Multisite network on subdomain or addon domain?

  • Hello all,

    I’ve been *attempting* to create a multisite network on a subdomain and so far, I’ve configured everything according to the codex (wildcard subdomain, network install, .htaccess, using subdomains rather than subfolders) and I’ve triple-checked everything. However, when I try to add a new site to the network, it lists it in the sites created but I am unable to reach it or login to its dashboard. Trying to access it like x.y.foo.com gives me a Default Website Page (which gives me the impression that the wildcard subdomain is working), but trying to log in to it like x.y.foo.com/wp-admin gives me a plain 404.

    Then I read this: https://www.ads-software.com/support/topic/multisite-sub-domains-not-working-1?replies=13

    …and it said that a WP multisite install REQUIRES it to be in public_html.

    Does that mean that this kind of operation is not possible? Another question: does that mean that if I’m on shared hosting, I need to get another hosting account specific to the new domain so that it will be located in public_html?? (in other words: I can’t just install WP Multisite on an add-on domain?)

    Thanks in advance!

Viewing 2 replies - 1 through 2 (of 2 total)
  • Moderator Jan Dembowski

    (@jdembowski)

    Forum Moderator and Brute Squad

    (which gives me the impression that the wildcard subdomain is working)

    That gives me the impression that your DNS is working. ?? Provided that that is your web server sending that 404 page…

    but trying to log in to it like x.y.foo.com/wp-admin gives me a plain 404.

    It sounds like your Apache VirtualHost is not setup correctly.

    When you go to y.foo.com and it gets to your server, the Apache web server looks up if you are requesting a host (virtual host) that is defined similar to this.

    VirtualHost 123.22.33.44:80>

        ServerName y.foo.com
        ServerAlias *.y.foo.com

    If it doesn’t find match then the default webpages are served up and you get a 404.

    The first line will match requests for y.foo.com, the second line for the ServerAlias will match any wildcard for *.y.foo.com including x.y.foo.com.

    Speak with your host about setting up additional VirtualHosts. There are a lot of ways to do it but if you are not careful you could easily break your website configuration.

    …and it said that a WP multisite install REQUIRES it to be in public_html.

    Uh no, not exactly. A multisite install REQUIRES to be in the web server root. That could be public_html (and often is) but the actual directory name on the file system is irrelevant.

    Multissite required to be in the root of your webserver. So you can have the files located in y.foo.com/ but NOT in y.foo.com/some-directory-here. That wont work.

    I think you already got that part, I’m just mentioning it to be complete.

    Moderator Ipstenu (Mika Epstein)

    (@ipstenu)

    ?????? Advisor and Activist

    Trying to access it like x.y.foo.com gives me a Default Website Page (which gives me the impression that the wildcard subdomain is working),

    yes and no. The x.y.foo should point to your MAIN domain (y.foo). So if you visit foobar.y.foo, it goes to https://y.foo/wp-signup.php?new=foobar

Viewing 2 replies - 1 through 2 (of 2 total)
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