[Lora P]

My web host does automatic WordPress installs, updates etc, but NOT for WPMU. I am currently developing multiple NON-related WordPress sites and am wondering if I am making a big mistake not going with WordPress MU.

Now, the ESL tech person I was in a support-chat with last night could not seem to grasp the question I was asking him, which was “Can I still install WordPress MU myself, with Netfirms as my host?” He just kept repeating they did “not support WordPress MU.”

So I still don’t know what WPMU would involve, and if my hosting platform would explode if I installed WPMU into my acct…?

On a related issue, Netfirms is a shared hosting company, the kind that will simply shut down your site should you actually get really busy and go over your transfer limit.

I am wondering, if I go ahead and do either of the above scenarios (build 5-10 different separate WP sites OR install WPMU myself and build 5-10 sites within that system), just how easy or nighmarish it may be later if one site blows up, grows fast, or whatever, and I need to move to better (dedicated) hosting.

Any thoughts?
Most appreciated.
Lori

[amylaneio]

Most shared-server hosts do not support WPMU (or as it is now called, Multisite) because it requires the use of a dedicated IP address and wild card domains. Even if the host supports those, they usually don’t want to support multisite for various reasons.

[Lora P]

Thanks, Andrew. Did not know that! (And they certainly can’t seem to explain it to me).

[Nabeel]

Actually, you don’t need wildcard domains or dedicated IPs for Multisite.

Wildcard domains are only needed if you want to create new domains “on-demand”. If you don’t have them, you can still run multisite, but you have to create a dns entry for each new subdomain as you create it. That’s certainly not convenient, but it might be ok if you only plan to create a few sites.

Of course, it’s possible that your hosting provider doesn’t let you create subdomains, or limits their creation somehow. That could cause problems that you can’t work around.

My suggestion is that if you get the sense your hosting provider really doesn’t want you to run Multisite, you’re better off running it elsewhere. It’s perfectly fair for them not to support it, but if you think they don’t want you to run it, that’s a red flag.

Good luck!

[amylaneio]

@Nabeel that is true. Many shared hosts don’t give you direct access to the DNS records, though. I’ve seen hosts that make you point each sub domain to a different directory in your web root, which would make multisite with sub domains impossible.

[Nabeel]

@Andrew, thanks for bringing that up; that’s a very good point. Lora, If that’s the situation you’re in, then trying to run Multisite could be a lot of trouble.

There’s a thread on here that lists several hosts that are WordPress friendly; they might be worth looking at. It’s always helpful to get a hosting provider who’s enthusiastic about the technology you’re using.

Another possibility is using a system like ManageWP or WPRemote. They both seem pretty interesting, and may let you work with your current hosting provider.

Good luck, and let us know what you end up doing!

[Steve]

Here’s the thread on WordPress hosts.

[Author]

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