Multisite is a great way to manage all your WordPress sites from a unmarried installation. However, a very common issue that WordPress multisite administrators face is how to prepare up domain mapping. By default, additional sites setup within your multisite network are created every bit either subdomains of the root site (east.one thousand.subsite.network.com) or subfolders (e.chiliad. network.com/subsite).

Naturally, these don't look very expert and so past implementing domain mapping, you tinpoint a site to an external domain, such as domain.com. To other visitors, this will then appear as a normal website.

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WordPress Multisite Domain Mapping

When it comes to setting up WordPress multisite domain mapping you practise take a few options. We are going to walk you lot through the entire Multisite setup hither at Kinsta as this tin sometimes be confusing.

If you already WordPress Multisite up and running, experience gratis to skip to Step 5 to start mapping your new subsite domains.

Below we volition be setting up the post-obit:

  • kinstamulti.com (chief subsite)
  • kinstasub1.com (additional subsite)
  • kinstasub2.com (additional subsite)
  • kinstasub3.com (additional subsite)

Step 1 – Install WordPress Multisite

If y'all are doing a fresh installation of WordPress y'all tin automatically configure WordPress multisite when you add a new site in MyKinsta. Just select "This is a multisite installation" and cull either the subdirectory or subdomain option.

In this example, we'll be using the subdomain multisite option. When adding a new site, select the "Install WordPress" option.

Create a new WordPress installation.
Create a new WordPress installation.

Afterward filling in the site details, be sure to select the "Should nosotros install WordPress multisite?" option, and specify whether you desire to create a subdirectory or subdomain multisite.

Create a multisite in MyKinsta.
Create a multisite in MyKinsta.
  • A subdirectory multisite is one that'due south loaded from a subdirectory of a root domain (e.g. domain.com/multisite/).
  • A subdomain multisite is one that's loaded from a unique subdomain (e.m. multisite.domain.com).

If you lot opt for a subdirectory multisite afterwards creating a subdomain multisite, a rule will need to be added by the Kinsta support team for it to piece of work properly.

Every bit setting upwards multisite correctly is complicated and requires special attention, you should conceptualize working with a qualified WordPress developer if you wish to switch an established site from single-site style to multisite fashion.

Step two – Add Domains to MyKinsta Dashboard and Point DNS

The adjacent thing to do is add together your main site's domain to the MyKinsta dashboard. To do this, get to your site's "Domains" page, click Add Domain, and add the necessary domain. Exist sure to select the "add domains with and without world wide web" option if y'all desire to add together the world wide web version of your domain as well.

Add your main site's domain in MyKinsta.
Add your principal site's domain in MyKinsta.

After adding your domain(southward) to Kinsta, be sure to add the necessary DNS records to point your domain name to Kinsta. For not-world wide web domains, you'll need an A record. If you're using a www domain equally well, add an A record or CNAME pointing to Kinsta.

Finally, after adding your DNS records, click "Make Primary" adjacent to your main site'due south domain name in MyKinsta to switch your site's master domain.

During the process of switching your principal domain, yous'll be asked whether you desire to run a search and supersede to change all instances of your old domain in your WordPress database to your new domain. Nosotros recommend checking this option to avoid having to manually run the search and replace later on.

Search and replace your primary domain.
Search and supercede your principal domain.

If you need to run a transmission search and replace to switch your domain, bank check out our knowledgebase article on how to utilise our search and supervene upon tool in MyKinsta.

Step three – Update wp-config.php File

The next footstep is to update your wp-config.php file and add/update a few variables. The wp-config.php file is typically located at the root of your WordPress site and tin be accessed via SFTP or SSH.

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First, update 'DOMAIN-CURRENT_SITE' to your domain proper name (by default this will accept a temporary kinsta.cloud URL on new installations).

Change the value for 'DOMAIN_CURRENT_SITE' to your main site's domain.
Modify the value for 'DOMAIN_CURRENT_SITE' to your main site's domain.

