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What should I do if domain wildcarding doesn't work on my multisite network


If domain wildcarding is not working on your WordPress Multisite network hosted on WP Engine, follow these troubleshooting steps:

1. Check DNS Configuration

- Ensure that your DNS settings include a wildcard record pointing to your WP Engine environment. The record should look like this:

  *.yourdomain.com. 3600 IN A [Your WP Engine IP Address]

- Verify that the DNS changes have propagated. This can take some time, so be patient and check using tools like `dig` or online DNS checkers.

2. Validate Wildcard SSL Certificate

- Confirm that a valid wildcard SSL certificate (e.g., `*.yourdomain.com`) is installed in your WP Engine environment. WP Engine does not provide these certificates, so ensure you have imported one from a third-party provider.

3. Enable Domain Wildcarding in WP Engine

- Log in to your WP Engine User Portal.
- Navigate to the Domains section of your environment.
- Ensure that you have set your main domain as a wildcard by clicking on the three-dot menu next to the domain and selecting Set as wildcard. If no valid wildcard SSL is found, you will receive an error message.

4. Verify Subsite Settings

- In your WordPress admin dashboard, go to Network Admin -> Sites and check the settings for each subsite.
- Ensure that the subsite addresses are correctly set up to use the wildcard format (e.g., `subsite.yourdomain.com`).

5. Review .htaccess File

- Check your `.htaccess` file for any rules that may interfere with subdomain routing. It should include standard WordPress rules for multisite.
- If missing or incorrect, you can regenerate it by going to Network Admin -> Settings -> Network Setup.

6. Clear Caches

- Clear any caching mechanisms in place, such as server caching, caching plugins, or CDNs. This ensures that you are not seeing cached versions of your sites.
- Also, flush your local DNS cache or try accessing the subdomains from a different device or network.

7. Enable Debugging

- Enable WordPress debug mode by adding the following lines to your `wp-config.php` file:
php
  define('WP_DEBUG', true);
  define('WP_DEBUG_LOG', true);
  define('WP_DEBUG_DISPLAY', false);

- Check the `wp-content/debug.log` file for any relevant error messages that could provide insight into the issue.

8. Contact WP Engine Support

- If the problem persists after following these steps, contact WP Engine's support team. Provide them with detailed information about your setup, the troubleshooting steps you have taken, and any error messages you have encountered. Their expertise can help resolve complex issues.

By systematically going through these steps, you should be able to identify and resolve the issues preventing domain wildcarding from functioning correctly on your WP Engine multisite network.

Citations:
[1] https://codingmall.com/knowledge-base/20-wordpress-issues/226-wordpress-multisite-subdomain-not-working
[2] https://wpengine.com/support/multisite-how-to-add-new-sites/
[3] https://workwith.natfinn.com/setting-multipress-subdomains-wp-engine-wordpress/
[4] https://wpengine.com/support/what-is-wordpress-multisite/
[5] https://www.wpbeginner.com/wp-tutorials/how-to-install-and-setup-wordpress-multisite-network/