Everything you need to know about WordPress multisite installations and how to install them

One, two, ten WordPress sites all in one place. Sound good? That's the principle of a WordPress multisite network.

With this feature, All your sites can be grouped on a single dashboard, within easy reach and just a few clicks away.

The time saved can be considerable in ensuring the maintenance of your WordPress sites, but this is not necessarily the main reason that leads a webmaster to use multisite.

So, what exactly is this type of network used for? Who is it intended for? And, most importantly, how do you set it up on your WordPress site?

You will find answers to these questions – and many more – in this comprehensive guide that reveals everything about the subject. 

What is a WordPress multisite?

A native feature for managing a set of sites

A WordPress multisite network comprises a set of websites (showcase, e-commerce, blog, etc.) on the same WordPress installation. They are all managed from the same dashboard, and each site/blog can be customized individually.

This is a native feature, meaning it is embedded in the WordPress core – the files and folders you download during installation – since the release of version 3.0 of the CMS (Content Management System).

The multi-site option is activated thanks to adding a line of code to the file wp-config.php – we will come back to this in detail – both on a website already online and on a brand new installation.

But ultimately, what does a network of sites look like? To stay within the WordPress theme, the most obvious example is WordPress.com.

Find the differences between WordPress.org and WordPress.com in our dedicated article.

The parallel with WordPress.com

Thanks to this hosting solution, anyone can create an online website/blog. Let's say that WordPress.com manages the entire global network infrastructure: it's essentially the main website of the network.

Besides that, there are millions of sites, each belonging to a person, that make up the network.

To illustrate, each site in the WordPress.com network would correspond to the set of sites that you would add to your own network (your WordPress installation), on your dashboard (site 1, site 2, site 3, site 4 etc).

As summarized in the WordPress documentation, “end users on the network can create their own sites on demand, just as end users of WordPress.com can create blogs on demand.”

Another example : numerous authoritative websites/blogs about education (universities, grandes écoles etc.) often operate on multiple sites. 

In summary, just to make everything perfectly clear for you: 

• The network corresponds to your basic WordPress installation.
• Each time you add a website to your basic WP installation, it enters the WordPress multisite network. 

What are the specific characteristics of a multi-site network?

Although it shares many similarities with a classic WordPress site/blog, a WordPress multisite network still has some specific characteristics: 

• In a multi-site environment, A new user role has appeared: the Super AdminHe, and only he, has the power to administer the entire network.
• At the same time, The permissions of the admin role are reduced.. “By default, administrators cannot install new themes or extensions and cannot add or edit accounts on their site.”, as specified in the WordPress documentation.
• By default, All accounts added to the network will have a subscriber role on all sites.
• Every website has different directories for uploaded media (They do not have their own directory on the server). Each site on the network has its own folder containing the media uploaded to the uploads directory.
• The WordPress administration interface includes new types of personalized content (custom post types) and new settings menus. 
• Each site in the network has separate tables in your database.

What are the different types of multi-site networks?

This is also a specific feature of a WordPress multisite network, but given its technical importance, let's give it a dedicated subsection. 

In practice, you will have a choice between two types of multi-site networks when activating your network: 

1. A WordPress multisite network organized into subdomainsIn this case, each site has a different subdomain. For example: https://site1.example.com and https://site2.example.com.
2. A network organized into subdirectories (also called subfolders or paths). Here, each site has a distinct subdirectory. For example: https://example.com/site1/ and https://example.com/site2/

Subdirectory or subdomain: which configuration should I choose?

Whichever option you choose – more details in the section on setting up your network – first understand that Each site on the network will have a different URL in its domain name.  

Next, technically speaking, Installing in subfolders is simpler to set up and manage for a beginner..

However, the WordPress documentation indicates that if your WP installation was done more than a month ago, you will not be able to choose the subfolder installation.

If you prefer to opt for a network organized into subdomains, you will need to point your different domain names to the same folder on the server where WordPress is installed. 

To achieve this, and without going into detail, one possible method is to configure wildcard subdomains. If you're interested, you'll find detailed explanations about this resource.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of a multisite network on WordPress?

