WordPress Multisite (also called WordPress Network) lets you manage multiple websites from a single dashboard using one WordPress installation. Sites share the same plugins, themes, and database. It's ideal for businesses with multiple brands, educational institutions with department sub-sites, or freelance developers managing many client websites.
Who Should Use WordPress Multisite?
- Multi-brand businesses — Manage brand1.com, brand2.com, brand3.com from one Dashboard
- Educational institutions — Each department gets its own sub-site, centrally managed by IT
- Freelance developers — Serve multiple clients on a single hosting plan
- Website-as-a-service platforms — Build a platform that provisions sub-sites for users
Before You Begin: Shared Hosting Requirements
- WordPress must be installed in the root folder (public_html), not a subdirectory
- The host must support mod_rewrite (DirectAdmin supports this on all plans)
- Adequate inode allocation (AsiaGB provides 50,000 inodes)
- PHP 8.2 or 8.3 recommended for best performance
Step 1: Enable WordPress Multisite
Add this line to wp-config.php before the /* That's all, stop editing! */ line:
Save the file and reload your Dashboard. You'll see a new Tools → Network Setup menu item.
Step 2: Configure the Network
Go to Tools → Network Setup and choose your preferred structure:
- Sub-directories — yoursite.com/site1/, yoursite.com/site2/ — works on all shared hosting
- Sub-domains — site1.yoursite.com, site2.yoursite.com — requires Wildcard DNS setup
Enter your Network Title and Admin Email, then click Install.
Step 3: Update wp-config.php
WordPress will display code to add to wp-config.php. Copy and paste it before the /* That's all */ line:
Step 4: Update .htaccess
WordPress will also show new .htaccess rules to replace your existing ones:
Step 5: Log In and Create Sites
After completing the setup, you'll be asked to log in again. You'll then see the My Sites menu at the top. Add new sites via My Sites → Network Admin → Sites → Add New.
Managing Plugins on Multisite
- Network Activate — Plugin runs on all sites in the network simultaneously. Only Network Admins can activate.
- Site Activate — Plugin runs only on the site where it's activated by that site's admin.
Important: Multisite uses significantly more resources than a single WordPress site because all sites share PHP processes. If you plan to run more than 5 sub-sites, set PHP memory_limit to 256M and consider upgrading to a VPS (from 500 THB/month) for adequate, dedicated resources.
Managing Themes on WordPress Multisite
Theme management in Multisite is layered — Network Admins and Site Admins have different levels of control. Understanding this hierarchy prevents confusion when themes don't appear where expected.
- Network Admin installs themes: All themes must be uploaded by the Network Admin first before any site admin can see them.
- Network Enable: The Network Admin chooses which installed themes are available to sub-sites. Un-enabled themes remain invisible to site admins.
- Site Admin activates: Each site's admin can activate only the themes the Network Admin has permitted for their site.
- Network Activate: The Network Admin can force-activate one theme across every site simultaneously — ideal for platforms requiring consistent branding.
Using Child Themes for Per-site Customisation
When different sub-sites need distinct designs, use Child Themes built from the same parent. Each child theme overrides only the CSS or template files it needs, while inheriting everything else from the parent. This lets you update the parent theme without losing per-site customisations.
Domain Mapping: Giving Each Sub-site Its Own Domain
One of the most powerful Multisite features is domain mapping — letting a sub-site that lives at main.com/shop/ answer to its own standalone domain like shop.com. All sub-sites still run from the same WordPress installation and database, but visitors see a completely independent domain.
Steps to configure domain mapping
- Install a domain mapping plugin such as WordPress MU Domain Mapping, or use the built-in support available since WordPress 4.5
- At your domain registrar, add an A record for the new domain pointing to the same server IP as your main site
- In DirectAdmin, add the new domain as a Domain Pointer or Addon Domain so the server accepts requests for it
- In Network Admin → Sites, edit the sub-site's URL to the new domain
| Structure | Example URL | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Sub-directory | main.com/shop/ | All shared hosting; easiest setup |
| Sub-domain | shop.main.com | Brand sections under one root domain |
| Domain Mapping | shop.com (separate domain) | Multiple brands requiring fully independent domains |
Backing Up and Restoring a WordPress Multisite
Backups for Multisite are more involved than for a single site because every sub-site's data lives in the same database — separated only by table prefixes (e.g., wp_2_posts, wp_3_posts). A complete backup must cover the entire database plus all files under wp-content.
Recommended backup approaches
- UpdraftPlus: Supports Multisite natively. Can back up the full network or export individual site tables, with selective restore support.
- DirectAdmin Backup Manager: Creates a full account backup covering all databases and files — the simplest option for AsiaGB hosting customers.
- WP-CLI: Run
wp db exportover SSH to dump the entire database. Ideal for automated cron-based backups on plans with SSH access.
Key rule: Always complete a full database backup before updating WordPress core, any plugin, or any theme on a Multisite network. A failed update affects every sub-site simultaneously — there is no site-level isolation.
AsiaGB Hosting supports WordPress Multisite on all plans — including PHP 8.2/8.3, mod_rewrite, 50,000 inodes, and SSD storage fast enough for multiple sub-sites. Starting at 500 THB/year.
Hosting That Supports WordPress Multisite
PHP 8.2/8.3, mod_rewrite on all plans, 50,000 inodes, SSD storage. Starting at 500 THB/year with 99% Uptime.
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