WordPress Multisite: What It Is, How to Activate and Manage It

WordPress Multisite is a powerful tool that allows you to manage multiple websites with ease. Rather than installing and managing multiple WordPress installations, you can create a network of sites all running from the same WordPress installation. This means that you can manage all of your sites from a single dashboard, saving you time and effort.

WordPress Multisite is particularly useful for businesses, organizations, and institutions that operate multiple websites. With Multisite, you can create a network of subdomains or subdirectories, giving you the flexibility to organize your sites in a way that makes sense for your organization. Whether you’re running a blog network, an e-commerce platform, or a collection of informational sites, WordPress Multisite is an excellent solution for managing multiple sites efficiently and effectively.

WordPress Multisite is a feature that allows you to create and manage multiple websites under a single WordPress installation. With Multisite, you can create subdomains or subdirectories for each website, depending on your preference. You can build subdomains like site1.example.com and site2.example.com if your main website is example.com. Alternatively, you can create subdirectories such as example.com/site1 and example.com/site2.

Multisite is a useful tool for schools and universities as it enables them to create separate sites for different departments. Corporations can also use Multisite to create websites for separate branches or offices. This way, each branch or department can have its own website, but all can be managed from a single dashboard, providing ease of management and streamlining the process.

How Does WordPress Multisite Work?

Understanding the roles of the super admin and site admin is crucial to comprehend the functionality of WordPress Multisite. The super admin, also referred to as the network admin, has overall control over the entire network of websites. The super admin is responsible for activating Multisite initially, enabling them to create and manage multiple websites under one WordPress installation.

Super admins possess the authority to access the Network Admin settings and the dashboard of every website present in the entire network. They hold the privilege of permitting users to create fresh accounts or websites.

In the multisite network, the super admin is in charge of managing the installation of plugins and themes, as well as overseeing uploads for all sites present on the network. The super admin can also perform custom domain mapping.

In a WordPress multisite network, a site admin typically holds administrative access to only one website. Nonetheless, depending on the permissions granted by their super admin, website administrators may be authorized to manage multiple websites.

Site admins have the capability to add users, but their authority is limited to the websites they administer. While site administrators cannot perform WordPress plugins or theme installations, they can select which ones to activate or deactivate.

How to Set Up WordPress Multisite on Subdirectories?

Once you have determined that WordPress Multisite is the appropriate solution for your needs, you can proceed with the installation process. The method of installation may vary depending on your website host provider. In some cases, WordPress Multisite can be installed automatically using the hosting account’s control panel. It is recommended to select a WordPress hosting plan that offers a Multisite feature to ensure a seamless setup experience.

Alternatively, if you prefer to set up WordPress Multisite manually, we have provided a step-by-step guide in the following four steps.

Prerequisites:

Before activating WordPress Multisite, it is crucial to meet the following prerequisites:

• Web hosting: Ensure that you have a web hosting plan that is capable of handling multiple sites or domains.

• WordPress installation: Ensure that you have a fresh WordPress installation to set up a multisite network. Alternatively, you can use an existing WordPress installation, but it is recommended to deactivate plugins and create a backup file first.

• FTP access: Verify that you have FTP access to your WordPress installation, which can be achieved by using an FTP client such as FileZilla.

1. Update the wp-config.php File

The first step is to locate and edit your website’s configuration file. On WordPress, this is the wp-config.php file, located in the root directory of your website.

wp-config.php is where your site’s configuration details are stored, including your database and hostnames, username, and password.

Here’s a step-by-step guide to update wp-config.php:

1. Open your FTP client and log in to your website.
2. Navigate to the root directory, commonly called public_html. If you use hPanel, access it by navigating to File Manager.

3. Navigate to the wp-config.php file and right-click it to choose the Open/Edit option. This will open the file, and you’ll see lines of code.
4. Scroll down to the bottom of the file until you see the line that reads /* That’s all, stop editing! Happy blogging. */. Note that sometimes the line may be /* That’s all, stop editing! Happy publishing. */ instead. Above it, add the following code:

/* Multisite */

define( ‘WP_ALLOW_MULTISITE’, true );

5. Save the changes and close the wp-config.php file.

That’s it. This simple line of code tells WordPress that you want to enable Multisite.