Like any feature, multisite has advantages and disadvantages, detailed just below.

Advantages of a WordPress multisite network

• This makes managing updates (WP core, plugins and themes) easier., since all your sites are grouped on the same dashboard.
  You no longer need to log in to each site individually and save time.
• The installation of your themes and extensions is centralized. : they can be activated at once on all the sites of your choice.
• Each site has its own administrator And as Super Admin, you have control over all user roles to control the permissions granted on each site. 
• You save money on WordPress hostingInstead of hosting each site individually, you use a single hosting server for all the sites on your network.

Drawbacks

• Setting up a WordPress multisite network can be complex for the inexperienced user.This is especially true if you want to configure your network of sites using subdomains. Furthermore, debugging in case of problems can also be complicated.
• If your network has many sites, you will need high-performance hostingNaturally, more sites installed means more server resources consumed, which can cause performance problems (slower page load speeds).
  In this case, shared hosting can quickly become insufficient. Dedicated hosting, like what is offered by Kinstawhich we recommend, may then prove indispensable.
• Since all sites share the same server resources, If one site becomes unavailable, your entire network will be affected.The same applies in the event of a traffic spike or hacking (all sites will be affected at the same time).
• Multisite functionality is not supported by all WordPress plugins.but also by all hosting providers (it's quite rare, but it can happen).
• Customization is less straightforward than on a standard installation., since all sites share the same theme and the same extensions.

Now you have a clearer understanding of what multisite is on WordPress. Before showing you step-by-step how to set it up on your installation, let's make sure you really need it!

In what situations should I create a WordPress multisite?

Even if the advantages of a WordPress multisite appeal to you, this type of network may not be suitable for your needs.

On the one hand, let's say it's relevant to use it if you want to create several sites with very similar designs and functionalities.

This is the case for certain restaurant chains, training establishments, banks, NGOs, community portals, news websites, etc.

A WordPress multisite can also be useful for grouping all your personal websites/blogs.

On the other hand, it is best to refrain from designing a multi-site network if: 

• You host client websites that have no connection to each other. If one of them decides to change hosting providers, you'll be in trouble because their website will share the same database as the other sites on the network. 
• Your future network needs to host very different sites in terms of design, themes and extensions to install (for you or your clients). 
• Your hosting provider does not offer server prerequisites essential for your network to function.
• You have an urgent need for one or more plugins that are not compatible with the multisite functionality.
• You do not have access to your server to configure certain key files, such as wp-config.php and .htaccess.
• You need an IP address for each site on your network.
• Each site in your network must have its own database. 
• You don't want to get your hands dirty with the code of certain WordPress files. 

If you simply want to take advantage of the centralized and simplified management aspect for maintaining your WordPress websites, you should instead rely on:

• A specialized service provider like WP Maintenancewhich will take care of everything for you (updates, security, backups etc).
• Dedicated tools as Manage WP ou WP Umbrellabut you will have to dedicate time to it. 

Does a WordPress multisite network seem to fit your expectations and needs? Now see how to set it up. 

How do I install multisite on WordPress?

For the purposes of this tutorial, we'll manually install a WordPress multisite network from an existing (online) WordPress installation. But remember, it's perfectly possible to do this when installing WordPress for the first time. If that's your situation, check out our tutorial that explains how. how to create a WordPress site. 

Step 1: Ensure prerequisites are met

First, make sure you meet certain prerequisites:

• You must be the main website administrator (your future network).
• It is necessary to be able to access the wp-config.php and .htaccess files usingFTP software (File Transfer ProtocolThis allows you to send files to your hosting server from your computer.
• You will needa code editor (brackets, Sublime Text) to edit your files.  
• The configuration of Your hosting server must be compatible with setting up a multisite network.In principle, there shouldn't be any problems with this with most quality hosting providers. To be absolutely sure, ask their customer service.
• Use a high-performance and secure hosting provider.  
• Check that the Optimized permalinks function.
• Disable all active extensionsThe WordPress documentation specifies that “You will be able to reactivate them after the network is created.”.

