Use WordPress Multisite when each domain needs to be a separate website. A domain-based Multisite network lets several hostnames use one WordPress codebase while each site keeps its own pages, media, themes, plugins and settings. WordPress 4.5 and later include native domain mapping, so a mapping plugin is not required for the core operation. You still must point every domain to the server, configure the web server and HTTPS, create the subsites, and test cookies, redirects and rewrites.
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If every domain should show exactly the same site, do not create several subsites merely to obtain aliases. Keep one canonical domain and redirect the other hostnames at the web-server layer. That is a different implementation from a Multisite network and should be tested in your hosting stack.
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Choose the architecture before changing WordPress
“Multiple domains on one WordPress install” can describe two different outcomes. Decide which one you need before editing wp-config.php or DNS.
Separate websites: use Multisite with domain mapping
Choose a WordPress Multisite network when each domain represents a distinct site. A network shares the WordPress installation and, depending on your configuration, themes and plugins, while each subsite has its own content and site-level settings. For example, example.com, example.net and example.org can each resolve to a different site in one network.
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The official WordPress documentation states that domain mapping is native in WordPress 4.5 and later. The domain-mapping feature therefore does not require a plugin for its basic mapping operation: WordPress domain mapping documentation.
One identical website: use a canonical domain and redirects
If all hostnames should display the same pages, products and media, use one canonical domain and redirect the aliases to it at the web-server layer. This avoids duplicate site records and gives search engines, browsers and analytics one preferred URL. The Multisite instructions cited here cover separate network sites, not a general alias configuration, so the exact redirect syntax depends on your server and hosting control panel.
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Separate single installations: choose isolation instead
Independent WordPress installations can be preferable when sites need separate administrators, update schedules, security boundaries or migration plans. A Multisite network centralizes administration, but moving a network is more complicated than moving one standalone site. Base the decision on who will administer the sites and how independently they must operate; do not choose Multisite only because several domains happen to share a server.
What Multisite shares and what it keeps separate
Multisite stores several sites in one network. Network administrators manage the installation as a whole, while site administrators manage the content and settings allowed for their individual site. Shared code means a plugin or theme update can affect multiple sites, so test updates with the entire network in mind.
- Shared: the WordPress core files, the network’s available plugins and themes, and network-level administration.
- Per site: posts, pages, menus, media, widgets, site title, reading settings and the mapped site URL.
- Operational consequence: a server, database or network-level failure can affect every domain, and a network migration needs more planning than moving one site.
WordPress does not provide a universal “one install, many unrelated domains” switch for ordinary single-site mode. The supported architecture for separate sites is Multisite.
Subdomain or subdirectory network?
When you create the network, WordPress asks whether sites should use subdomains or subdirectories. This choice describes the network’s default URL pattern; you can subsequently map a subsite to its own domain.
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|---|---|---|---|
| Subdomain | site1.example.com |
On-demand sites normally need wildcard DNS so new subdomains reach the installation. Manually created mapped domains can use other server methods. | Networks that naturally organize sites under hostnames. |
| Subdirectory | example.com/site1 |
No wildcard subdomain is needed for the path itself, but the server must still route mapped external domains to the same installation. | Networks whose default sites are naturally organized by paths. |
The official preparation guidance explains the distinction and the DNS requirement: Prepare your Multisite network. Select the model that matches how you will create future sites, not merely the first custom domain you plan to map.
Prerequisites and a safe preparation checklist
Have control of every domain, DNS zone and hosting entry before starting. You should also be able to edit the WordPress files and restart or reload the web server when your host requires it.
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- A working WordPress installation with administrator access.
- Access to the database and all WordPress files for a complete backup.
- Working pretty permalinks on the existing site.
- DNS access for every domain and the ability to create the required records.
- A hosting configuration that can route each hostname to the WordPress installation directory.
- HTTPS certificates for the primary domain and every mapped domain.
- A maintenance window for plugin deactivation, configuration changes and testing.
Before network creation, follow the official backup and preparation requirements in Create a Network. Back up both the database and files, verify pretty permalinks, and deactivate active plugins. Keep the backup available until every site has been tested.
Step-by-step: create the Multisite network
1. Back up and record the current configuration
Export a database backup and copy the complete WordPress directory, including wp-content and configuration files. Record the current site URL, PHP and web-server settings, active plugins and permalink structure. If a change must be reversed, these records make restoration faster than guessing which setting changed.
