Host Multiple WordPress Websites on One Server

Hey Dev, are you tired of paying for multiple hosting accounts for each of your WordPress websites? Luckily, you can host multiple WordPress websites on one server. In this article, we’ll guide you through the process step-by-step.

What You Will Need

The first step to hosting multiple WordPress websites on one server is to ensure you have everything you need. Here’s a list of the items required:

Item	Description
Server	Your server can be a physical or virtual server, and should be running a Linux-based operating system.
Domain Names	The domain names of the WordPress websites you want to host on the server.
WordPress	The latest version of WordPress, which can be downloaded for free from the WordPress website.
FTP Client	An FTP client such as FileZilla, which will be used to transfer files to the server.
SSH Client	An SSH client such as PuTTY, which will allow you to connect to your server.

Step-by-Step Guide

Step 1: Connect to Your Server

The first step is to connect to your server using an SSH client. You’ll need to enter the IP address of your server, as well as your username and password.

Step 2: Install and Configure Apache

Once you’re connected to your server, the next step is to install and configure Apache. Apache is the web server software that will allow you to host multiple WordPress websites on one server.

Here’s how to install and configure Apache:

Step 2.1: Install Apache

To install Apache, type the following command:

sudo apt-get install apache2

Step 2.2: Configure Apache

After successfully installing Apache, you need to configure it. Open the Apache configuration file by typing the following command:

sudo nano /etc/apache2/apache2.conf

Now add the following code to the end of the file:

IncludeOptional sites-enabled/*.conf

Save and close the file.

Step 2.3: Create Virtual Hosts

The next step is to create virtual hosts. Virtual hosts are used to host multiple websites on a single Apache server. Here’s how to create virtual hosts:

Step 2.3.1: Create Site Directory

Create a directory for each site you want to host. Use the following command:

sudo mkdir /var/www/example.com

Step 2.3.2: Set Ownership

Set the ownership of the site directory to the user and group Apache is running under:

sudo chown -R www-data:www-data /var/www/example.com

Step 2.3.3: Create Virtual Host File

Create a virtual host file for each site you want to host. Use the following command:

sudo nano /etc/apache2/sites-available/example.com.conf

Now add the following code:

<VirtualHost *:80>ServerAdmin webmaster@example.comServerName example.comServerAlias www.example.comDocumentRoot /var/www/example.comErrorLog ${APACHE_LOG_DIR}/error.logCustomLog ${APACHE_LOG_DIR}/access.log combined</VirtualHost>

Save and close the file.

Step 2.3.4: Enable the Site

Enable the site by typing the following command:

sudo a2ensite example.com.conf

Restart Apache by typing:

sudo service apache2 reload

Your virtual host is now ready to use!

Step 3: Install WordPress

The next step is to install WordPress on each of the websites you want to host. Here’s how to do it:

Step 3.1: Download WordPress

Download the latest version of WordPress from the WordPress website:

wget https://wordpress.org/latest.tar.gz

Extract the archive:

tar -xvf latest.tar.gz

Step 3.2: Create WordPress Database

Create a database and user for each WordPress website:

CREATE DATABASE dbname;

GRANT ALL PRIVILEGES ON dbname.* TO 'username'@'localhost' IDENTIFIED BY 'password';

Step 3.3: Configure WordPress

Move the extracted WordPress files to the site directory:

sudo mv wordpress/* /var/www/example.com/

Rename and edit the wp-config-sample.php file:

sudo mv /var/www/example.com/wp-config-sample.php /var/www/example.com/wp-config.php

Edit the wp-config.php file:

nano /var/www/example.com/wp-config.php

Update the database details:

define('DB_NAME', 'dbname');define('DB_USER', 'username');define('DB_PASSWORD', 'password');define('DB_HOST', 'localhost');

Step 4: Add Additional Domains

If you want to add additional domains to your server, simply repeat steps 2 and 3 for each new domain.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. How many websites can I host on one server?

You can host as many websites as your server can handle. It’s recommended to keep the number of websites to a reasonable limit to keep your server running smoothly.

2. Do I need a dedicated server to host multiple websites?

No, you can use a shared server or even a VPS to host multiple websites.

3. Can I use different versions of WordPress on the same server?

Yes, you can use different versions of WordPress on the same server.

4. How do I manage multiple WordPress websites on one server?

You can use a WordPress management tool such as ManageWP or InfiniteWP to manage multiple WordPress websites from one location.

5. Can I host non-WordPress websites on the same server?

Yes, you can host any type of website on the same server as your WordPress websites.

Conclusion

In this article, we’ve shown you how to host multiple WordPress websites on one server. By following these steps, you can save money by using one server for all of your WordPress websites. If you have any questions, feel free to leave a comment below.