Title: Tools Network screen
Author: pixelateddwarf
Published: February 7, 2019
Last modified: June 8, 2024

---

# Tools Network screen

## In this article

 * [Create a Network of WordPress Sites](https://wordpress.org/documentation/article/tools-network-screen/?output_format=md#create-a-network-of-wordpress-sites)
 * [Addresses of Sites in your Network](https://wordpress.org/documentation/article/tools-network-screen/?output_format=md#addresses-of-sites-in-your-network)
 * [Network Details](https://wordpress.org/documentation/article/tools-network-screen/?output_format=md#network-details)
 * [Install](https://wordpress.org/documentation/article/tools-network-screen/?output_format=md#install)
 * [Enabling the Network](https://wordpress.org/documentation/article/tools-network-screen/?output_format=md#enabling-the-network)

  [Troubleshooting](https://wordpress.org/documentation/article/tools-network-screen/?output_format=md#troubleshooting)
  [ Back to top](https://wordpress.org/documentation/article/tools-network-screen/?output_format=md#wp--skip-link--target)
  In WordPress you have the ability to create a network of sites (multisite). To
  enable the Network ability, you must first define multisite in the wp-config.php
  file. Note that because the Network ability requires a certain level of expertise,
  developers intentional require manual configuration of the wp-config.php file 
  to enable Networks.
  [[
  Network Creation screen
  
  ### 󠀁[Create a Network of WordPress Sites](https://wordpress.org/documentation/article/tools-network-screen/?output_format=md#create-a-network-of-wordpress-sites)󠁿
  
  To start the process of creating a Network, you first must tell WordPress to allow
  multisites, and by doing do enable the Network menu item to appear in the Tools
  menu. It is there you will configure certain aspects of your network. So first,
  edit the wp-config.php file and add the following line to the file:
      ```wp-block-preformatted
      define('WP_ALLOW_MULTISITE', true);
      ```
  
  **Considerations** 
   *  Giving WordPress Its Own Directory will not work in WordPress 3.0 with multisite
     enabled. It interferes with the member blog lookup.
   *  You cannot create a network in the following cases:
   “WordPress address (URL)” is different from “Site address (URL)” “WordPress address(
  URL)” is used IP address such as 127.0.0.1 or port number other than ‘:80’, ‘:
  443’. Use ‘localhost’ instead of ‘127.0.0.1’, if on local computer.
  
  ### 󠀁[Addresses of Sites in your Network](https://wordpress.org/documentation/article/tools-network-screen/?output_format=md#addresses-of-sites-in-your-network)󠁿
  
  The primary information in this section involves the decision to use sub-domains
  or sub-directories for your sites. This means each additional site in your network
  will be created as a new virtual sub-domain or sub-directory. Please choose whether
  you would like sites in your WordPress network to use sub-domains or sub-directories.**
  You cannot change this later**.
  **Sub-domains**
  Check this radio button to utilize sub-domains for your sites. Examples of sub-
  domains are **site1.example.com** and **site2.example.com**. This features works
  by using wildcard subdomains. You must have this enabled in Apache, and you must
  also add a wildcard sub-domain to your DNS records. Some hosts will not support
  this, so you may need to ask your host before enabling this feature.
  **Sub-directories**
  Check this radio button to utilize sub-directories for your sites. Examples of
  sub-directories are **example.com/site1** and **example.com/site2**. Sub-directories
  work with mod_rewrite.
  Note: If you wish to use fully qualified domains, you still need to pick a format
  to start with. Then after verifying they work, use the Domain mapping plugin.
  
  #### 󠀁[Alternative Messages](https://wordpress.org/documentation/article/tools-network-screen/?output_format=md#alternative-messages)󠁿
  
  **Sub-domain Install**
  This messages displays if you are changing from a stand-alone version of WordPress
  to the multisite version this will display.
  _Because your install is not new, 
  the sites in your WordPress network must use sub-domains. The main site in a sub-
  directory install will need to use a modified permalink structure, potentially
  breaking existing links._
  **Sub-directory Install**
  This messages displays if you are using localhost as a domain.
  _Because you are
  using `localhost`, the sites in your WordPress network must use sub-directories.
  Consider using `localhost.localdomain` if you wish to use sub-domains._
  
  ### 󠀁[Network Details](https://wordpress.org/documentation/article/tools-network-screen/?output_format=md#network-details)󠁿
  
  **Server Address**
  The Internet address of your network will be `example.com`. This information is
  filled in automatically. Note: if your existing URL has **www** such as **www.
  example.com** you will see this message: “_We recommend you change your siteurl
  to `example.com` before enabling the network feature. It will still be possible
  to visit your site using the `www` prefix with an address like `www.sample.com`
  but any links will not have the `www` prefix._“
  **Network Title**
  What would you like to call your network? A suggested title is supplied but edit
  that to reflect the title you want to use.
  **Admin E-mail Address**
  Your email address. A suggested email is supplied, but change as necessary.
  
  ### 󠀁[Install](https://wordpress.org/documentation/article/tools-network-screen/?output_format=md#install)󠁿
  
  Click the **Install** button to start the network install.
  