2. Configure Your Network Structure

Next, log in and access your WordPress admin area to find the Network Setup screen under Tools. This is where you’ll configure and activate your WordPress Multisite network.

WordPress will prompt you to deactivate any active plugins before continuing.

Under Addresses of Sites in your Network, choose whether you want to use subdomains or subdirectories.

Note that this choice will affect all the sites within your network and cannot be changed later.

Then, under Network Details, enter a name for your network in the Network Title field. Also, enter the super admin’s email address in the Network Admin Email field.

Double-check all the information and click Install.

3. Edit the wp-config.php and .htaccess Files

The next step requires you to add two code snippets to the wp-config.php and .htaccess files located in your WordPress root directory.

Pro Tip

Remember that on hPanel, you can find these via the File Manager.

WordPress will prompt you to enable the network and provide the relevant code snippets. It may look like this:

Before proceeding, ensure you have backed up the wp-config.php and .htaccess files.

Copy the snippets of code and follow the instructions. The snippets should look similar to the ones below.

In the wp-config.php file, add the following snippet of code above the line /* That’s all, stop editing! Happy blogging. */:

define( ‘MULTISITE’, true );

define( ‘SUBDOMAIN_INSTALL’, false );

define( ‘DOMAIN_CURRENT_SITE’, ‘domain.tld’ );

define( ‘PATH_CURRENT_SITE’, ‘/’ );

define( ‘SITE_ID_CURRENT_SITE’, 1 );

define( ‘BLOG_ID_CURRENT_SITE’, 1 );

Don’t forget to replace domain.tld with your actual domain.

In the .htaccess file, add the following snippet of code:

RewriteEngine On

RewriteRule .* – [E=HTTP_AUTHORIZATION:%{HTTP:Authorization}]

RewriteBase /

RewriteRule ^index\.php$ – [L]

# add a trailing slash to /wp-admin

RewriteRule ^([_0-9a-zA-Z-]+/)?wp-admin$ $1wp-admin/ [R=301,L]

RewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME} -f [OR]

RewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME} -d

RewriteRule ^ – [L]

RewriteRule ^([_0-9a-zA-Z-]+/)?(wp-(content|admin|includes).*) $2 [L]

RewriteRule ^([_0-9a-zA-Z-]+/)?(.*\.php)$ $2 [L]

RewriteRule . index.php [L]

Save the changes made to both the wp-config.php and .htaccess files.

4. Access the Multisite Installation:

Once you have completed the setup process for your WordPress Multisite network, log back into your WordPress admin area and locate the new navigation menu named “My Sites” for the network administrator.

This is where you can access the Network Admin screens and the dashboard of the primary or original website as a super admin. It is important to note that you can still use your main WordPress site as a standard website.

From the Network Admin screen, you can manage sites and user accounts. A new tab will be added to the drop-down navigation menu under “My Sites” every time a new site is created, allowing you to access the dashboard of all websites on your multisite network from this location.

Also Read:- Step By Step Guide: Installing WordPress on a Subdomain Using cPanel Made Easy!

How to Set Up WordPress Multisite With Subdomains

If you choose to create a network of subdomains, you may encounter a pop-up message like the one below asking you to edit the wp-config.php and .htaccess files:

In this case, the code given by WordPress to edit the .htaccess file has an extra line:

RewriteRule .* – [E=HTTP_AUTHORIZATION:%{HTTP:Authorization}]

Copy the entire code snippet before following the prompts and editing the .htaccess file.

Add a “*” DNS record pointing to your web server. If you are a Hostinger user, you can do it via the DNS Zone Editor.

To create the record, insert * in the Name field and the hosting account’s IP address in Points to.

Once that’s done, create your subdomain. Check the Custom folder for subdomain and Use public_html directory boxes.

That’s it – your subdomain-based Multisite is all set.

How to Manage WordPress Multisite

The sections below outline a few essential functions for managing a multisite network via your WordPress dashboard.

