices vary depending on the number of domains supported, with some supporting only a few domains and others offering an unlimited number of domains. Nexcess offers multi-domain hosting with most of its features. Fully managed hosting plans.

  • Domain name to map. These names are assigned to subsites. One required for each subsite you want to map. Some hosts, such as Nexcess, allow customers to register a domain name when purchasing their hosting package. Some don’t, so you’ll need to purchase and register elsewhere.

Previously, setting up and configuring WordPress multisite required a plugin, but that is no longer the case. WordPress core files contain everything you need.

Also, while multisite domain mapping is free, you will have to pay for the domain name and hosting. There is no monetary cost to the process of linking them.

How to set up domain mapping in WordPress Multisite

You are now ready to configure WordPress multisite domain mapping. Follow these 7 steps.

Install WordPress on your hosting plan

If you’re using a fully managed WordPress hosting plan, such as the Nexcess Maker plan, the WordPress installation process is as simple as adding and naming your new website from your dashboard.

Once everything else is taken care of and the setup is complete, you will have access to the login details required to access the admin dashboard. If you purchased a domain name as part of a hosting plan, it is already linked.

If you’re using an unmanaged hosting plan, installing WordPress requires a few more steps. You must set up a database, configure a user account for that database, then upload your WordPress files to your hosting account and complete the setup wizard.

If you have any questions, your web host’s support team is here to help.

Enabling multisite functionality

Multisite support is not enabled in default WordPress installations. To use this feature, you need to make some changes to your WordPress website’s configuration.

Use a File Transfer Protocol (FTP) client like FileZilla or WinSCP to access the files and folders in your WordPress installation.

You should see your hosting plan’s FTP credentials on your web host’s dashboard. If her hosting provider uses cPanel, you can use a file manager to browse her website’s files instead of using an FTP client.

Locate and open the wp-config.php file from your website’s root directory. Look for a line of text in the file similar to the following:

/* That's all, stop editing! Happy publishing. */

Add the following line of code just above that line of text and save the file.

/* Multisite */
define( 'WP_ALLOW_MULTISITE', true );

Configure a multisite network

Changes to the wp-config.php file enable multisite installations and allow you to configure networking. Log in to your WordPress site’s admin dashboard and navigate to: tool > Network setup From the menu.

From here, you can configure how site addresses for subsites on your multisite network function (as subdomains or subdirectories). Either option will work because it maps your domain name to a subsite.

You can also configure other network-related details, such as the network title (name of the network), server address, and network administrator email address.

Once complete, the installer provides two code snippets and instructions on where to paste them. The first code snippet goes into your wp-config.php file in a similar location to the first piece of code you added.

Add this line of code directly below the specified code snippet.

define('COOKIE_DOMAIN', $_SERVER['HTTP_HOST']);

This piece of code is explicitly required for domain mapping so that the Network Super Administrator can log in to any of the subsites even if they are using a new domain name.

The second code snippet goes into a .htaccess file located in the same directory as wp-config.php. After making these changes, you must log in again to access the admin dashboard. When you sign in this time, you’ll be logged in as a super admin for your WordPress multisite network.

Create a subsite

Now that you have properly configured your multisite network, you can add subsites to it. First, make sure you’re on your network’s admin dashboard, not your primary website’s admin dashboard.

If you are a super admin of your network, you can navigate to the network admin dashboard by following this link: my site > network administrator > Dashboard.

From the dashboard, site > add new. Enter the details for the new site you want to add to your network. These include the administrator’s email, site address, title, and language.

The site address you use depends on how your network addresses are configured. However, you don’t need to worry too much about what you choose here, since you’ll be mapping a domain name that will serve as an address. The administrator email you need to enter here is different from the one you entered when setting up your network.

Fill in the required information, save, and your new site will become part of your network. You will need to repeat this process for each subsite.

Update the site address for each newly created subsite.

Next, you’ll need to update the URL of your new website to match the domain name you purchased. Note that this is a different domain than the URL of your network’s main site.

go to site View all network sites in your admin dashboard. At this point, you should only have your main site and any subsites you created. Move the pointer over the subsite name and click the Edit link that appears below it.

On the new page that appears, Site address (URL) Purchase and add it to the domain name you want to assign to this subsite. Add all parts of the domain name, including the protocol, so it looks like this: That’s not all domain.com.

Save your changes when you’re done and repeat the process for other subsites.

Create a DNS record for your subsite

You may link your domain name to a website in your network, but that association is only visible within your WordPress installation.

If you try to access the domain name from your browser, you will not be able to access the website. This is because the domain name server records have not been updated.

The process for creating records varies by host. When using Nexcess, the first step is to add a pointer domain directly from your customer dashboard. The type of pointer domain you create is an alias/CNAME record. This will publicly link the subsite’s domain name to the main site’s domain name.

Other web hosting providers use a similar process to create these DNS records, but if you need help, you can check their documentation or contact their support team.

If you purchased your subsite domain from your web host, this step is complete. However, for domain names registered with another service provider, Specify domain name Send to your web host’s nameservers.

This process involves obtaining the appropriate nameservers from your web host, logging into your domain name registration dashboard, and looking for DNS settings that allow you to update your nameservers with your host’s nameservers.

After you update and save these settings for each subsite, your domain name mapping is complete. However, it may take up to 24 hours for your changes to propagate across the Internet.

Generate an SSL certificate for your subsite

A Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) certificate is required to secure your newly created subsite. This allows visitors to access her website using the more secure HTTPS protocol, which encrypts the connection.

Nexcess’s managed hosting plans come with a free SSL certificate from Let’s Encrypt for every domain used in your hosting package, regardless of whether you paid Nexcess for the domain or not.you can Enable SSL certificate Obtain a certificate from the client portal and issue a new certificate for the subdomain you configured.

In some cases, your hosting plan may prevent you from accessing a free SSL certificate and you may need to add it manually. This process involves obtaining her SSL certificate from a Certificate Authority (CA) and importing the key received from the CA into the website’s hosting dashboard.

Final Thoughts: WordPress Multisite Domain Mapping Guide

Domain name mapping opens up new possibilities for WordPress multisite networks for multinational companies, multibrand companies, and agencies managing client websites.

For the process to run smoothly, you need a hosting plan that supports multiple domains and subsite domain names. If either of these two criteria is missing, problems will occur during the mapping process.

Looking for a host with great support and a plan that includes everything you need to map and run a multisite network? Check out fully managed Enterprise WordPress Hosting Today from Nex.

Make money with Oziconnect referral program
Make money with Oziconnect referral program
Make money with Oziconnect referral program
Make money with Oziconnect referral program
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