BuddyPress and Domain Names in Multi-Site

1) Yes, but you need to use a multinetwork plugin.

2) Don’t know.

3) Yes you can map sub-sites on a network to a FQDN.

4) Yes, but you can do that with a search/replace in the DB for the wp_x_posts table

1) & 2) I then assume that the plugin “WordPress MU Domain Mapping” would not be the choice. But perhaps these two, “WP Multi Network” and “BP Multi Network”. The latter probably the better choice. At this juncture, I do not know if both would be required.

I’m a little confused as to the difference between sub-domains such as First.mysite.com, Second.mysite.com, etc., and multi-network.

The main install would be the root, and for discussion purposes I will call that the root-hub. Would I be correct to say in multi-networks I could have the root-hub and emanating from that have other hubs, which in turn can have sub-domains and more hubs emanating from it? If so, it would seem possible to have a stand alone BuddyPress install independent from all other hubs. And I think that is exactly what what your answer implied (except for your answer to number 2).

3) If I understand the network plugins mentioned above, it seems I would not need the Domain Mapping plugin. That is, if the network plugins are capable of having a domain point to a sub-network, it would seem it could point to a sub-domain of a sub-network.

I am in no means a network or DNS aficionado, and since I have my sites on a shared server it appears I am going to have an interesting journey.

My goal is to have the main site (root) as the gateway to sub sites such as blogs or stand alone sites, and one of those stand alone sites to be a BuddyPress install so it would be it’s own community. And of course, to be done with one WordPress install. Ipstenu, have you heard of this being done before? And thanks for your feedback, it is greatly appreciated.

DO NOT do this on a shard host. At all. Ever.

A small network is okay on shared. BuddyPress and a large one is not.

You’re doing a lot at once, and generally I tell people who are new at this to NOT do that. So keep in mind the more you try to do at one time, the more you will screw up. We all do.

Mapping domains and multinetworks are compatible. You map domains to make foo.domain.com become foo.com. You use multinetworks so you can have foo.com/subsite off of that. Don’t over think it ??

The reason I said you need domain mapping is you started adding in mysite.com to the list. If that’s NOT right, you need to take a deep breath and explain better, with simple and precise examples. Keep it simple. Always keep it simple.

Multinetworks means you make a subsite off a subsite. So if you want a child site to have children, you’re in multinetwork land. Think long and hard if that’s what you need, though. BuddyPress makes groups and that can be used instead.

Thanks Ipstenu. You’re right, I’m doing a lot at once, and as far as making mistakes, you’re right on that too. But I learn from my mistakes – well, sometimes, LOL.

I can see now that domain mapping and multi-network can work together. I will take the plunge soon, but I am going to wait until my hosting company finishes the migration of my account to another server – all of my IP addresses will change.

My shared server account is a reseller account that lets me do some stuff on the back end which really helps when I make big mistakes. I have in the past totally crashed a WordPress site but with back ups it was only a matter of minutes to get the site going again. One of the things I do is have several of the site’s files such as themes, plugins, and modified files stored in a folder within the domain account but NOT in the WordPress folders. When I crash the site, it’s a matter of copying the files back over after a re-install of WordPress. Saves a lot of time.

You stress “DO NOT do this on a shard host. At all. Ever.”. Is this because multi-network, BuddyPress, etc., can become a resource hog? After the hosting company completes the migration I will set up private name servers, anticipating possible problems using the host’s shared name servers. With a private name server I will have a dedicated IP address, and hope this will mitigate any potential conflicts.

Is this because multi-network, BuddyPress, etc., can become a resource hog?

Yep. it’s not to do with your nameservers though, thats not at all related to the kind of server you’re on. nameservers are for DNS

Thanks again. My questions have been answered so I’ll mark this as resolved.