Domain Mapping for subdirectories

I don’t completely understand what you’re trying to accomplish.

Could you list which domains you’re trying to map to each subsite?

Hi Alex,

So I have installed multisite at domain site1.com

I then created sites within that multiste installation at:

site1.com/site2

site1.com/site3

site1.com/site4

I managed to use the WordPress MU Domain Mapping plugin to have

site2.com point to site1.com/site2

However, when I tried to do the same with site 3 and site4 I started to get weird feedback loops or I arrived at the WordPress Login screen.

Did I maybe miss a step?

Should I just start from scratch?

Thank you.

Which domains are you trying to map at /site3 and /site4? If you could provide a screenshot of your Domain Mapping settings page, it would help.

Start from scratch, meaning you’ll redo the domain mappings (you won’t have to reinstall WordPress). You have to install the plugin correctly, and then configure each site correctly.

You also can’t have site1, site2, etc created as actual subdomains (via CPanel or whatever tool your hosting account uses).

I wrote detailed Domain Mapping instructions, including how to get things back to working state after trying “everything under the sun” to get it working.

Hi George,

How do I completely uninstall the plugin?

I’ve tried to do that previously, but some of my data is still there when I reinstall.

You don’t need to uninstall the plugin. You do need to verify every plugin file is in the correct place.

You don’t need to remove any plugin data.

You should remove any incorrectly configured mappings, there is a delete link next to each mapping.

Is there a specific step in my instructions that isn’t clear to you?

George Lerner

1. I am sorry to say, your “expert” instructions, are not so expert, and can lead people to do things to their sites that are not needed.

2. There is NO sense to what you said here:

The WordPress code must be installed in /public_html so the multi-site features can work. So, you’ll want to move your existing web site to a new location on the server.

As long as they add a domain, and it makes the required document folder for it, that will work. There is NO need to move their primary site from the root public_html folder into another directory.

What you are telling them, not only is MIS-information, but depending on what software they are using for their site located there, can seriously cause issues and break their site!

Yes, I do agree, that in some cases, if all they plan on having is a site and the multisite blog on the hosting account, they could do the move, if it would not break their current site. However, to state that WP MS needs to be there, is false, and I am shocked that someone from WP had not seen that and commented.

Burke, Thank you for pointing out I need to update my WordPress Installation instructions page. I haven’t updated that page since about January 2012.

I did not make up the error message I showed there; at that time you could not install WordPress Multi-Site with domain mapping, in a subdomain.

Since then, WordPress and/or the Domain Mapping plugin changed, and now you definitely can install WordPress Multi-Site with domain mapping in either a Sub-Domain or an Add-on Domain. Much easier than moving any existing site in the root of your account. (You can’t however install in a subfolder.)

I will update my WordPress installation instructions with notes about this. I’ve kept my Domain Mapping instructions updated.

I am still having major issues getting my subdirectory sites to map.

I have followed all the instructions to the T in George Lerner’s post.

The domain for the mapped site is pointing to the root of the main site.

However, when I enter the url for the mapped site, it redirects and to the goes to the url of the main site.

This is very frustrating especially since there doesn’t seem to be any other solution to domain mapping out there.

There are other solutions but this one is the most popular because it works. If it does not work for you, it’s either because of configurations specific to your web host or because of your installation’s configuration.

If you don’t provide us with a way to see _all_ of your configurations and to test them (i.e. with the real domains), the only answers you’re going to get are generic ones. I understand you might not want to post those on a public forum. In that case, you should consider hiring someone to fix your issue.

Hi Alex,

I think i might have a DNS issue.

But, here are the 2 sites:

Main site: https://www.littledeer.ca/

Subdirectory/mapped site: https://www.swip.ca/

You have no DNS entry for www.swip.ca, only for swip.ca. These are two different things, DNS-wise. Make sure you have DNS entries for both and corresponding mapping entries in the Domain Mapping settings. Choose one of them as “Primary”.

So in domain mapping I should have :

swip.ca

and

https://www.swip.ca

?

Ah yes, I see now.

Thank you very much Alex. I should have spoke to you about this at WordCamp.

If you want both versions to work, yes. All pointing to the same Site ID. And check “Primary” next to the one you want as the canonical domain.

You also need to make sure with your web host that both https://www.swip.ca and swip.ca are pointing to your root folder (usually called ‘parked’ or ‘alias’ domains in control panels).