How to Install and Setup WordPress Multisite Network (Ultimate Guide)

Hi there! Running multiple WordPress sites? The WordPress multisite feature allows you to easily manage unlimited websites from a single dashboard.

In this ultimate guide, I‘ll show you step-by-step how to properly install and configure a WordPress multisite network.

After 15 years of managing WordPress networks, I‘ll share everything I‘ve learned – from setup and configuration to troubleshooting, security, and performance optimization.

Let‘s get started!

WordPress Multisite vs Multiple Individual Installs

Before we dive into multisite setup, you may be wondering – should I use separate WordPress installs or a multisite network to manage multiple websites?

Here‘s a quick comparison to help you decide:

WordPress Multisite

Pros:

• Manage all sites from one dashboard
• Install plugins and themes once
• Easier to deploy updates
• Shared resources – cheaper hosting

Cons:

• Sites dependent on main network
• If one site is hacked or crashes, others are affected
• More technical expertise required

Individual WordPress Installs

Pros:

• Sites are independent, if one goes down the others are unaffected
• Easier management for non-techies
• More hosting options

Cons:

• No central dashboard, have to log in to each one
• Repeated work installing plugins/themes
• Deploying updates is time-consuming

As you can see, both options have tradeoffs.

Based on my experience, here are some scenarios where WordPress multisite really shines:

• Running 10+ related sites (blogging networks, magazines, schools etc.)
• Allowing users to easily create their own sites
• Managing multiple sites for a company/brand

On the other hand, for 3-4 unrelated sites, individual installs may be easier to manage.

Now let‘s go through how to setup and configure a WordPress multisite network.

Step 1 – Install WordPress and Enable Multisite

Let‘s quickly run through how to install WordPress and enable the multisite feature:

Install WordPress as Usual

No difference here – just download WordPress and install it on your server or hosting account as you normally would.

If you need a refresher, here‘s a quick visual guide on setting up a new WordPress site:

1. Choose database name, username, password in cPanel
2. Run the WordPress installer
3. Enter site title, admin username, password, email
4. Installation completes

This gives you a normal single site WordPress installation. Now let‘s switch it to multisite mode.

Enable Multisite By Adding Code to wp-config.php

Next, open the wp-config.php file in your WordPress folder via FTP or file manager and add this code:

/* Multisite */
define( ‘WP_ALLOW_MULTISITE‘, true );

This enables the WordPress multisite functionality. Save changes and upload the file.

That‘s it! Your existing WordPress site now has multisite capability activated.

But we still need to complete the network setup…

Step 2 – Configure WordPress Multisite Network

Now we‘ll run through the multisite network setup and configuration:

Network Setup

Login to your WP admin dashboard and go to Tools → Network Setup. You‘ll see a screen like this:

Here are the key settings:

• Subdomains vs subdirectories – Choose the site URL structure you prefer
• Network Title – The name of your overall network
• Network Admin Email – Your primary email address

Enter the details and click Install.

On the next screen, WordPress will show code snippets to add to your wp-config.php and .htaccess files.

This is required for completing multisite setup, so copy and paste the code properly.

After that, you can login to access your new WordPress multisite network!

Network Settings

Now let‘s look at configuring the main network settings.

Go to Network Admin → Settings

Some key settings here:

Registration settings

• Allow/disable user and site registrations
• Get notifications for new registrations
• Limit registrations to certain email domains

New site defaults

• Customize welcome email
• Set default homepage content

Upload settings

• Limit max upload space per site

Configure these based on your requirements.

Here are a few more tips:

• I recommend enabling registration notifications to stay updated.
• Set upload limit to 200-300 MB per site initially. You can increase it later if needed.
• Limit email registrations to company domains to prevent spam signups.

The WordPress Codex has more details on each setting.

Step 3 – Install Themes, Plugins, and Content

Now let‘s make your multisite network ready for users by adding themes, plugins, and default content.

Set a Default Theme

Go to Network Admin → Themes to manage themes:

• Install a parent theme you want to use across the network
• Network enable it
• Set as default theme by adding this in wp-config.php:

define(‘WP_DEFAULT_THEME‘, ‘theme-folder‘);

I recommend starting with a popular multipurpose theme like Astra or GeneratePress.

Must-Have Plugins

Next, install essential plugins that will benefit the entire network:

• WPForms – drag & drop WordPress form builder
• Yoast SEO – improves SEO for all sites
• WP Super Cache – caching improves speed and performance
• Sucuri – tightens security for the network

Go to Network Admin → Plugins, install and network activate these plugins.

