Use WordPress Multisite when each domain needs its own site, content, and settings. Create one network, point every hostname to the same WordPress directory, create a subsite for each domain, and map each hostname to its subsite. WordPress 4.5 and later provide native domain mapping, so a plugin is not required for the core mapping operation.
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If several domains should display exactly the same site, do not create duplicate subsites. Choose one canonical domain and redirect the other hostnames at the web-server layer instead.
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Decide what “multiple domains” means
Separate websites on one installation
Choose a domain-based Multisite network when each hostname represents a genuinely separate website. Each subsite can have its own pages, posts, menus, media, and site settings while the network is administered from one WordPress installation. This is the right model for a group of related sites that share infrastructure but need distinct editorial areas.
The domains do not become separate WordPress installations. They are sites in one network, served from the same application directory and database installation. The network administrator creates the sites and maps their public URLs.
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Several domains showing identical content
If example.com, example.net, and another alias should all show the same website, use one canonical WordPress site and redirect the aliases to it. A web-server redirect avoids duplicate site records and gives search engines and visitors one preferred URL. The official Multisite instructions describe separate network sites, not a generic alias configuration, so test the redirect design in the actual hosting stack before changing DNS or server rules.
Separate installations for strict isolation
Independent WordPress installations remain the better choice when sites must have completely separate administration, update schedules, databases, or migration plans. A Multisite network centralizes administration and shares the installation boundary. Moving a network is more complicated than moving one standalone site, so include that operational cost in the decision.
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- Administrative access to the existing WordPress files and database.
- Control of DNS for every domain you intend to map.
- Access to the hosting control panel or web-server configuration so each hostname can be routed to the same WordPress installation directory.
- A working WordPress site with pretty permalinks enabled.
- A tested backup of both the database and all WordPress files.
- HTTPS certificates for the primary hostname and every mapped hostname. Server Name Indication (SNI) allows several certificates to be served from one server.
- A maintenance window: network creation changes configuration files and rewrite rules, and the generated instructions are specific to your installation.
Read the official preparation guidance before choosing the network form: WordPress Multisite network preparation.
Choose the network URL model
Multisite first needs a network URL structure. Custom domains are then assigned to individual subsites. Your choice affects the default addresses, DNS work, and how new sites are provisioned.
| Model | Example default site URL | DNS and server implications | Best fit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Subdomain network | site1.example.com |
On-demand subdomains normally require wildcard DNS. The web server must accept the wildcard hostnames and send them to the WordPress directory. | Networks that will create many sites under one parent domain. |
| Subdirectory network | example.com/site1 |
Sites are addressed by paths, so wildcard subdomain DNS is not needed for the default URLs. The server still needs the network rewrite rules. | Networks that prefer path-based addresses or cannot use wildcard DNS. |
| Mapped external domain | https://another-example.com |
The external hostname needs its own DNS record and hosting entry, then is assigned to a subsite. Manually created mapped domains can use server methods other than wildcard DNS. | Separate public brands or projects that need their own top-level domains. |
Subdomain and subdirectory networks are initial URL schemes; mapping a top-level domain to a subsite is a separate step. Decide which default scheme you want before running Network Setup.
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Set up the Multisite network and map domains
1. Back up and check the existing site
Back up the database and files, verify that pretty permalinks work, and deactivate active plugins before creating the network. Record the current PHP, web-server, and hosting settings so you can restore them if a rewrite or plugin conflict appears. The official procedure is documented at Create a Network.
2. Enable the Multisite interface
Edit wp-config.php and add this line before the file’s “That’s all, stop editing” comment:
define( 'WP_ALLOW_MULTISITE', true );Sign in to WordPress, open Tools → Network Setup, and select either a subdomain or subdirectory network. WordPress displays installation-specific values and additional lines for wp-config.php and the rewrite configuration. Copy those generated instructions exactly; do not substitute rules from another installation.
3. Apply the generated network configuration
After Network Setup, WordPress supplies constants and rewrite rules for your particular paths and domain. Add the displayed constants to wp-config.php, replace the existing WordPress rewrite block with the generated network block, and sign in again when prompted. The generated rules are part of the network configuration, not optional examples.
4. Route every hostname to the same installation
For each domain, create the required DNS record so the hostname resolves to the server’s IP address. Then configure the hosting panel’s virtual host, add-on domain, or equivalent server entry so that hostname uses the directory containing the Multisite installation.
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DNS alone is not enough: the server must recognize the hostname and pass the request to WordPress. The official preparation page states, “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).” See the preparation documentation for the supported patterns.
For a subdomain network that creates sites on demand, configure wildcard DNS as required by your host. For manually created mapped domains, configure each hostname explicitly if that is how your server is managed.
5. Install HTTPS for every mapped domain
Install a valid certificate for the primary domain and each mapped domain. SNI allows multiple domain certificates on one server, but every hostname still needs to be covered. Use HTTPS in each site’s public URL and test both the front end and administration area on the secure hostname. Leaving one mapped domain on HTTP can expose login credentials and cookies and can create inconsistent redirects.
The domain-mapping guidance covers certificate and SNI considerations at WordPress domain mapping.
6. Create each subsite
In the network dashboard, open Network Admin → Sites → Add New. Enter the site address, title, and administrator details. The site address at this stage follows the network model you selected, such as site1 in a subdomain network or site1 as a path in a subdirectory network.
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Create one subsite for each genuinely separate website. Do not create a subsite merely to hold an alias that should redirect to the same content.
