How to Host Multiple Websites on One Server

Cost efficiency, a simplified management approach, and resource optimization are all benefits of hosting multiple websites on one server. It doesn’t take much to learn how to host multiple websites on one server if you are already tech-inclined. That’s because you’ll have to run some configurations to get the server up and running.

You can use Apache, Internet Information Services (IIS), or Nginx to host multiple websites on one server. We will show you how to work with these approaches in this extensive guide.

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What is a Web Server?

Web browsers act like clients to the web servers, requesting content when a user makes an input. That could be clicking a button, making a search, using scroll bars, etc.

The communication between a web server and a web browser happens through a hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP). To achieve this, the server must rely on its hardware and software.

How Does a Web Server Work?

A web server needs both hardware and software to work. The hardware refers to the physical device that contains the web server software. It also stores the website’s files, which can include images, videos, CSS stylesheets, HTML documents, and JavaScript files.

The software takes care of the HTTP protocol and web addresses (URLs) that browsers use to communicate with the server. It processes requests in this format and delivers the needed content to the user through the browser.

We can classify the operation of a web server into three stages, as follows:

• The request stage: This is where the user types a URL into the browser or enters a command on the website
• The processing stage: This is where the server finds the file and prepares it to be delivered to the browser
• The response stage: This is where the server transfers the requested file to the browser

The last stage is where we see the site load up the content on our browsers. Browsers locate servers using the Domain Name System (DNS). Alternatively, they can search through their cache.

Those typical error messages you see occur when the server cannot find or process the needed files. The entire operation is that simple.

Let’s look at an example where you search for or click the page on domain hosting on our platform, HostAdvice. Your browser sends that request to our server, which in turn searches for the page. Then, our server returns the page to the browser, including all the contents we’ve placed on that page.

The above explanation begs the question, can you host multiple websites on one server? Since a web server is a storage device in its most basic form, you can store the content of multiple websites on it.

Why Host Multiple Websites on One Server?

This approach keeps the content of multiple websites on one server. It has the following advantages:

Cost Efficiency

It is more affordable to share the CPU, RAM, and storage from one server among several websites than to keep multiple servers. The latter would involve purchasing separate hosting plans, which ramps up the cost significantly. Maintenance and running costs will also chip in along the way, making multiple servers more expensive to keep.

A Simple Management Approach

You won’t have to bother checking different control panels to manage your websites. One panel will do the job, simplifying the management process significantly. That includes running administrative tasks like updates, backups, security updates, etc.

Applying updates on your websites becomes easier because you only have to do it on one panel. The same applies to troubleshooting errors that come up during operations.

Convenient Operation

If you opt for a hosting provider, then you only have to deal with one account. This simplifies operations like communication and support. Also, you can box all your billings into one account even when you have multiple websites in operation.

SEO Benefits

You can leverage a single server for cross-promotion among your websites. Linking between websites becomes easier, a move that benefits SEO in the long run.

Brand consistency is easily achievable when you have one server for your websites. That does not mean you can’t achieve the same thing with multiple servers. However, other factors, like operation convenience, ease the process even more.

Centralized Security

This advantage comes from the fact that you only have to implement security measures on one server. That will protect all your websites, making it easier to apply updates and manage more security protocols. Backup and recovery become centralized instead of being split among multiple servers.

Flexibility

You can use one server for several types of websites, be it blogs, e-commerce, news, etc. The single server setup also allows you to test new features and updates.

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How to Host Multiple Websites on One Server

If you are new to websites and domains, you might want to start with our guide on how to host multiple domains on one server. That is because everything boils down to having multiple domains, since you cannot host multiple websites on one domain. You can use different domains for one website, but that isn’t our focus today.

Let’s get into the steps you need to take to host your websites on a single server:

1. Choose The Right Hosting Plans

The table below compares the different hosting plans you can use for multiple websites, including their pros and cons:

While reviewing which hosting plan will work for your websites, consider the following:

• Resource requirements: This consideration covers the CPU, RAM, and storage needs for your websites. What works for one website might not be ideal for multiple platforms. You can start by analyzing the resource requirements of your sites and aggregating them to get the ideal amount.
• Bandwidth and traffic handling: You must evaluate the ideal bandwidth that will allow your websites to load quickly and efficiently. Remember, everything will flow from one location, with the websites struggling for resources. Then, implement proper traffic management to ensure one website doesn’t consume more bandwidth than needed.