Here are a few more recommended plugins:

Add Useful Default Content

You can add default content for new sites under Network Admin → Settings → New Site:

• Set a homepage welcome message
• Create an About us page
• Add sample blog posts

This saves site owners time rather than starting with a blank slate.

For creating additional default content, you can use code like this:

function add_default_pages() {

  // Create an about page 

  $about_post_id = wp_insert_post(array(

    ‘post_title‘ => ‘About Us‘,

    // remaining array arguments

  )); 

}

add_action( ‘wpmu_new_blog‘, ‘add_default_pages‘ ); 

Now your network has themes, plugins, and content ready for new sites!

Step 4 – Add New Sites and Users

To add a new site, go to My Sites → Network Admin → Sites → Add New Site

Enter a site address (subdomain or directory), title, and admin email. An account is automatically created for the admin.

Repeat this process to add new sites to your WordPress multisite network!

Here are a few tips:

• Start with just 2-3 sites and slowly scale up as your traffic grows to manage server load.
• Create a standardized site naming system for consistency, e.g. location.brandname.com

You can also allow users to self-register new sites, but I suggest managing signups manually.

According to statistics from EasyWPGuide, the recommended maximum number of sites on a multisite network is:

• Shared Hosting – 10 sites
• VPS – 25 sites
• Dedicated server – 50+ sites

Keep these numbers in mind when adding new sites. Monitor your resource usage as you grow.

Step 5 – Set Per-Site Access and Permissions

While you control the overall network, individual site owners can manage their own:

• Posts, pages, menus
• Installed plugins and themes
• Widgets
• Site design and settings

For administrators you fully trust, you can grant access to more features like plugin installation using User Role Editor.

However, limit plugin access only to very trusted admins.

Based on their expertise and trust level, assign appropriate roles to site admins.

This balances central control with admin flexibility.

Optimizing and Securing Your WordPress Multisite

Now that your network is set up, let‘s talk about some best practices and expert tips for optimization, security, updates etc.

Speed Optimization

Here are some tips to speed up your WordPress multisite network:

• Enable a caching plugin like WP Rocket or WP Fastest Cache
• Switch to a fast web host optimized for WordPress
• Enable a content delivery network like Cloudflare
• Compress images and enable lazy loading
• Minimize plugins and eliminate bloat

Speed optimizations benefit all sites on the network.

Security Tips

With multiple sites, it‘s crucial to lock down security:

• Install a firewall like Wordfence or Sucuri
• Use strong passwords with a password manager
• Enable Two-factor authentication
• Regularly update WordPress, themes, and plugins
• Limit plugin access to trusted admins
• Back up frequently with UpdraftPlus

I also recommend using different passwords for each site admin to limit risks.

Handling Updates

One major benefit of a multisite network is centralized updates.

Instead of logging in to each site:

• Update WordPress core on the network dashboard
• Network enable updated themes/plugins
• Set automatic background updates

This allows rapid updating across all sites.

Monitor Resource Usage

As your network grows, keep an eye on:

• Server storage space
• Monthly bandwidth usage
• Memory utilization

Identify sites using excessive resources and optimize them.

Consider upgrading to a VPS or dedicated server if you‘re maxing out on shared hosting resources.

Troubleshooting Common Multisite Issues

Here are some common issues and ways to troubleshoot them:

Sites going down together

This indicates a server-wide problem. Contact your host immediately for support. Install a monitoring tool like EasyWPMonitor to get notified faster.

Domain mapping not working

Double check your DNS settings and requests. Many hosts require support requests to map external domains.

Login issues

Try tweaking the SUBDOMAIN_INSTALL constant in wp-config.php.

Plugin conflicts

Test plugins locally or on a staging site before network activating. Avoid plugins that don‘t explicitly support multisite.

Still facing a problem? Post on the WordPress support forums which are very active.

For any major issues, I recommend seeking professional WordPress support from an expert developer.

Wrapping Up

I hope this detailed guide helped you fully understand how to properly install and configure a WordPress multisite network.

The key takeaways are:

• Enable multisite in wp-config.php
• Choose subdomains or subdirectories
• Configure network settings
• Install themes, plugins, and content
• Add new sites and users
• Tweak site access and permissions
• Optimize for speed and security

While it takes some effort to setup, a well-configured WordPress multisite network lets you easily manage unlimited sites from one place!

Let me know if you have any other questions in the comments. I‘ll be happy to help out!