How to Add a New Website to Your Multisite Network

After successfully finishing the Multisite installation, you’ll find that your network only contains one website. We’ll explain how to add individual sites within your network.

Before doing this, ensure that you’ve prepared each new site’s:

• URL. This is either a subdomain or a subdirectory.
• Title. This is the name visitors will see when they access the website.
• Admin email. This is for the lower-level administrator who only has access to that specific website and not the whole network.

First, access the site settings by navigating to the Sites tab on the left-hand side of your network admin screens and clicking Add New.

A page will appear with the configuration options for the new website. In each field, enter the new site’s address, title, language, and administrator’s email. Then, click Add Site. Note that the example below uses subdomains.

Repeat this process for as many sites as you want, as long as your web hosting plan supports it.

Any new sites you create can be found in the Sites screen on the multisite dashboard.

How to Manage Themes and Plugins in Multisite?

As the super admin, it is your responsibility to manage the installation of themes and plugins for your network of websites since only you have the authority to perform such tasks.

The installation process for themes and plugins is similar to that of a standard WordPress site. The key distinction is that any themes and plugins installed will be applied to the entire network rather than just one website.

It is essential to note that installing a new plugin or theme will not automatically activate it for all websites on the network. As the super admin, you have the power to activate or deactivate plugins and themes individually for each website.

• For each plugin, you have the ability to:
  
  Network Activate. Any network-activated plugin will be running on all sites on the network. Consider doing this with performance-optimizing tools, such as security or caching plugins.Unlike super admins, site admins don’t have the authority to deactivate plugins. 

• Make it optional. Allow site admins to activate any installed plugins.
• Set different permissions for site admins. Configure site admin privileges via the Settings tab on the network admin’s multisite dashboard.

With each theme, a super admin can:

• Network Enable. This doesn’t activate the theme on each site but makes it available on all of them. You can activate it from each website’s dashboard.

• Enable it for specific sites. Do this via each website’s admin dashboard.
• Install but not enable. Only a super admin can view the theme while it remains invisible to site admins.

Super admins are in charge of updating plugins and themes and removing the inactive ones to ensure that all sites’ performance remains optimal.

Related:- How To Install Redis And Php Redis Extension On WHM Server

How to Store Media Files on WordPress Multisite?

In a WordPress Multisite network, each website has its own separate media upload directories that can only be accessed by the site’s admin and the super admin. Therefore, it is not possible for a site admin to access another site’s files, even if they are on the same network.

When Multisite is activated on a standard WordPress installation, a new folder named “sites” is created in the wp-content/uploads directory to store all the uploaded media for every WordPress website within the network.

Every time a new website is added to the Multisite network, a folder with the corresponding website’s ID is created within the “sites” folder. For instance, the primary site of a Multisite network has an ID of 01. Any subsequent websites created on the network will have IDs of 02, 03, and so forth.

Therefore, when uploading files to a website within the network, it is imperative to ensure that the files are being uploaded to the correct subdirectory.

Here is how to use File Manager to upload a file to a certain website on the network: 

• Open File Manager from your hosting control panel.
• Navigate to wp-content/uploads/sites.
• We’ll upload a file to the second website within the network – the first new site after the primary site. The ID of this site is 02, so you should find a directory named 02 or 2 within the sites.
• Open the 02 directory and upload the file there.

Here is how to use File Manager to upload a file to a certain website on the network: To achieve this, the Network Media Library plugin can be installed to create a shared media library accessible across the entire network.

How to Use SSL with WordPress Multisite?

Digital security and cryptographic protocols are essential to securing your WordPress website. A Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) certificate encrypts communication between a web browser and the website, ensuring secure information exchange.

It’s crucial to install a WordPress SSL on your entire multisite network to maintain security. If one site lacks proper safety protocols, it can compromise the entire network’s security.

If you set up a multisite on subdirectories, you only need one SSL certificate for all websites. However, you must use a different SSL for every website you build if you’re using WordPress Multisite with subdomains. 

Hosting providers that offer a free SSL certificate with a web hosting plan typically only apply it to the main domain or website. Thus, additional network subdomains will need their own SSL.