A few traffic-handling approaches include load balancing, caching, rate limiting, network segmentation, audits, etc.

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2. Understanding Domain Structure

Before you move towards adding an addon domain or a subdomain, you should first purchase the domain. You can do that through domain registrars, where you can also check for availability. Once that is done, you can move on to configuring the domain on the server.

Adding Addon Domains

Your hosting account will likely start with one domain. To have multiple websites, you must use the addon domain option. This is a secondary domain that will be linked to your hosting account.

Each addon domain can host a different website with unique content and design. However, the addon domains will share the central resources of the primary hosting account. That includes the processing power, RAM, storage, etc.

You can create separate emails for your addon domains. Despite their standalone existence, all your addon domains can effortlessly be managed on one control panel like cPanel.

Here’s how to set up addon domains in cPanel:

• Log into your control panel, in this case, cPanel.
• Go to the “Domains” or “Addon Domains” section. Ensure you have the addon domain as the primary option.
• Add the new domain.
• Provide the storage directory for the website files.

Adding Subdomains

Unlike addon domains, subdomains help your users navigate to different website sections. It is a prefix attached to the main domain to create a separate section. For example, our primary domain name might be johndoe.com, while the subdomain is identity.johndoe.com. In that case, “identity” is the subdomain. You can read more about subdomains in our domain vs. subdomain article.

Subdomains allow you to organize content and can help you localize your website to different regions. Here’s how to create a subdomain on cPanel for your website:

• Open the control panel
• Go to the “Subdomains” section.
• Enter your subdomain name.
• Provide the storage directory for the files.

The Basics for DNS Configuration

This step is essential to ensuring your domains point to your server. That will allow visitors to access their desired websites on the server.

Here are the steps for basic DNS configuration:

• Install the DNS server software.
• Create DNS zones. These are portions of the DNS namespace that a specific organization or administrator manages
• Create address (A) records for each domain. That will point to your server’s IP address when someone enters the domain,
• Use the CNAME DNS records (canonical name) to point people to the primary domain if you have subdomains.
• Update the nameservers in your registrar’s control panel to direct to your DNS server

The final step would be to test your configuration. You can use a web browser for this or test it locally.

3. Hosting Multiple Websites on Apache

Things may differ depending on which operating system your server uses. You should pay attention to that when setting up virtual hosts on Apache.

The steps play out in three stages. First, you set up and configure the virtual hosts. Then, you organize your website files and directories before installing and configuring SSL certificates for your websites.

How to Configure Virtual Hosts

1. Install Apache on your server if it is unavailable.
2. You might need to enable the mod_rewrite and mod_vhost_alias modules to host multiple websites (domains.). The commands for these are “sudo a2enmod rewrite” and “sudo service apache2 restart.”
3. Go to the Apache configuration direction on the server. It is usually found in the following directory “/etc/apache2/sites-available or /etc/httpd/conf.d.” Otherwise, look for that conf.d file.
4. Look for the default configuration file that you will use as the template. The name will likely be “000-default-conf.”
5. Copy the default configuration file and create a new file. Name this new file according to the domain names that will carry your websites.
6. Open the new configuration file in a text editor and make the changes you want. The content should look like this:
   “<VirtualHost *:80>ServerAdmin admin@site1.comServerName site1.comServerAlias www.site1.comDocumentRoot /var/www/site1.com/public_htmlErrorLog ${APACHE_LOG_DIR}/site1.com_error.logCustomLog ${APACHE_LOG_DIR}/site1.com_access.log combined</VirtualHost>
7. Save the file after you’ve made your modifications.
8. Create a symbolic link to the configuration file in the sites-enable directory. If you are using Unbuntu/Debian systems, you can use the following command:

“sudo a2ensite site1.com.conf

sudo systemctl restart apache2”

Site1 refers to your servername in the virtual host configuration file. Repeat the steps above for the websites you want to host. When complete, update the DNS setting to ensure each domain points to your server’s IP address.

Organizing files and directories

Before configuring your virtual hosts, you should create directories for your websites. Follow the steps below:

1. Create a directory for your websites. Do that one after the other. It should look like this:
   “sudo mkdir -p /var/www/johndoe1.com/public_htmlsudo mkdir -p /var/www/johndoe2.com/public_html”
2. Set the permissions for the directories. That will allow Apache to read them and also grant you management access. The command should look like this:
   “sudo chown -R $USER:$USER /var/www/johndoe1.com/public_htmlsudo chown -R $USER:$USER /var/www/johndoe2.com/public_htmlsudo chmod -R 755 /var/www”
3. You can use sample web pages of the original ones if they are available.
4. Create and add a virtual host configuration file to each website, as described in the previous section.

