MultiSite Guide
From Site5Wiki
Contents |
MultiSite is a Site5-developed application that allows you to run multiple web sites from one hosting account.
Site5 MultiSite™ Technology — Enhanced Multiple Domain/Website Hosting
Before MultiSite technology, the only way to run multiple web sites on one hosting account was through the use of subdomains (subsite.mymainwebsite.tld) or domain pointers (mydomain2.tld “points” to www.mymainwebsite.tld/mydomain2).
But the engineers at Site5 did not find domain pointing to be a sufficient enough solution—simply directing domains to folders under another site created messy site hierarchies behind-the-scenes, offered only limited e-mail use, and meant you had to share one control panel (and in many cases, access information) between all of your websites. This is all especially painful if you have more than one person running the sites. Also, since all pointed sites share the same space (the document root of the main domain) a runaway script or a hack on one domain can impact all the pointed sites. There is no real site isolation.
So this is where the MultiSite idea came in. We created a new process that allows you to set up many websites that function as their own accounts—and you create them with a simple click of the mouse. You set it up the accounts you want, with the preferences you want. No more mess or hassles. Each site you create is the master of its own domain.
Site5 True MultiSite™ is a unique and revolutionary kind of shared hosting that really, truly lets you control your own space, and set up your own accounts.
There is an excellent FAQ post and discussion on our MultiSite setup 
in our forums.
MultiAdmin vs. SiteAdmin vs. Backstage
An explanation for what each of these control panels does.
MultiSite vs. Domain Pointers vs. Domain Parking
The differences between these terms is explained in our website management guide.
Your Primary MultiSite Account
The domain name you signed up with will be your primary MultiSite account. This will serve as your primary domain for contact with Site5 and logging in to our system. Your primary account functions as any other shared hosting account would: it has FTP access, control panel access, etc. Before you establish any additional sub-accounts in MultiAdmin, this will be the first account accessible under the SiteAdmin tab. All the information you need will be listed under My Websites and My MultiAdmin on your Backstage Dashboard. MultiAdmin:
Setting Up Websites/Sub-accounts
Each additional website that you set up will be a sub-account of your primary account, as discussed above. These accounts will function just like your primary account—separate, and with no limitations.
When creating sub-accounts, you will be also able to set the account's domain name, initial password and the amount of web space and bandwidth you wish to allocate to that sub-account.
Setting Up Your First Sub-Account
- Click on the MultiAdmin tab in
Backstage. True MultiSite™ primary accounts have exclusive access to the MultiAdmin area and its features.
- Click on your primary account website name under the list of MultiAdmin-enabled accounts. Doing so will take you to the MultiAdmin interface for that account.
- On the left sidebar, select Create Site under My Sites: You can now fill in all of the preferences for this account, and hit the Create Account button.
- Congratulations! If all went according to plan, you will have created a new sub-account/website. This new site will appear in your Backstage site listing (under the SiteAdmin tab), and you will also be able to access it via FTP with the login info you have just created.
Repeat the above process to set up all of your additional MultiSite sub-accounts!
