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🌍 How Domain Mapping Works

Domain mapping allows you to link multiple domains to specific content on a website or redirect them to another domain. This is commonly used for:
✔️ Pointing multiple domains to the same website
✔️ Mapping subdomains or subsites in multisite networks
✔️ Redirecting old domains to a new one

🔹 1️⃣ How Domain Mapping Works Technically

Domain mapping usually involves three key steps:

1️⃣ Pointing the Domain (DNS Configuration)

  • The domain name needs to be pointed to the correct IP address or server.
  • This is done by changing the A record (IP address) or CNAME record (alias) in the DNS settings.

2️⃣ Configuring the Web Server (Hosting Side)

  • The web hosting service must be set up to recognize the mapped domain.
  • This is done through cPanel, Plesk, or Nginx/Apache configurations.

3️⃣ Handling Requests in WordPress (If Applicable)

  • If you’re using WordPress Multisite, it needs to recognize the mapped domain.
  • You can use plugins like WP Multisite Domain Mapping or configure it manually.

🔹 2️⃣ Types of Domain Mapping

✅ 1. Primary Domain Mapping (Standard Website)

If you have multiple domains (e.g., example.com, example.net), you can map them to the same website.

🔹 How?

  • Set the A Record of each domain to the same IP address in your DNS settings.
  • Set up domain aliases in your hosting panel.

📌 Example:

  • example.net and example.org both show the same website as example.com.

✅ 2. Subdomain or Subsite Mapping (Multisite WordPress)

In WordPress Multisite, each subsite can have its own custom domain instead of subsite.example.com.

🔹 How?

  • Point the custom domain (e.g., myshop.com) to the multisite installation.
  • Use a domain mapping plugin or configure it manually in wp-config.php.

📌 Example:

  • subsite1.example.com → customdomain.com
  • subsite2.example.com → anotherdomain.com

✅ 3. Domain Forwarding (Redirection)

If you want visitors from oldsite.com to be redirected to newsite.com, you can use domain forwarding.

🔹 How?

  • Set up a 301 redirect in your domain registrar or .htaccess file.
  • Alternatively, use a redirection plugin in WordPress.

📌 Example:

  • oldbrand.com → automatically forwards to newbrand.com.

🔹 3️⃣ How to Set Up Domain Mapping

🛠️ Method 1: In cPanel (For Shared Hosting)

  1. Log in to cPanel.
  2. Go to Addon Domains or Aliases.
  3. Add the new domain and link it to the existing website folder.
  4. Update the DNS records in your domain registrar.

🛠️ Method 2: In WordPress Multisite

  1. Enable Multisite in wp-config.php: define('WP_ALLOW_MULTISITE', true);
  2. Go to Network Admin → Sites and add a new site.
  3. Use a domain mapping plugin (like WP Multisite Domain Mapping).
  4. Update the DNS records for the new domain.

🔹 4️⃣ Checking If Domain Mapping Works

After setting up, test if the domain works by:
✅ Visiting the domain in a browser
✅ Using ping or nslookup to check the IP
✅ Waiting 24-48 hours for DNS propagation

💡 Need Help?

Let me know what type of domain mapping you need, and I can guide you step by step! 🚀😊

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