Organizing your files and granting permissions begins with the document root structure. Our recommended approach includes the following:

• Start with the main directory before creating separate directories for the websites.
• Keep files that need public access in the public_html directory.
• Configuration files and other sensitive data should be kept in another directory that can’t be accessed through the web.
• Organize your files according to types to ensure quick identification.
• Start by setting ownership before directory and file permissions.
• You can use “.htaccess” files to restrict access to sensitive files.

Installing SSL Certificates

The final stage is to install and configure SSL certificates for your websites in Apache. You can do that by following the steps below:

1. Purchase an SSL certificate or generate a free one. You should receive the primary certificate file and the private key (.crt and .key files)/
2. Install OpenSSL with the following commands:
   “sudo apt-get update
   sudo apt-get install openssl” or“sudo yum install openssl.”
3. Create directories for the SSL certificates for each website. Use the following: “sudo mkdir /etc/apache2/ssl”
4. Copy and paste the certificate and key files into the appropriate directories.
5. Edit your Apache configuration files to include the SSL files. The lines to add are as follows:
   “SSLEngine onSSLCertificateFile /etc/apache2/ssl/your_certificate.crt
   SSLCertificateKeyFile /etc/apache2/ssl/your_private.key
   SSLCertificateChainFile /etc/apache2/ssl/your_ca_bundle.ca-bundle”
6. Enable the SSL module and site.

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4. Hosting Multiple Websites on IIS (Internet Information Services)

IIS is a manageable web server from Microsoft. It is an alternative approach to Apache and is flexible and secure. You can use it on your Windows PCs and run several protocols, including HTTP, FTP, HTTPS, SMTP, FTPS, and NNTP.

IIS’s interface includes the connections and actions panes, the features view, and the content section. The connections page gives you everything on a server, including the sites and applications. You can use it to see and configure the settings.

The actions page contains options to start sites, create new sites, stop sites, and manage your application pool. Use the features view to see features like authentication, SSL certificates, and log information.

How to Add Websites in IIS

1. Open the IIS manager
2. Create directories for your websites. Use the following:
   “C:\inetpub\wwwroot\johndoe1C:\inetpub\wwwroot\johndoe2”
3. Go to the connections page and right-click “Sites” to add websites.
4. Name your website while the IIS creates an application pool automatically with the same name.
5. Go to the website directory.
6. Complete the binding process. This involves selecting the protocol (HTTP or HTTPS), selecting an IP address, entering a port number, and entering the domain name.
7. Check the box to “Start Website Immediately.”
8. Repeat the process until you add all your websites.
9. You will have to set the DNS settings to direct the domain to your server’s IP address.

How to manage application pools and directories

Application pools allow you to isolate web applications for better performance. The approach also enhances security and reliability.

Follow the steps below to set up application pools for your website:

1. Open the IIS Manager and click “Application Pools” in the connections pane.
2. Go to the actions pane and click “Add Application Pool.”
3. Configure your new application pool by entering a name, selecting the right .NET version, and picking Integrated or Classic pipeline mode.
4. Select your website from the expanded “Sites” node on the connections page.
5. Click “Advanced Settings” in the actions pane.
6. Click “Application Pool” and choose the “…” button.
7. Find your preferred application pool from the options.
8. Repeat the process for your other websites.

Once you’ve completed the steps, the next stage is to manage your website’s files and directories. The process is similar to what we did at Apache. With that said, here’s how to do it:

1. Start with the main directory. An example of a main directory is “C:\inetpub\wwwroot”
2. Create more directories for your websites. You can take a cue from the following lines:
   “C:\inetpub\wwwroot\johndoe1C:\inetpub\wwwroot\johndoe2”
3. Use the public_html and private directories to separate your files.
4. Organize your files by type. For example, you can use the following for images “C:\inetpub\wwwroot\johndoe1\public_html\images.”
5. Create web.config files for each website to manage the settings.