7. Assign the external domain
Open Network Admin → Sites, edit the target subsite, and enter the complete mapped URL in Site Address (URL), for example:
https://example.comSave the change, then test the home page, an internal permalink, the login screen, and the dashboard using that hostname. Repeat the mapping process for each additional domain. WordPress 4.5 introduced domain mapping as a native feature; the core operation does not require a domain-mapping plugin.
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8. Repair mapped-site cookies only when the documented symptom occurs
If a mapped subsite reports blocked cookies or silently fails to log in, the WordPress handbook documents this setting in wp-config.php after the network configuration:
define( 'COOKIE_DOMAIN', $_SERVER['HTTP_HOST'] );Apply it only when the mapped-cookie symptom is present, then clear the browser’s old cookies and retest the affected hostname. Do not add the constant speculatively to a network that does not show the problem.
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Web-server rewrite rules: Apache, IIS, and Nginx
Multisite requests must be rewritten so WordPress can resolve the correct site and permalink. Apache and IIS configurations can be generated by WordPress during network creation. Nginx configuration is not generated by WordPress; an Nginx administrator must implement the equivalent Multisite rules manually.
The official administration documentation states, “WordPress can generate Apache and IIS configuration rules, but it cannot generate Nginx configuration.” Use the generated Apache or IIS block without merging it blindly with unrelated rules, and have an experienced Nginx administrator translate the network requirements when Nginx is your front end: Multisite administration.
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| Approach | What it provides | When to choose it | Trade-off |
|---|---|---|---|
| WordPress core mapping | Assigns a domain to a Multisite subsite through Network Admin and the site URL fields. | Use this for ordinary domain-to-subsite mapping on WordPress 4.5 and later. | Requires correct DNS, server routing, HTTPS, and rewrite configuration; it does not remove those responsibilities. |
| Domain-mapping plugin | May add provider-specific workflows or additional automation beyond the core operation. | Consider one only when a documented feature is required and it is compatible with your WordPress version, hosting stack, and other network plugins. | Adds another dependency, update path, and possible failure point to a function already available in core. |
The choice is therefore about extra features and maintenance, not about making native mapping possible. Verify compatibility in a staging network before installing any mapping extension.
Subdomain versus subdirectory: practical trade-offs
- Address clarity: subdomains look like separate hostnames; subdirectories make the network relationship visible in the path.
- DNS work: subdomain networks may need wildcard DNS for automatic site creation, while subdirectory URLs do not use wildcard subdomains.
- Custom domains: either model can host mapped top-level domains after the domains are routed to the installation.
- Provisioning: choose subdomains when new sites will be created frequently under one parent domain; choose subdirectories when path-based URLs simplify your infrastructure.
- Migration: changing the network model later can affect site URLs, redirects, and rewrite rules, so make the decision before production content is added.
Validation checklist after mapping
Test each domain independently instead of checking only the network’s primary URL.
- Confirm that the domain resolves to the intended server IP.
- Confirm that the hosting entry sends that hostname to the WordPress installation directory.
- Open the mapped HTTPS home page and verify that it shows the intended subsite, not the network’s primary site.
- Open a deep permalink to verify that the network rewrite rules are active.
- Sign in and sign out from the mapped hostname to verify cookies.
- Check that the browser shows a valid certificate for that exact hostname.
- Create a test page on one subsite and verify that it does not appear on another subsite.
- Test every mapped domain after changing a site URL, rewrite rule, certificate, or DNS record.
Troubleshooting common failures
| Symptom | Likely configuration issue | Action |
|---|---|---|
| The domain opens the wrong site | The hostname is not routed to the correct virtual host, or the subsite’s Site Address does not exactly match the public URL. | Check the DNS record, hosting entry, and complete HTTPS Site Address in Network Admin. |
| Permalinks return 404 errors | The generated network rewrite block was not applied, was replaced by the old single-site block, or is not supported by the web server as configured. | Reapply the rules generated by Network Setup. For Nginx, have the administrator implement the Multisite rules manually. |
| A new subdomain does not resolve | Wildcard DNS or an explicit DNS record is missing, or the server does not accept that hostname. | Configure the DNS pattern required by your chosen network model and add the corresponding server entry. |
| HTTPS redirects loop or the certificate warning appears | The mapped URL uses HTTPS but the server or certificate is configured only for another hostname. | Install coverage for the exact domain, make the server accept HTTPS for it, and keep the mapped Site Address on the secure scheme. |
| Login reports blocked cookies or fails silently | The mapped host is not being used consistently for the cookie domain. | Use the documented COOKIE_DOMAIN setting only for this symptom, then clear old cookies and test again. |
| Changes affect every site unexpectedly | The sites share one network’s administration and installation boundary. | Review network-level settings and decide whether the sites require isolated single installations instead. |
Administration, updates, and moving the network
A Multisite network gives you one administrative structure for several domains, which simplifies centralized oversight but increases the blast radius of configuration changes. Treat network-level changes, rewrite edits, certificate renewals, and plugin updates as changes that can affect more than one site. Keep separate content owners and site administrators aware of the shared infrastructure.
Maintain backups of the complete database and files before network changes and before migrations. A network move involves more URL relationships, host mappings, and rewrite behavior than moving one standalone WordPress site. If each project needs an independent migration timetable or independent server ownership, separate installations may be operationally safer even when they cost more to maintain.
The shortest reliable decision
Use Multisite with native domain mapping for separate websites that should share one WordPress installation. Pick subdomain or subdirectory URLs, back up first, enable Network Setup, route every hostname through DNS and the web server, apply the generated rewrites, secure every domain with HTTPS, create the subsites, and assign each complete mapped URL. Use a canonical-domain redirect instead when the domains are only aliases for identical content.
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