2. Enable the Network Setup screen
- Open
wp-config.phpin the WordPress installation directory. - Add this line before the line that says the file is finished editing:
define( 'WP_ALLOW_MULTISITE', true );- Sign in to WordPress and open Tools → Network Setup.
- Choose Sub-domains or Sub-directories.
- Enter a network title and network administrator email, then submit the form.
WordPress generates installation-specific instructions. Do not substitute a generic block copied from another installation: the generated constants, rewrite rules and file paths depend on your existing URL model and server.
3. Apply the generated configuration
The setup screen supplies code for wp-config.php and rewrite rules for the server. Copy those instructions exactly, placing each block where WordPress specifies. Log out and back in when prompted so the Network Admin menu becomes available.
WordPress can generate Apache and IIS configuration rules, but it cannot generate Nginx configuration. Nginx administrators must implement the Multisite rules manually, as documented in Multisite administration. A syntactically valid single-site configuration is not automatically a valid Multisite configuration; check that requests for uploads, subsites and the login paths are routed correctly.
Route every domain to the same installation
1. Create DNS records
For each domain, create the record that points the hostname to the server’s IP address, or use the equivalent target required by your host. The official preparation guide summarizes the two halves of this task: DNS must map the domain to the server’s IP address, and the server must map the domain to the WordPress installation directory.
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2. Add hostnames in the hosting or web-server configuration
Create a virtual host, add-on domain, server block or equivalent entry for every domain. Set the document root to the same directory that serves the existing WordPress installation. Do not create a second document root containing another copy of WordPress unless you intentionally chose separate installations.
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Host control panels use different labels, but the required result is the same: every hostname must arrive at the network’s front controller and receive the Multisite rewrite rules. Confirm that the server preserves the original Host header; WordPress uses the requested hostname to select the mapped site.
3. Replace the rewrite block
Use the rules generated by Network Setup rather than leaving the original single-site block in place. The rules differ for Apache, IIS and Nginx. On Apache or IIS, apply the generated configuration and reload the service if required. On Nginx, implement the equivalent Multisite routing manually and have an administrator validate the configuration before reloading it.
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Install a certificate covering the primary domain and each mapped domain. Server Name Indication (SNI) allows a modern TLS server to present the correct certificate for multiple hostnames on one IP address. Every mapped domain should serve HTTPS, including the login and Network Admin paths, because credentials and authentication cookies travel through those requests.
Test both the bare domain and its chosen www or non-www form, then enforce one consistent HTTPS URL with your server redirects. A certificate that covers only the primary domain will produce browser warnings when a visitor opens a mapped subsite.
Create subsites and map their domains
1. Create the site in Network Admin
- Sign in as a network administrator.
- Open Network Admin → Sites → Add New.
- Enter the temporary network address, site title and administrator email.
- Create the site, then open it from the Sites list.
The temporary address follows the network model, such as site1.example.com or example.com/site1. It gives WordPress an internal site record before the custom domain is attached.
2. Enter the complete mapped URL
- In Network Admin → Sites, select the new site and choose Edit.
- On the site settings screen, replace the temporary value in Site Address (URL) with the complete URL, for example
https://example.com. - Save the change.
- Open the mapped URL in a private browser window and test the homepage, an internal link, the login screen and an administrator page.
The official domain-mapping instructions describe this exact Site Address change: Map a domain in Multisite. Include the scheme (https://) and use the final hostname format you intend to publish.
3. Repeat without creating duplicate installations
Create one subsite record per independent domain and point each domain’s server entry to the same installation directory. Do not copy the WordPress files for each hostname unless you have decided that separate single-site installations are the better architecture.
Login cookies and common mapped-domain failures
“Cookies are blocked” or login silently returns to the login page
First confirm that the site URL, HTTPS certificate, browser hostname and server routing all agree. A mismatch between an HTTP URL and an HTTPS request, or between two hostname variants, can prevent the expected authentication cookie from being accepted.
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If the mapped subsite specifically reports blocked cookies or silently fails to log in, the WordPress handbook documents this setting after the network configuration:
define( 'COOKIE_DOMAIN', $_SERVER['HTTP_HOST'] );Apply it only when that documented symptom occurs, place it where the handbook instructs in wp-config.php, and test the result in the target environment. This is not a universal fix for DNS, certificate or rewrite errors.
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- Confirm the domain’s DNS record points to the intended server.
- Confirm the hostname has a virtual-host or hosting entry using the WordPress document root.
- Check that the subsite’s Site Address (URL) exactly matches the requested HTTPS hostname.
- Clear server, page-cache and browser caches after changing the mapping.