Installing SSL Certificates

Follow the steps below:

1. Start by creating a certificate request.
2. Open your server in the connections pane and double-click “Server Certificates.”
3. Select “Create Certificate Request.”
4. Provide the domain name, among other details.
5. Select the cryptographic service provider and save the CSR file to your desired location. Use the name you want.
6. Submit the CSR file to a Certificate Authority and obtain the primary certificate (.crt) and an optional .p7b file after validation.
7. Open “Server Certificates” and click “Complete Certificate Request.”
8. Open the location of your SSL certificate file and name the certificate.
9. Select “Personal” for the certificate store.
10. Select your website from the expanded “Sites” node on the connections pane.
11. Click “Binding” in the actions pane.
12. Add HTTPS binding and select the SSL certificate while doing that. Start by clicking “Add” and selecting “HTTPS.” Pick your IP address or leave it unassigned and set the pot to 443 before adding the SSL certificate.
13. Save the binding and close the window.
14. Repeat the same process for other sites.

5. Hosting Multiple Websites on Nginx

The process of how to host multiple websites on one server using Nginx is similar to using Apache. Instead of virtual hosts, Nginx uses the term server blocks.

Nginx server blocks allow you to host multiple websites. You can do that by configuring each server block to handle a specific domain or subdomain.

With that said, here’s how you can configure server blocks in Nginx:

1. Install Nginx on your system and locate the configuration directory.
2. Look for the nginx.conf file. This is the file we will use to create and configure new server blocks.
3. Create a new file in the /etc/nginx/sites-available directory. Use the names of your websites and end them with “.conf” to indicate that they are configuration files.
4. Open each server block file and configure it.
5. Paste the original configuration file and edit it. You may have something like this:

   “server {
   
   listen 80;
   
   server_name yourdomain.com www.yourdomain.com;
   
   
   
   
   location / {
   
   root /var/www/yourdomain.com;
   
   index index.html;
   
   }
   
   }”

6. Add more directives to configure the server block to your test.
7. Establish a symbolic link to the main /etc/nginx/sites-enabled directory to enable your server block file. Use the command “sudo ln -s /etc/nginx/sites-available/example.com.conf /etc/nginx/sites-enabled/” Note that you have to replace “example.com.conf with what you named your server block.
8. Validate the configuration for syntax errors and reload Nginx.
9. Repeat this process until you’ve created server blocks for all your websites.

How the Directory Structure Works For Nginx

Here’s how to organize your files and directories when using Nginx:

• Your main directory will likely use “/var/www” if you use Linux systems
• The next step is to build on that by adding separate directories for your websites. For example, you can use /var/www/website1.com and /var/www/website2.com for your websites.
• Separate your files by categorizing them under public_html and private directories.
• Organize them using the file types.

Setting Up SSL Certificates for Domains in Nginx

Follow the steps below:

1. Open your server through SSH and generate the certificate signing request and private key. Use the following command: “sudo openssl req -new -newkey rsa:2048 -nodes -keyout /etc/ssl/private/your_domain.key -out /etc/ssl/certs/your_domain.csr”
2. Provide the domain name and other crucial details.
3. Submit the request to your preferred CA.
4. Receive the .crt primary certificate and the .ca-bundle file. Intermediate certificates may follow.
5. Open the Nginx configuration file for the website.
6. Add the certificate. The code should look like this:

   “ ssl_certificate /etc/ssl/certs/your_domain_bundle.crt;
   
   ssl_certificate_key /etc/ssl/private/your_domain.key;
   
   
   
   
   ssl_protocols TLSv1.2 TLSv1.3;
   
   ssl_ciphers HIGH:!aNULL:!MD5;” 

7. Add a server block to redirect HTTP traffic to HTTPS
8. Test and reload Nginx
9. Repeat the same for all your websites.

6. Managing Databases For Multiple Websites

Creating separate databases for your website allows for isolation, which in turn improves security. One compromised site will not affect others. Hence, the separate databases can help you contain security breaches while your other websites are still operational.

You can also optimize the database settings for each website instead of applying one setting across the board. This approach enhances performance with better load times.

Use the steps below to set up and manage databases for your websites:

1. Pick a database management system (DBMS). For this, we suggest MySQL, PostgreSQL, MongoDB, or SQLite.
2. Use cPanel, cloud services, or command line to set up your database.
3. For cPanel, go to the Databases section.
4. Enter a name and click “Create Database.”
5. Add the user to your newly created database.
6. Assign privileges accordingly.
7. Define tables, data types, columns, relationships, etc. Ensure you plan the structure thoroughly for efficient storage and retrieval.
8. Connect your website to the database.
9. Run regular backups and install updates when necessary.

