Two Dashboards for Each Blog

Are all the domains you are using subdomains of a single root domain?

I.E. your domain is supernetwork.com, and your subdomains are

• site1.supernetwork.com
• site2.supernetwork.com
• site3.supernetwork.com
• and so on…

I think that they are BUT it’s the wrong domain.

The main domain was set up first in it’s own WP install:

maindomain.com

A few more domain names were purchased and it was decided to go the MU route w/WP. Since maindomain.com is an ecommerce site and we didn’t want to mess around with it we left it as a single install. Hostgator said that yes we could set up WP MU using an addonsite*. So supernetwork.com was created. And the Wildcard DNS created on that.

The subdomains appear as:

• site1.maindomain.com
• site2.maindomain.com
• etc.

instead of

• site1.supernetwork.com
• site2.supernetwork.com
• etc.

* I’ve lost track of addons v subdomains!

So they’re two separate domains (mainsite.com and supernetwork.com) and you are trying to run them both together under a single WordPress Multisite account?

I’m afraid it can’t be done. In order to Multisite to function properly, sthe subdomains must be under the same root domain that WordPress is on. I.E., if WP Multisite is on mainsite.com, the subdomains must also be from mainsite.com. You can’t mix and match. So site1.supernetwork.com can’t be run under the WP Multisite installation on mainsite.com and will need to be run on it’s own separate WordPress installation.

See what I mean?

Yes and no.

Mainsite.com is a stand alone site running WP. Not part of the network nor intended to work with supernetwork.com. Supernetwork.com has it’s own installation of WP. This was was the site that MU was created.

As I’m looking at CPanel and the SubDomain section I hope I’m having an “aha” momement that fixes everything! I now see I can create subdomains for supernetwork.com. So if set up the subdomains using supernetwork.com and remove all the ones for mainsite.com will it all magically work?

I don’t believe in magic, but it’s possible I suppose. For sure, the main (root) installation of wordpress and the subdomains must be related. Not sure what you’ve done to this point to try and get outside domains to work, so I’m not sure what you have to *undo* first before it all works as it should. ??

I was able to create site1.supernetwork subdomain but not delete site1.mainsite.com subdomain without deleting the addon domain site1. Reluctant to do that becuase I do not know the consequences.

The outside domains work in the sense that you can go to the sites. You can see that WP is installed but they are individual installs and appear completely disconnected to the network. But they are on the network as well.

Anyway — I appreciate your help….think it’s time to throw in the towel on this one and not bother with the MU.

Thanks.

Well there are definitely advantages to using multisite, but I’ll admit it’s not for everyone since it’s a little more confusing to use.

I wouldn’t give up just yet though… find a domain that isn’t critical (or that you’ve backed up) so you can experiment on it, and give it a shot.

I may give it another go. Since these are going to very small, static sites I thought it was a good opportunity to try this out….that will be a decision for tomorrow! I’ve had more thanough of this for today!??

Did that. Was instructed to install WP on each of the domains.

They totally led you down the wrong garden path, unfortunately.

The outside domains work in the sense that you can go to the sites. You can see that WP is installed but they are individual installs and appear completely disconnected to the network. But they are on the network as well.

No, they are still not part of the network. I’m sorry to hear your host toally screwed you over on this.

The usual method is as follows:

– install multisite on whatever domain you like (also note is it NOT called WPMU any longer. this refers to the old codebase and causes confusion).

– you can use subdomains or subfolder, which does not matter much if you eventually want to map domains. If the multisite install is an add-on domain, your host has to let you use wildcard subdomains on that. Most do not.

– you do not install any other instances of WorPress. You go to network admin -> Sites -> Add new. Make a test site.

– install the domain mapping plugin. Map the domain. On the server side you *park* the domain you want to map on top of your multisite install.

The tricky bit here is if you have an existing domain you are using, you need to import all the content to your test site first, then move the dns.

In my experience, most hosts – unless they are WordPRess-specific – know absolutely nothing about multisite and the ones that do manage to screw it up with misunderstanding. They definitely do NOT understand domain mapping.

Thank you! That was my original set-up: parked domains, mapping them and it was ALMOST working. The index page was not resolving correctly and I was fairly certain it was a MINOR issue. I was just having no luck determining what it was and called Hostgator Tech support. Despite how helpful they were/are it was dowhnill from there. Having to install WP on each domain never made sense to me!

The wildcard domain is set up. I don’t know how, or even if it’s possible, to go back to the subdomain insall. They changed to the path based one. I guess that would also mean removing all the subdomains/addon domains for supernetwork.com and parking them (like they were originally).

BTW, I think where I ran into a glitch is in the network setup settings. In addition to referencing an IP address (or instead of) I should include the domain name – supernetwork.com – so the new sites are attached to that and not maindoman.com.

In addition to referencing an IP address (or instead of) I should include the domain name – supernetwork.com –

Yes, most definitely.

IS there any way you can tear it down and re-do it?

I don’t know how, or even if it’s possible, to go back to the subdomain insall. They changed to the path based one.

you mean to go from a subfolder install to a subdomain one? yeah, you can do it.

ok…I would appreciate knowing if these are the steps I need to take:

1. Remove the WP install from Sites 1-2-3
2. Remove Sites 1-2-3 from Supernetwork.com
3. Remove Sites 1-2-3 as addon/sub-domains
4. Park Sites 1-2-3
5. Change wp-config to define( ‘SUBDOMAIN_INSTALL’, true );

(would that be the only line that needs to change? are there changes to the htaccess)

6. In Domain Mapping Configuration add supernetwork.com to Server CNAME
7. Add Sites 1-2-3 to Network

Am I missing anything? Thank you!

before you map domains, make a TEST SITE in the network. Calls it test. make sure it works. Report back here eithe rway before you map domains.

Change wp-config to define( ‘SUBDOMAIN_INSTALL’, true );
(would that be the only line that needs to change? are there changes to the htaccess)

there’s no reason to change formats. and yes you’d ned new htaccess rules.

Ok, added site called TEST.

Its address is supernetwork.com/test.

Can get to it fine, added a post and can see it.

A theme that I added to the network was available, activated it and it worked. ??

And the Domain Mapping tool is available.

(I’m feeling encouraged here!)

To be clear, in the current network setting the subdomain install line is set to FALSE

Yes, Subdomain set false makes subfolders (supernetwork.com/test).

Set true and you get test.supernetwork.com ??