Some hosting providers such as Kinsta, which we recommend, offer an option to automatically activate multisite on your hosting space.

Step 2: Back up your site

Are all your tools ready on your computer? Proceed to step 2 of creating a WordPress multisite network.

To protect yourself in case of a bug when setting up your network (e.g., incorrect manipulation in the .htaccess file), we advise you to back up your site before proceeding.

There are two main ways to do this: 

• Is use the backup service offered by your hosting provider.
• Is use a free backup plugin like UpdraftPlusThis system is very easy to use and you can configure your backups automatically from your dashboard.

Whatever solution is chosen, Make sure to back up both your files and your database.It is necessary to have both of these elements (especially your database) in order to be able to restore your site in case of a problem.

Once your site is safely stored, go on the offensive and start by enabling multisite. 

Step 3: Activate the WordPress multisite feature

To activate the network creation menu, you need to add a small line of code to your file. wp-config.phpIn detail, here's what you need to do.

Connect to your FTP software

Start by opening your favorite FTP software (Filezilla, Cyberduck, Transmit etc.). Here, we will use Filezilla, one of the best known (free).

Log in to your site using the credentials provided by your hosting provider (via email). You will need to enter the following information: 

• Host.
• Identifier.
• Password.
• Port.

Once logged in, locate the wp-config.php file. This file is located in the root directory of your site (e.g., www, public, public_html).

Add the code snippet to enable the WordPress multisite network

Open this file wp-config.php Right-click on it and choose View/Edit.

Before the comment /* That's all, don't touch what follows! Happy publishing. */, add the code snippet below: 

/* Multisite */
define( 'WP_ALLOW_MULTISITE', true );

In practice, you should end up with this: 

Once this operation is performed, refresh your browserIt is now possible to install and create a multisite network on your WordPress website. 

Step 4: Install the network of sites

To do this, go to the Tools menu > Network Creation. This last link (“Network Creation”) was activated by adding our code snippet to the file wp-config.php :

On the page that just opened, enter a name for your network (e.g., WP Maintenance Network) and your email address, then click the “Install” button:

You will have more or fewer options on this page on your own system. For the purposes of this test, we are working locally (on our computer) and not on an online server. Therefore, the options are limited. For example, we can only create a network based on subdirectories. 

Step 5: Activate the network

Finally, you need to activate the network of sites. This is done in two steps:

1. Adding a new piece of code to the file wp-config.php.
2. Adding network configuration rules to the file .htaccess.

The code to add to each file is automatically generated by WordPress.For our example, it looks like this:

Please note Do not copy these code snippets to your computer! They are customized for our setup, which may not be the same as yours. Use the ones provided by WordPress when configuring your network, and everything will be fine.
Before doing anything, back up your files. wp-config.php et .htaccess existing.

Add the activation code to your wp-config.php file

If we follow the instructions provided, start by adding the first piece of code to your file. wp-config.php. 

Position it:

• Above the line /* That's all, don't touch what follows! Happy content publishing. */.
• Right after the piece of code used to enable the multisite functionality (see step 3). 

In practice, you should end up with this:

Adding configuration rules to the .htaccess file

If you already have a file .htaccessThis file must be located in the root directory of your website, like the file wp-config.php.

If you don't see it, create it at the same level as your wp-config.php file (in the same directory).

To do this, use FileZilla: 

• In your site's root folder, right-click and click on “Create a new file”.
• Name it .htaccess.
• Add the configuration rules inside, replacing the existing WordPress rules.

Once these steps are completed, you will need to log back into the dashboard using the link provided at the bottom of the screen.

WordPress states that “you may need to clear your browser cache and cookies to be able to log in”.

If everything worked correctly, you will see a new menu item called “My sites” appear in the top left corner of your screen:

Your WordPress multisite network is now active. Now let's see how to configure and administer it. 

How do you manage your network of sites?

How do I access your main site and your network of sites?

Activating a WordPress multisite network slightly changes the organization of your dashboard. Here's how it works now. 

The administration interface for your main site can be accessed via My sites > Your site name (“Multisite” in this test) > Dashboard:

You then end up with a classic dashboard, as is customary with a site that does not have multisite enabled.

