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multisite design questions

I was advised to use multisite to get to the next level of my project. One of my key requirements is to be able to clone a network into another network. Then I plan to provide the link for clients to sign up using the prosite plugin, or NS Cloner, I see some differences, but both seem to allow me to have clients sign up and use a mapped domain. Since I will provide the clients with the link to the right network, they will sign up at the right network. My question is what is the right way to set up the initial network. should it be at the root of my reseller account, or in another domain which is a separate domain (but not a subdomain, or directory. I got the name from goadaddy, and then created a cpanel, etc. )

Due to wanting to clone networks is the root or the separate domain the better choice for being able to clone the network into other networks? What are the things I should be considering. Thank you!
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  • Ash

    Hello David

    If your existing network is at the root, then cloning network has to be in a separate domain. And if this is a different network with a different purpose, then it's better to have in a separate domain.

    I am curious, if you want to clone, then why don't you take a full backup and restore it in the new domain using our snapshot plugin? It's pretty simple.
    https://premium.wpmudev.org/project/snapshot/

    Have a nice day!

    Cheers,
    Ash

  • David

    Hi Ash,

    OK, great, so you are suggesting that I could operate much the way I do now with individual clients. I use WHM to create a new account, install WP, then clone a starter site onto that fresh install, and away the client goes. They of course have pointed their DNS to my servers.

    So I could have a starter multisite network domain, call it starter-network, create a new account, newdomain.com, and clone starter-network onto newdomain.com. That sounds like a step in the right direction.

    Now if I want to do this inside a single network, using a multi-network setup, how would the process need to change? I've heard and read about treating multisite as multi-network and am interested in understanding this option.

    Can you clone from outside a network into a network? So could I create the new network as a sub network, then clone starter-network onto that?

    thanks!

  • Ash

    Hello David

    Using a multi network is not a good idea, if you don't have a good developer. The reason is, multi network has too many limitations and many plugins do not play well in a multi network.

    Moreover, multi-network is not a default wordpress feature, you would need another plugin to create a multi-network: https://wordpress.org/plugins/wp-multi-network/

    If you want to know more about it, I can move your thread to the members forum, there any expert member can chime in and make some suggestions.

    Have a nice day!

    Cheers,
    Ash

  • David

    Thanks Ash,

    The recommendation not to use a multi-network is helpful. So what are the other options?

    1. For example, could I set up a domain that is not multisite, and then create one or more sub domains or subdirectories that I clone a multisite starter site onto? Does that work? This helps me avoid buying a bunch of domain names. Does that work?

    2. I am trying to avoid buying numerous domain names although I would have to think about how actually buying them might work, since then each network could be cloned from a starter network reliably I am guessing, if 1 above won't work. Any issues with this approach?

    Thanks again Ash!

  • Ash

    Hello David

    1. For example, could I set up a domain that is not multisite, and then create one or more sub domains or subdirectories that I clone a multisite starter site onto? Does that work? This helps me avoid buying a bunch of domain names. Does that work?

    Do you mean, you will have a domain called example.com which is not a multisite, but then have some subdomains like sub1.example.com, sub2.example.com and each of them would be multisite? If yes, then yes that is possible :slight_smile: But those multisites on subdomains has to be subdirectory based multisite.

    2. I am trying to avoid buying numerous domain names although I would have to think about how actually buying them might work, since then each network could be cloned from a starter network reliably I am guessing, if 1 above won't work. Any issues with this approach?

    The #1 should work, but if you still want to buy more domains, that should work too. In that case, you can host all domains on the same server if you have a decent hosting which will make things easier for you to manage :slight_smile:

    Have a nice day!

    Cheers,
    Ash

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