- Verify that no upstream proxy or redirect sends the hostname to the primary domain before WordPress receives the request.
Permalinks or media return 404 errors
Regenerate or re-save the intended permalink structure after the network rewrite rules are active, then inspect the server’s rewrite configuration. On Nginx, check the manually implemented Multisite rules first; WordPress does not generate them. Also verify that the uploads path is being passed to the same installation rather than to a missing directory.
Redirect loops or mixed-content warnings
Ensure the mapped site, server redirect and certificate all use the same HTTPS hostname. Remove competing HTTP-to-HTTPS or www-to-apex rules, and update hard-coded HTTP asset URLs in the affected site. Test in a private window so an old redirect is not masking the current result.
Native mapping or a plugin?
| Approach | What it provides | When to choose it | Trade-off |
|---|---|---|---|
| Native WordPress mapping | Core domain mapping for WordPress 4.5 and later. | Use when the requirement is simply assigning a domain to a Multisite subsite. | DNS, server routing, HTTPS and rewrite configuration remain your responsibility. |
| Domain-mapping plugin | Additional workflow or compatibility features supplied by that particular plugin. | Consider only when a documented feature is missing from core and the plugin is compatible with your WordPress, PHP and hosting setup. | Adds another update, support and failure surface; it is not required for the core mapping operation. |
Core support does not eliminate server work. A plugin cannot make an unresolvable DNS record, an absent certificate or an incorrectly routed virtual host work.
How to test before publishing
Test each domain independently rather than assuming that one successful site proves the network is correct.
- Resolve the hostname and confirm it reaches the intended server.
- Open the HTTPS homepage and check that the certificate matches the hostname.
- Follow a pretty permalink, a media URL and a page with a form.
- Sign in to the mapped site and open a Network Admin page if your account has permission.
- Sign out, clear the browser session, and sign in again to check cookie persistence.
- Test the chosen canonical hostname and any alternate
wwwform for a single, intentional redirect. - Inspect page source and browser developer tools for mixed-content requests or redirects to the temporary subsite URL.
- Repeat after clearing page-cache and CDN layers, if present.
Keep a written list of each domain, its DNS target, certificate coverage, hosting entry, mapped Site Address and expected redirect. That checklist makes future domain additions repeatable.
Administration, updates and migration considerations
Multisite centralizes network administration. A network administrator can control which themes and plugins are available, while site administrators work within their site’s permissions. Establish an update policy before adding production domains: test a core, theme or plugin update against representative subsites, because shared code can affect all of them.
Plan backups at both the database and file level, and verify that the backup process includes every site in the network. Document DNS records, server entries, certificates, rewrite configuration and the network’s URL model. A future migration must reproduce those dependencies; moving only the files without the database, DNS and server configuration will not recreate the network.
If one site eventually needs an independent server, administrator boundary or release cycle, evaluate a careful extraction to a standalone installation rather than assuming the network can be split with a single export. The official administration guidance discusses the additional complexity of managing and moving a network: Multisite administration guidance.
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Decision checklist
- Choose Multisite with native mapping when domains are separate sites that can share one WordPress installation and centralized administration.
- Choose one canonical site with server redirects when every domain should show identical content.
- Choose separate installations when security, administration, updates or migration must be isolated.
- Choose subdomains when hostname-based default site URLs fit your network and you can provide the required DNS behavior.
- Choose subdirectories when path-based default URLs are simpler for your network, while recognizing that custom mapped domains still need DNS and server entries.
- Use a plugin only for a specific feature not supplied by core, after checking compatibility and its maintenance requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can several domains use one WordPress installation without Multisite?
Only when the domains are aliases for the same site and you redirect them to one canonical domain at the server layer. Separate domains with separate content require a Multisite network or separate installations.
Is a domain-mapping plugin required in WordPress 4.5 or newer?
No. WordPress 4.5 and later include native domain mapping. A plugin is optional and should be justified by a specific additional feature.
Do I need wildcard DNS for every mapped domain?
Wildcard DNS is normally associated with on-demand subdomain sites in a subdomain network. A manually created mapped domain can use its own DNS record and server entry instead.
Why does WordPress show the wrong site after I change DNS?
The hostname may still point to another server, lack a virtual-host entry, or have a Site Address that does not exactly match the requested HTTPS hostname. Check those layers in that order.
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What should an Nginx administrator do for Multisite?
Implement the Multisite rewrite rules manually. WordPress can generate Apache and IIS rules, but it cannot generate Nginx configuration.
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