Now, to access your site network dashboard, go to My Sites > Network Admin > Dashboard.

You will find that The settings sidebar has fewer options than on a "classic" website. (not multisite). 

For example, you have options to manage all sites, accounts, themes and extensions installed on your network. 

You can also update your entire network at once:

How do I configure the settings for my WordPress multisite network?

Beyond that, specific settings are available to configure your network. You can find them in My Sites > Network Admin > Settings.

You can take action on the following elements: 

• Registration settings In particular, you can manage who can register for your network of sites, or even block the creation of sites for certain people whose email address is not linked to a particular domain name.
• New site settings : allows you to configure the welcome messages sent to owners of new sites, when creating a new account, etc. 
• Upload settings Here, you can set the maximum file size for uploads. By default, the setting is 100 MB. You can lower this limit if you notice your site network is starting to experience slow loading speeds. You can also choose the types of files your users can upload and their maximum size.
• Language settings allows, as its name suggests, to change the primary language used on your WordPress multisite network. 
• Menu settings : if you check the “Extensions” box on the screen below, your users will be able to enable/disable extensions but will not be able to add any.

Remember to click the “Save changes” button to save your new settings.

How do I add a new site to my multisite network?

For the moment, your network only has one site: your main site (called “Multisite” in our example):

That's a bit small for a site network, so let's see how to make it all a bit bigger. 

To add a new site, go to the following menu: My Sites > Network Admin > Sites. Then click the “Add” button, as shown in the screenshot below:

Next, fill in the fields and parameters below: 

• Site web address (URL), with the name of your subdirectory in lowercase, unaccented letters. You can add numbers and hyphens.
  In our case, the chosen site address is localhost/multisite/site1.
• Site Title.
• Site language.
• Administrator's email.

Finish by clicking the “Add a site” button on your administration screen.

Your new site is now available in Sites > All sites:

How do I add a theme?

To manage the appearance of your site, you need a theme. To add one to your network of sites, go to My Sites > Network Admin > Themes > Add. 

Select the theme of your choice on the screen, then activate it on your administration interface. It will then be available to the site administrators of your networkwho will have to activate it manually to make it the default theme on the site in question.

To do this, simply go to the dashboard of the site in question, following this path for example: My sites > Network site 1 > Dashboard > Appearance > Themes:

For your information, as an administrator, you can find the list of themes on your network in Themes > Installed Themes. If you wish to activate one on your network, click on “Activate on network” on your screen.

The principle is the same for disabling one, that is, for making it unadministrable on your network by users. 

To improve page load speed, a crucial factor on a WordPress multisite network, we recommend using a lightweight and fast theme. Here are a few options: Astra, cadence, Blocky, GeneratePress ou NeveEach provider offers website templates that can be activated with a single click in your administration interface. Feel free to test their free version to see which one best suits your needs. 

How do I add an extension?

After themes, let's move on to extensions. You'll see, the process is the same. To add a WordPress plugin to your network, administrators must go to My Sites > Network Admin > Extensions.

Click the “Add” button, then add the extension of your choice. For this example, we'll choose WordFence, a security plugin for WordPress :

Once activated, the WordPress extension will be activated on all sites in your network.This applies to all your users. By default, you cannot disable it on a case-by-case basis, on each site. It is only possible to disable it across the entire network.

However, if you wish to activate a given extension on a particular site in your network, it is possible thanks to a small subtlety.

When you add an extension to your entire network (My sites > Network Admin > Extensions), do not activate it.

Then go back to the extensions page of your chosen site (e.g., Network Site 1), and activate it there in the settings provided!

Which plugins should I use on a WordPress multisite network?

