Wizard's Place

Archive for February, 2010

In order to have your individual WPMU blog respond correctly to your own domain name the host site for the parent WPMU installation will need to setup domain mapping. Without this you are limited to forwarding (often called pointing) your domain to the sub-domain (or sub-folder domain) you have been given for your site. This imparts limitations on the use of your domain by visitors to your site.

Visitors to your site who user your domain name to get there will see the sub-domain in their browser’s address bar, not your actual domain they just typed in. Additionally you will need to use the sub-domain yourself to access administration functions.

Instead of being able to type http:mydomain.com/wp-admin/, for example, you will have to type http://myblog.wpmuhost.com/wp-admin/ and visitors coming to your site will see http://myblog.wpmuhost.com/ instead of http://mydomain.com/ when they get to your site even though they may have entered http://mydomain.com/ into their browser.

This isn’t a serious problem, of course. Domains are forwarded like this all the time. But it is nice — indeed it looks more professional — if visitors to YOUR site see YOUR actual domain and it is certainly more convenient if YOU can use YOUR actual domain for administering YOUR blog/website.

When picking a commercial blog service that utilizes WPMU or choosing a WordPress/WPMU designer or consultant, make sure they understand domain mapping, how it may affect your site, and that your host service provider actually offers it.

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