Regardless of which approach you use (Apache, IIS, or Nginx), you only need one PHP code to connect your website to a database. The code should look like this:

“PHP

<?php

$servername = "localhost";

$username = "myuser";

$password = "mypassword";

$dbname = "mydatabase";




// Create connection

$conn = new mysqli($servername, $username, $password, $dbname);




// Check connection

if ($conn->connect_error) {

die("Connection failed: " . $conn->connect_error);

}

echo "Connected successfully";

?>

For Apache

• Enable MySQL and PHP modules with the command “sudo apt install php libapache2-mod-php php-mysql”
• Create the database as described above.
• Connect PHP to MySQL with the code above. Make changes to the code where necessary, as that is a general depiction to guide you.

For IIS

• Download and install MySQL through Windows Features.
• Download and configure PHP with IIS. Use the Web Platform Installer.
• Set up the database and user.
• Connect PHP to MySQL.

For Nginx

• Install PHP-FPM and PHP with the command “sudo apt install php-fpm php-mysql”
• Edit the configuration file to use PHP. You may have something that looks like this:

“server {

listen 80;

server_name example.com;

root /var/www/html;




index index.php index.html index.htm;




location / {

     try_files $uri $uri/ =404;

}




location ~ \.php$ {

     include snippets/fastcgi-php.conf;

     fastcgi_pass unix:/var/run/php/php7.4-fpm.sock;

}




location ~ /\.ht {

     deny all;

}

}

• Create the database and connect PHP to MySQL.

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7. Performance and Security Considerations

Here are some tips to optimize your server’s performance:

• Store frequently accessed information in a cache for faster processing. You can do this through page, object, or browser caching.
• Use load balancing to distribute workloads across multiple applications. You can do this through a reverse proxy, containerization, or application-level load balancing.
• Monitor how your websites use resources and allocate them based on demand. You can use Datadog or New Relic to track the processing power and memory usage.
• Minimize your use of heavy scripts.
• Reduce latency and improve load times by using content delivery networks (CDNs).

For security best practices, you should do the following:

• Use web application firewalls and network firewalls. The former helps against SQL injection and cross-site scripting (XSS), while the latter protects against untrusted external networks.
• Schedule backups for your website data and database. Use automated tools if necessary.
• Keep your backups in a different storage location from your primary server.
• Pingdom and UptimeRobot are monitoring tools that can help monitor performance and uptime.
• Regularly scan for malware and vulnerabilities.
• If you use Apache, you should disable unnecessary modules and use mod_security.
• Disable directory browsing if you use IIS

8. Troubleshooting Common Issues

Several problems may pop up during testing or even operation. The typical ones include

• Configuration conflicts: This happens when your websites require different configurations. These conflicts can also lead to file path errors.
• Traffic spikes: This happens when increased traffic on one website degrades the performance of other websites on the server.
• Software compatibility issues

The steps you’ll use for troubleshooting depend primarily on the error. Nevertheless, here are our recommendations when working with Apache, IIS, and Nginx:

For Apache:

• Ensure you have unique server names and document roots for your virtual hosts. View and edit them in the configuration files.
• Use the appropriate permissions for all your web directories. Failure to do this often results in denied access errors.

For Internet Information Services,

• Use unique bindings for each site. Not doing this properly might cause the website to load poorly.
• Isolate sites by using separate application pools for each one.

For Nginx

• Assign unique server names and roots to all your server blocks.
• Enable error logs and review them when issues pop up.

Final Word

You can set up a dedicated server if you want to learn how to host multiple websites on one server. Get a suitable system (PC) system and use the Apache, Internet Information Services, or Nginx platforms. If you use Windows, we’d recommend Internet Information Services.

Next Steps: What Now?

• Learn how to get domains from domain registrars.
• Find out the best website builders to get started on your websites.
• Subscribe to the best web hosting providers to start hosting your websites.

Learn More About Domains

• How to Host Multiple Domains on One Server?
• What Is a DNS Server? (& How Does It Work)
• Do I Need an SSL Certificate for My Domain? (& How to Get One)
• What Is a DNS Zone? Zones & Zone Files Explained
• Premium DNS: What Is It + Is It Worth It?
• How to Create a Subdomain: GoDaddy, Namecheap, Wix & More
• How to Transfer a Domain from GoDaddy: Step-by-Step Guide
• .com vs .net vs .org: How They Differ + Which One to Get
• How to Create a Subdomain in cPanel: Step-by-Step Guide