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Setting Multisite with Subdomains in WP Engine [WordPress]: What I need to remember in the future.

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Here’s what I did wrong when setting up the WordPress multisite feature in WP Engine

I didn’t set the subdomain, which I had to do because I do not have the wildcard set for the domain in WP Engine.

The error I was getting

I kept getting a DNS error in my web browser. I even waited about 30 minutes to make sure the settings had fully populated. Then I smacked myself in the head Three Stooges style and started to fix it.

Here’s how I solved it

Since I did NOT my domain as a Wild Card domain in WP Engine:

  • Log into to the domain manager and create the suddomain(s) needed
  • Point the subdomains to the WP Engine’s CNAME for the install: yourselectedinstallname.wpengine.com
  • Click my heels three times and sung to myself, “there’s no place like home. There’s no place like home…”

Do you need to do this step if you set the wildcard in WP Engine? As far as I know, you do not need to.

Otherwise, the WP Engine Multisite setup feature works quite well

To this point, it caught all the settings. In fact, when I was trying to explain to the first chat support rep, he sent me to the article on how to set up Multisite in WordPress. This article showed me how to confirm all the settings were correct in WordPress. I took the time to go over the settings to confirm they were correct.

It was the error message I was getting that tipped me off

Once the settings were correct, it dawned on me: no wildcard, no auto creating subdomain.

Before anyone rips on me too hard…

…recall I have my own platform that automatically creates subdomains for sites. I wasn’t even thinking about this issue potentially being an issue.

Set the Subdomain, and the rest of the WP Engine Multisite setup goes smooth.

If there’s a glitch, the 24/7 tech support is quite good.

Additional resources on setting WordPress Multisite

Did I miss anything?

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Comments

  1. Stefan de Jong says

    Honestly this makes things a little bit more clear, we’ve been with WPEngine for a bit now and I was only just looking at setting up subdomains for a client for the first time, your writing helps me to talk to the client and decide on their wishes (do they want one or a few subdomains or do they expect tons) and decide on that what to do next.

    Also WPEngine’s support is great if you ask me, usually quite quick and professional, haven’t had any bad experiences so far.

    • natfinn says

      I agree, Stefan. I’m doing my first multisite SSL with them. I like where they’re going with it. I even like that they use ZenDesk for help.

      I’m really only have two things that’s irking me right now: 1) their server hit counter and 2) the fact that I couldn’t do either of their SSL options on custom domain CDNs – even though I use their CDN. It’s a glitch in their system, yet an expensive one because you have to go with the wildcard SSL. Now, I go through SSLs.com for them, but still, that’s $100 a year per client.

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