Next, add the line below to ensure logins work. We recommend adding it below the line containing the 'BLOG_ID_CURRENT_SITE' variable.

          ascertain('COOKIE_DOMAIN', $_SERVER['HTTP_HOST'] );
Add the 'COOKIE_DOMAIN' variable to your wp-config.php file.
Add the 'COOKIE_DOMAIN' variable to your wp-config.php file.

Step 4 – Create New Subsite Installs

You can then create new subsite installs. To do this, log in every bit the Network Admin (the user account you created during your Kinsta site cosmos). Under "My Sites" in the top left corner of the WordPress admin dashboard, navigate to Network Admin > Sites. On the "Sites" page, click on Add New to add a new subsite.

Add a new WordPress subsite.
Add a new WordPress subsite.

You'll be prompted to specify the subsite's site address, site title, site linguistic communication, and admin e-mail. As mentioned above, nosotros want our first subsite to exist kinstasub1.com. When creating a new subsite, the "Site Accost" field only allows domains that are a subdomain of the master site's domain. For now, we'll just apply "kinstasub1.kinstamulti.com" and change information technology to kinstasub1.com after.

Specify your subsite details.
Specify your subsite details.

If needed, you can repeat this stride to add additional subsites.

Stride 5 – Map Domains To New Subsite Installs

Now that y'all take your new subsite setup, you need to map your live domain to it. To do this, go to Sites > All Sites in the WordPress admin sidebar, and click Edit under your subsite.

Edit your WordPress subsite.
Edit your WordPress subsite.

In the "Site Address (URL)" field, replace the existing subsite domain with your alive subsite domain. In our case, our live subsite domain is kinstasub1.com.

Change your subsite's site address URL.
Alter your subsite's site address URL.

If needed, y'all can repeat this step to map domains for additional subsites. In our example, we wanted our chief site with iii subsites. Hither'south what our completed subsite setup looks like.

A WordPress multisite configuration with three subsites.
A WordPress multisite configuration with three subsites.

Stride six – Add Subsite Domains to MyKinsta and Point DNS

You will then need to repeat step 2 higher up and add any additional subsite domains to MyKinsta. In MyKinsta, go to your site's "Domains" page and add your subsite domains. Again, be sure to check the "add domains with and without world wide web" pick if it applies to you.

Add additional subsite domains in MyKinsta.
Add boosted subsite domains in MyKinsta.

Step 7 – Generating an SSL Document for Your Multisite

At Kinsta, all verified domains are automatically protected by our Cloudflare integration, which includes complimentary SSL certificates. If you lot're running a multisite, simply be sure to add and verify each subsite'due south domain in MyKinsta.

In case yous take any HTTP URLs in your database, you lot'll want to run a search and replace for your master site and each 1 of your subsites to replace HTTP URLs with HTTPS ones. To do this, go to your site'due south Tools page in MyKinsta and click "Search and Replace". Be sure to check the "Supersede" checkbox and specify your search term (HTTP URL)  and replacement term (HTTPS URL).

Run a search and replace to swap out HTTP URLs for HTTPS ones.
Run a search and supersede to bandy out HTTP URLs for HTTPS ones.

Adjacent, you'll desire to enable Force HTTPS in MyKinsta to redirect all HTTP requests to HTTPS requests at the server level. To do this, click Enable nether the "Forcefulness HTTPS" tool on your "Tools" folio in MyKinsta. Be certain to select the "requested domain" pick. If you select the "main domain" option, all requests will exist redirected to your master domain instead.

Enable Force HTTPS in MyKinsta.
Enable Force HTTPS in MyKinsta.

Summary

As you can see, setting upward domain mapping for a WordPress multisite tin can be an involved and fourth dimension-consuming process. If you require assistance in configuring any aspect of your multisite, we recommend working with an experienced WordPress developer. We promise you constitute this multisite walkthrough helpful, and allow us know in the comments below if you have any questions!

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