Speaking of plugins, here are a few that might be useful on your network of sites: 

• WordFence Security ou SecuPressTo strengthen the security of your installation, if you are using a subdomain structure, consider activating an SSL certificate on each of your domains in order to Switch your websites to HTTPSMost hosting providers will offer it to you for free.
• SEOPress. optimize natural referencing (SEO) of your WordPress website. 
• User Switching, to switch from one user account to another with one click.
• Akismet, to combat spam.
• WP Rocket (paid), to activate caching on your site (and speed up its loading speed) with easy-to-configure settings for administrators and users.
• Imagifyto reduce the size of images on your network of sites.
• All-in-One WP Migration, to migrate one of your sites to another destination (new server, local etc).
• UpdraftPlus, to back up your sites.
• Members, to customize the tasks of a user role.
• WP Activity Log, to understand the activity on your network of sites (including users).

How do I add a user?

As an administrator, you can add new users to your network. To do this, go to the following menu: My sites > Network admin > Dashboard > Accounts > Add.

On the displayed page, in the settings section, enter a username and email address for this user:

Now, how do you add a new user to one of the sites in your network? Simply go to the dashboard of the site in question, then add the user in question via the Accounts menu. 

For a new account, the administrator will need to provide: 

• An identifier.
• An email.
• The user's role (subscriber, contributor, author, editor, administrator). The administrator has the most permissions, the subscriber has the fewest.
• If you would like the user to receive a confirmation message by email.

It is also at the interface level of each site that you can manage the roles of each user (administrator, editor, contributor etc.) and modify their privileges.

How do I grant Super Admin privileges to a user on my WordPress multisite network?

If needed, you can also grant a user the Super Admin role. However, be aware: This option should be handled with care because the Super Administrator has full permissions on your WordPress multisite network..

Regarding the procedure, you need to go to your network's administration interface. 

In the “Accounts > All Accounts” menu, click the “Edit” link next to the user of your choice. Then, on the page that appears, check the box “Give this account super-admin privileges for the network”:

How do I update the sites on my network?

As you have discovered by reading these lines, a multisite network facilitates the management of updates to your sites (blog, ecommerce etc).

For example, it is possible to update all the sites in your network at the same time (here, this only concerns the WordPress Core).

To do this, administrators can click on the “Update network” button in the site network dashboard:

In parallel, you can of course perform updates to the WordPress themes and plugins installed on the sites in your network via the “Updates” menu.

When you update an extension, for example, the change will be effective on all sites in your network. 

How do I enable domain mapping?

To conclude this series of mini-tutorials, let's address a slightly more technical point that can prove important, depending on the situation: domain mapping.

Called domain mapping, in English, this native WordPress feature (since version 4.5) allows sites in a WordPress network to " be mapped to top-level domains that are not part of the network", indicate The WordPress documentation.

Concretely, This means you can use the domain name of your choice. – provided you have it – on each of the sites in your network. And this applies whether you have chosen the subdomain or subfolder structure.

To "map" a domain name, you must first point its Domain Name System (DNS) on your server. Next, make sure that all your domains have an SSL certificate installed. 

Next, update the website or blog to which you want to assign a new domain name, then add its domain name to its settings. To do this, go to My Sites > Network Admin > Sites > All Sites. Click the “Edit” link next to the relevant website/blog. 

In the info tab, add the domain name of your choice in the “Website address (URL)” option:

Remember to save your changes. 

In case of an error regarding blocked cookies When you try to log in to the network dashboard, or if the connection fails without an error message, the WordPress documentation recommends adding the following line of code after the code you added to create your network (in the wp-config.php file):

define('COOKIE_DOMAIN', $_SERVER);

WordPress multisite: a summary

Throughout this article, you have discovered the intricacies of a WordPress multisite network. In summary, we have covered the following points: 

• What is the purpose of multisite?
• What are its specific features?
• What are the different types of multi-site networks that you can implement?
• The advantages and disadvantages of multisite.
• How to install and administer a WordPress multisite network.
• How to enable domain mapping (domain name mapping) on ​​one or more sites.

Although it has advantages (e.g., easier update management), a multisite network also has its share of disadvantages.

One of them concerns, for example the technical aspect of its implementationwhich can prove to be complex and intimidating.

If you are hesitant to start, call on a team of professionals to carry out the operation according to best practices, and to react very quickly in case of problems.

The experts at Maintenance WP are available 7 days a week to provide you with tailored support in setting up a multi-site network (among other things). Contact us for more information.