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To run separate domains from one WordPress installation, create a Multisite network, point each domain’s DNS and web-server host entry to that installation, install SSL for every hostname, and map each site in Network Admin → Sites → Edit by entering its complete URL in Site Address (URL). WordPress 4.5 and later provide this domain mapping in core, so a mapping plugin is normally unnecessary.
What a multisite with different domains actually is
WordPress Multisite serves several sites from one WordPress codebase. Themes and plugins can be shared across the network, while each site keeps its own database tables and uploads. A domain-based network makes those sites appear at independent hostnames such as https://example-one.com and https://example-two.com.
Every hostname still reaches the same WordPress document root. DNS and the web server decide which requests arrive there; WordPress then routes each request to the mapped subsite.
Domain-based versus path-based networks
| Characteristic | Domain-based network | Path-based network |
|---|---|---|
| Public URL | example-one.com |
example.com/subsite |
| DNS and virtual-host work | Required for every additional domain | Only the main domain normally needs to reach the installation |
| Wildcard subdomains | Not required for separately mapped top-level domains | Not required for subdirectory URLs; a subdomain network may require wildcard DNS |
| SSL coverage | A valid certificate must cover the primary and each mapped domain | The certificate for the main domain can cover the path-based sites |
| Best fit | Sites that must have independent domains | Projects comfortable sharing one domain and URL path |
| Migration considerations | More DNS, server, certificate and redirect work | Simpler infrastructure, but URLs remain under the main domain |
WordPress’s own documentation describes a domain-based network as different domain names mapped to the same server directory. The Network Setup screen still asks whether the installation uses subdomains or subdirectories; that choice controls the network’s underlying URL structure, while mapped domains provide the public addresses.
Prerequisites and preparation
- Administrative access to the existing WordPress installation and its server.
- A backup of the complete WordPress files and database.
- Working pretty permalinks. Test an existing post URL before starting.
- DNS control for the primary and additional domains.
- Web-server access to create virtual hosts, addon domains or equivalent host entries.
- SSL certificates covering the primary domain and every mapped domain.
Deactivate active plugins before network creation and reactivate them after the network is configured. Domain-based networks cannot use localhost or an IP address as the server address; use a real domain name instead.
Step-by-step setup
1. Choose the network model
Choose a domain-based arrangement when each site must resolve at its own top-level domain. Decide whether the underlying network should use subdomains or subdirectories in the Network Setup screen. This internal choice does not remove the need to configure DNS and server routing for the external domains.
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2. Enable Network Setup in WordPress
- Back up the database and all WordPress files.
- Confirm that pretty permalinks work and deactivate active plugins.
- Edit
wp-config.phpand adddefine( 'WP_ALLOW_MULTISITE', true );before the line that says WordPress has stopped editing the file. - Sign in again and open Tools → Network Setup.
WordPress will display the network configuration and generate additional wp-config.php constants and rewrite rules. Keep that screen open and copy its instructions exactly; the values depend on your installation.
3. Point every domain to the installation
- At your DNS provider, point each additional domain’s DNS record to the server that hosts WordPress. Use the record type appropriate for your hosting arrangement.
- In the web server or hosting control panel, create a host entry for every domain so each hostname serves the same WordPress document root.
- Install and activate SSL for the primary domain and every mapped domain. Server Name Indication (SNI) is the documented way to serve certificates for multiple domains from one server.
DNS changes must be visible to the server before testing. A domain that resolves elsewhere, lacks a host entry, or has no matching certificate will fail before WordPress can perform the mapping.
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4. Create the network and apply rewrite rules
- On Tools → Network Setup, select the subdomain or subdirectory option that matches your planned network.
- Enter the network title and administrator email, then run the installation.
- Apply every generated block to
wp-config.php. - Apply the generated rewrite rules to the server configuration. Apache and IIS rules may be generated by WordPress; Nginx requires the administrator to configure equivalent rewrite rules manually.
- Sign out and back in when WordPress requests it, then open Network Admin.
URL rewriting is mandatory: without it, requests cannot be routed to the correct site in the network.
5. Create and map each subsite
- In Network Admin → Sites, choose Add New.
- Create the site using the network’s temporary subdomain or path and assign its site title and administrator.
- Return to Network Admin → Sites, locate the new site, and choose Edit.
- On the site settings screen, replace Site Address (URL) with the complete public URL, including the scheme, for example
https://example-one.com. - Save the change and repeat the process for every domain.
WordPress 4.5 and later handle this mapping natively. The mapped URL should use the same HTTPS scheme that the certificate and server are configured to serve.
6. Test every mapped site
- Open the front end at the mapped HTTPS domain and confirm that it does not redirect to the network’s original URL.
- Sign in to that site’s
/wp-adminand open another admin page. - Upload an image and verify that the media URL uses the expected domain and loads over HTTPS.
- Test a post, a page, a search request and a nonexistent URL to check permalink and rewrite behavior.
- Repeat the checks for every mapped domain, including the primary network domain.
Common failures and fixes
The domain shows another website or a hosting placeholder
DNS is pointing to the wrong server, or the server lacks a host entry for that hostname. Correct the DNS record and configure the domain as an additional virtual host or equivalent entry for the WordPress document root.
The browser reports a certificate warning or redirects between HTTP and HTTPS
Install a certificate that covers the requested domain and configure the server to present it for that hostname. Check the primary domain and each mapped domain separately; one certificate does not automatically cover unrelated domains.
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URL rewriting has not been applied correctly. Recheck the generated Apache or IIS rules, or add the equivalent Nginx configuration through the server administrator. Confirm that pretty permalinks worked before Multisite was enabled.
Login fails with a cookie error
If the mapped site’s front end works but WordPress reports that cookies are blocked or misconfigured, the official domain-mapping guidance documents this setting. Add it after the other Multisite setup code in wp-config.php:
define( 'COOKIE_DOMAIN', $_SERVER['HTTP_HOST'] );Save the file, clear the browser’s cookies for the affected domains, and try the login again.
The site keeps using the old network URL
Reopen Network Admin → Sites → Edit and check that Site Address (URL) contains the full mapped URL, including https://. Also verify that DNS and the server host entry for that exact hostname are active.
Ongoing network considerations
- Network-wide themes and plugins can be shared, but activation and settings may be controlled per site or for the entire network.
- Each site has its own content tables and uploads, so include the whole database and files in every backup.
- When adding another domain later, repeat the DNS, server-host, SSL, site-creation and mapping steps; changing only the WordPress URL is insufficient.
- Keep the network’s primary domain available for Network Admin even when visitors primarily use mapped domains.
These steps follow the WordPress Developer Resources guidance for Multisite networks, domain mapping (updated July 7, 2025), network creation, and network administration (updated September 24, 2026).
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