  #### 󠀁[Installation Warnings](https://wordpress.org/documentation/article/tools-network-screen/?output_format=md#installation-warnings)󠁿
  
  You may receive a warning about wildcard subdomains.
  **To use a subdomain configuration,
  you must have a wildcard entry in your DNS. This usually means adding a \* hostname
  record pointing at your web server in your DNS configuration tool.****Warning!
  Wildcard DNS may not be configured correctly!****The installer attempted to contact
  a random hostname (599af5.sample.com) on your domain. This resulted in an error
  message: Couldn’t resolve host ‘599af5.sample.com’ ****You can still use your 
  site but any subdomain you create may not be accessible. If you know your DNS 
  is correct, ignore this message.**
  
  ### 󠀁[Enabling the Network](https://wordpress.org/documentation/article/tools-network-screen/?output_format=md#enabling-the-network)󠁿
  
  Once the Network install is completed this Screen displays with these directions.
  Follow the directions in the order presented to complete the process.
  [[
  **Caution We recommend you back up your existing wp-config.php and .htaccess files.**
  1. Create a blogs.dir directory in /wp-content.
  This directory is used to stored
  uploaded media for your additional sites and must be writeable by the web server.
  Note that the directory should be CHOWNed and CHMODed the same as your wp-content
  folder.
  If you’ve set the **WP_CONTENT_DIR** constant to something other than _wp-content_
  you may want to reconsider as you will see this message: _Warning: Networks may
  not be fully compatible with custom wp-content directories._
  2. Add the following to your wp-config.php file in /public_html/ above the line
  reading /* That’s all, stop editing! Happy blogging. */ 
  These lines are automatically
  generated and will look similar to this.
      ```wp-block-preformatted
      define( 'MULTISITE', true );
      define( 'SUBDOMAIN_INSTALL', true );
      $base = '/';
      define( 'DOMAIN_CURRENT_SITE', 'sample.com' );
      define( 'PATH_CURRENT_SITE', '/' );
      define( 'SITE_ID_CURRENT_SITE', 1 );
      define( 'BLOG_ID_CURRENT_SITE', 1 );
      ```
  
  These unique authentication keys are also missing from your wp-config.php file.
  To make your installation more secure, you should also add These lines are automatically
  generated and will look similar to this.
      ```wp-block-preformatted
      define( 'AUTH_KEY', '{K 2rUF&uy(Ak0(M3J%f(W&ADLiI(+#^W*H|0@jdAc(0LHOz3)gaiOoDgN_;W+2' );
      define( 'SECURE_AUTH_KEY', ']n+=#}^=3BdTn~FoS@8K#o|~WgC@#?Oj*s[L+Y+tInaOjNCFa1h59vRL#!R[[{UI' );
      define( 'LOGGED_IN_KEY', 'hFe,fw?jgX@@X,Yl]jz9!qoD]v8N[TNDvleEaE5zH=|`D+yUYM|>/=8KRelv=XPE' );
      define( 'NONCE_KEY', 'fkrSg(v-|/&=TC{66rgrX[_VpWv$.{a{q$CvjvjB$AP<5q?|58{6xvN{xut r?|j' );
      define( 'AUTH_SALT', 'kVVt8^+oh,$|?g RxaWq_Px RwC%^^r?8zhQ+GDUWp:QB]W!tPHins]RJ@a%P_ue' );
      define( 'SECURE_AUTH_SALT','>|tv)^94YuNk[:+)l<5ubJ0uTdo3gn9|YN.0J/MR1R>T=oe1}eov*ds@Z.&PA%&q' );
      define( 'LOGGED_IN_SALT', 'E,C#!<lf6B $y;-nfjP10$rea?g/_A,V0tkbqCNJMfOO)Ml4&JUhM]bU[*w]oh,X' );
      define( 'NONCE_SALT', '$qbgS^/Dj.RJC-,S<y9L7SV9EMuyB <wQS`}poc;Yd{PGa$!,b*oL<qX!cPMqXh`' ); 
      ```
  
  3. Add the following to your .htaccess file in /public_html/sample.com/, replacing
  other WordPress rules If there isn’t a .htaccess file, then create it. These lines
  are automatically generated and will look similar to this.
      ```wp-block-preformatted
      RewriteEngine On
      RewriteBase /
      RewriteRule ^index\.php$ - [L]
      #uploaded files
      RewriteRule ^files/(.+) wp-includes/ms-files.php?file=$1 [L]
       RewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME} -f [OR]
      RewriteCond %{REQUEST_FILENAME} -d RewriteRule ^ - [L]
      RewriteRule . index.php [L]  
      ```
  
  Once you complete these steps, your network is enabled and configured. You will
  have to log in again
  Click the Log In link. You will now see a new menu section called **Super Admin**.
  The menus contained in there are for adding and managing additional sites in your
  network. Your base WordPress install is now the main site in your network.
  Visit the Administration > Network Admin > Settings Screen to configure network
  options. After that you will need to create sites and users.
  
  ## 󠀁[Troubleshooting](https://wordpress.org/documentation/article/tools-network-screen/?output_format=md#troubleshooting)󠁿
  
   *  If after enabling networking/multisite and you are not able to login, try 
     clearing your browser cache AND cookies, then try to login.
   See also [Administration Screens](https://wordpress.org/support/article/administration-screens/?output_format=md)
  and [Network Admin](https://wordpress.org/support/article/network-admin/?output_format=md).
  
  ## Was this article helpful? How could it be improved? 󠀁[Cancel reply](https://wordpress.org/documentation/article/tools-network-screen/?output_format=md#respond)󠁿
  
  [Log in to submit feedback](https://login.wordpress.org/?redirect_to=https%3A%2F%2Fwordpress.org%2Fdocumentation%2Farticle%2Ftools-network-screen%2F&locale=en_US).
  If you need support with something that wasn't covered by this article, please
  post your question in the [support forums](https://wordpress.org/support/forums/).
  First published
  February 7, 2019
  Last updated
  June 8, 2024