{"id":6872,"date":"2022-03-03T12:43:38","date_gmt":"2022-03-03T12:43:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.hostinger.com\/tutorials\/?p=6872"},"modified":"2026-03-09T19:18:42","modified_gmt":"2026-03-09T19:18:42","slug":"activate-wordpress-multisite","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"\/ng\/tutorials\/activate-wordpress-multisite","title":{"rendered":"What is WordPress Multisite: A complete guide to setting up a WordPress website network"},"content":{"rendered":"

WordPress Multisite is a feature that lets you create and manage a network of multiple websites from a single WordPress installation<\/strong>. It’s ideal for businesses, schools, or anyone who needs to run several related sites efficiently – all from one dashboard.<\/p>

Setting up a network involves a few key configuration steps. Here’s a quick overview of the process:<\/p>

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  1. Enable the Multisite feature<\/strong>. Add a specific line of code to your wp-config.php<\/strong> file to activate the network setup option in your dashboard.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. Install the network<\/strong>. After enabling the feature, run the built-in WordPress network installer, where you’ll choose between subdomains or subdirectories for your sites.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  3. Set up wildcard subdomains<\/strong>. If you choose the subdomain option, configure a wildcard DNS record to correctly route all your new sites.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  4. Update your core files<\/strong>. WordPress will provide two code snippets to add to your wp-config.php<\/strong> and .htaccess<\/strong> files, which finalize the network’s structure.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  5. Configure network settings<\/strong>. Once installed, log in as the Super Admin to set network-wide options, such as user registration and default site settings.<\/li>\n<\/ol>

    \n\n\n\n<\/p>

    What is WordPress Multisite?<\/h2>

    WordPress Multisite is a built-in feature of WordPress (introduced in version 3.0<\/strong>) that lets a single installation power an entire network of websites. Think of it as a central hub for all your sites.<\/p>

    While each site in the network shares the same core WordPress files, themes, and plugins, they have separate media upload directories and individual database tables.<\/p>

    This setup enables each site to have its own unique content, settings, and appearance while still being managed from one central location.<\/p>

    The network is controlled by a Super Admin<\/strong>, a user role with permissions to manage network-wide settings, add or remove sites, and control which themes and plugins are available to individual site administrators.<\/p>

    Regular Site Admins<\/strong> can only manage their specific subsites, such as writing posts and managing users for that site alone.<\/p>

    How does WordPress Multisite work?<\/h2>

    A WordPress Multisite network works by adding a layer of control on top of a standard WordPress installation<\/strong>. It shares core resources while keeping each site’s data separate. Let’s break down the key components.<\/p>

    User roles<\/h3>

    WordPress Multisite uses the same user roles<\/a> as single-site installations, with one addition – the Super Admin.<\/p>

    The Super Admin has full control over the entire network, including adding sites and users, managing themes and plugins, and editing network-wide settings. In short, they oversee everything within the network.<\/p>

    Admins manage individual subsites. They handle content, users, and settings for their specific site, but don’t have access to network-wide features. This separation lets site managers work independently without affecting the rest of the Multisite network.<\/p>

    Subsites and domain mapping<\/h3>

    You can create subsites in a Multisite network in two ways:<\/p>