Greetings and welcome to our comprehensive guide on how to host multiple domains on one server cPanel. If you are a website owner or web developer, you might have come across a situation where you need to host multiple domains on one server. This could be to save costs or simply to manage multiple websites from a single server. In this article, we will show you the exact steps to follow to host multiple domains on one server cPanel.
Table of Contents
Introduction
Hosting multiple domains on one server cPanel has become a popular practice among website owners and web developers. It allows you to manage multiple websites from a single server, which can help save costs and make website management easier.
However, setting up multiple domains on one server cPanel can be complex and time-consuming, especially if you are a beginner. In this article, we will walk you through the step-by-step process of hosting multiple domains on one server cPanel.
Prerequisites
Before you start the process of hosting multiple domains on one server cPanel, there are a few prerequisites that you need to have in place. These include:
- A web hosting account with cPanel access
- Access to the DNS records of the domain names
- The ability to create subdomains and add-on domains
If you have these prerequisites in place, you are ready to start hosting multiple domains on one server cPanel.
Step-by-Step Guide
Step 1: Configure DNS Settings
The first step in hosting multiple domains on one server cPanel is to configure the DNS settings for the domain names. This involves creating a DNS record for each domain name that points to the IP address of your server.
To do this, log in to your domain registrar account and navigate to the DNS settings for the domain name. Here, you will create an A record for each domain name that points to the IP address of your server.
Once you have configured the DNS settings for each domain name, it’s time to move on to the next step.
Step 2: Create Add-On Domains
The next step in hosting multiple domains on one server cPanel is to create add-on domains in cPanel. An add-on domain is a domain name that is added to your cPanel account and points to a subdirectory of your public_html folder.
To create an add-on domain, follow these steps:
| Step | Description |
|---|---|
| 1 | Log in to your cPanel account |
| 2 | Navigate to the “Domains” section and click on “Addon Domains” |
| 3 | Enter the domain name and other details, and click on “Add Domain” |
| 4 | Your add-on domain is now created |
Repeat this process for each domain name that you want to host on your server.
Step 3: Create Subdomains
The next step in hosting multiple domains on one server cPanel is to create subdomains for each of your add-on domains. A subdomain is a domain name that is created as a prefix to your domain name, such as “subdomain.yourdomain.com”.
To create a subdomain, follow these steps:
| Step | Description |
|---|---|
| 1 | Log in to your cPanel account |
| 2 | Navigate to the “Domains” section and click on “Subdomains” |
| 3 | Enter the name of the subdomain and select the add-on domain from the dropdown menu |
| 4 | Click on “Create” to create the subdomain |
Repeat this process for each add-on domain that you created in the previous step.
Step 4: Upload Files
The final step in hosting multiple domains on one server cPanel is to upload your website files to the subdirectories of your public_html folder. Each add-on domain will have its own subdirectory, which you can access by navigating to “File Manager” in cPanel.
To upload files, follow these steps:
| Step | Description |
|---|---|
| 1 | Log in to your cPanel account |
| 2 | Navigate to “File Manager” and select the subdirectory for your add-on domain |
| 3 | Upload your website files to the subdirectory |
Repeat this process for each add-on domain that you created.
FAQs
Q1. Can I host unlimited domains on one server cPanel?
A. Yes, you can host unlimited domains on one server cPanel, as long as your hosting plan allows it.
Q2. Do I need a separate IP address for each domain?
A. No, you do not need a separate IP address for each domain. You can host multiple domains on one server cPanel with a single IP address.
A. Yes, you can use a shared hosting plan to host multiple domains on one server cPanel, as long as your hosting plan allows it.
Q4. How do I access the cPanel for my add-on domains?
A. To access the cPanel for your add-on domains, simply log in to your main cPanel account and navigate to the “Addon Domains” section. From there, you can access the cPanel for each add-on domain.
Q5. Can I create email accounts for my add-on domains?
A. Yes, you can create email accounts for your add-on domains in cPanel. Simply navigate to the “Email Accounts” section and create a new email account for each add-on domain.
Q6. How do I manage SSL certificates for my add-on domains?
A. To manage SSL certificates for your add-on domains, navigate to the “SSL/TLS” section in cPanel and select the domain name you want to manage. From there, you can install or manage SSL certificates for each add-on domain.
Q7. How do I remove an add-on domain from my server?
A. To remove an add-on domain from your server, simply navigate to the “Addon Domains” section in cPanel and click on the “Remove” button next to the domain name you want to remove. This will delete the add-on domain and all its associated files and subdomains.
Q8. Can I use subdomains instead of add-on domains?
A. Yes, you can use subdomains instead of add-on domains to host multiple websites on one server cPanel. However, using add-on domains is recommended as it allows you to manage each website separately with its own cPanel account.
Q9. Is it possible to host multiple WordPress sites on one server cPanel?
A. Yes, it is possible to host multiple WordPress sites on one server cPanel using the same process described in this article. Simply create add-on domains for each WordPress site and upload your WordPress files to the corresponding subdirectories.
Q10. Do I need to install WordPress separately for each add-on domain?
A. Yes, you need to install WordPress separately for each add-on domain. Each domain name needs its own WordPress installation for the website to function properly.
Conclusion
Congratulations! You have successfully learned how to host multiple domains on one server cPanel. By following the steps outlined in this guide, you can now manage multiple websites from a single server, which can help save costs and make website management easier. If you have any questions or comments, feel free to leave them below.