How do I transition multiple installations to a single Multisite installation?

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The question:

I have a client who runs 8 different blogs, currently on 8 separate installations of WordPress. I’m trying to encourage them to move to a single MS installation instead to make it easier (mostly on me) to maintain the different sites, themes, and mix of plug-ins. Unfortunately, I shied away from MU for the longest time, and now I have no idea where to start with MS.

I’ve used WP-Hive in the past because it allowed me to use multiple domains with one installation of WordPress (I don’t like sub-folder blogs or sub-domains sites). This client project, if we go forward, will be a similar setup – multiple single-domain blogs hosted on a single WordPress installation.

So what steps should I follow to

  1. Set up Multisite​ – I know how to install it, but how should I configure it considering I want to use it for separate domains, not sub-folders or sub-domains?
  2. Move content – I assume the regular WP export-import process will work?
  3. Map the domains to their new home on the new installation?

The Solutions:

Below are the methods you can try. The first solution is probably the best. Try others if the first one doesn’t work. Senior developers aren’t just copying/pasting – they read the methods carefully & apply them wisely to each case.

Method 1

To map your domains, you can consider to use the WordPress MU Domain Mapping plugin which works with wordpress 3.0 as well.

Otto has a tutorial online: WordPress 3.0: Multisite Domain Mapping Tutorial

Next to that Import/Export should mainly do the job to transfer the sites.


All methods was sourced from stackoverflow.com or stackexchange.com, is licensed under cc by-sa 2.5, cc by-sa 3.0 and cc by-sa 4.0

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