Running Multiple Websites on a Single Joomla Installation

You have to setup each one independently.

This means installing each instance for each site and pointing to either

a) Different database
b) Or use a different prefix for each installation into the same database

Personally I would go with a)

This article might shed some more light

http://docs.joomla.org/Multiple_Domains_and_Web_Sites_in_a_single_Joomla!_installation

Dear julianH,

Thank you for your reply and advice!

However, because I am very newbie in Joomla, I would like some sort of step-by-step guidance on how I can set it up and make it work….

What you told me to do sounds fine, but I am not in this level to understand by reading only the "summary" of the actions needed... I would rather like a sort of detailed step-by-step guidance on how to carry out what shortly told me..

In addition, to tell you the truth, I have come across this article "Multiple Domains and Web Sites in a single Joomla! installation" before I posted my Question, but I was not able to fully understand it...

Could you please give me some more details on how to do:

"Install each instance for each site and pointing to either
a) Different database
b) Or use a different prefix for each installation into the same database'

please?

First Tell us a little more about why you want multiple websites for your situation.

Is all the content going to be different?  

Are you going to share any content between the 3 sites?

Perhaps 3 separate Joomla sites would be  "easier"?  Depends on your situation of course.   And I assume you are using Joomla 3.1.5?

Tell us a little about the flow of your visitors.  They arrive on their one site and stay in that one site?  Or do they arrive at a master URL and then pick the site they want to continue on???

Rowby

Thank you rowby!

Actually, I want to host on my server five completely independent Web Sites (and domain names), three for my professional involvements / actions and two for my academic role....

Yes, all the content of the Web Sites is going to be absolutely different.

No, I am not going to share any content between the 5 sites.

Yes, I think that 5 separate Joomla sites would be  "easier", and yes I am using Joomla 3.1.5 version.

My question and concern is how to point to all different Web Sites (Domain names) which each one's content will be dwelling in different folders...... For example with IIS7, I was able to define a "Site name" and its "Application pool", and subsequently I could define "Content Directory" by setting its "Physical path" in my hard drive, and finally I was defining its Binding data, i.e.: "Type", "IP address" and "Port'. ...and that was all !

However, with Joomla 3.1., I cannot understand how this is possible, i.e. pointing to different folders of my different Web Sites on my Server....

Thank you for your help.

Thank you Rowby!

Exactly, my issue is not really a Joomla issue, it is rather a domain-ponting to issue!

Therefore, my question now is: how can I work it out?

BTW, I am using XAMPP Control Panel and mySQL database.

..and yes, I will have one database for each installation.

Hi sachpazis

Well the answer is beyond my current windows server background.  Have you considered posting this question elsewhere on EE -- such as a windows hosting section?  I'm sure I've seen windows server Experts Exchange section here on EE?????

Rowby

Thank you Rowby. I asked for some more help from Moderator.

I only wanted to tell you that I am doing the Web Hosting on my own servers...., which are running MS Server 2008 R2 O.S..

...and, when i switch to Joomla instead of IIS7, all my web sites (Domain names) that are hosted in my server show the same Joomla web site!!!!!

So, I need to tell my "domain company" where to point for each one separate domain.....

I hope I will get some more help to manipulate and resolve my issue....

See I currently live in the dumb non-windows world.

You sign up with a company like hostgator. and they either set up an account and you add the domain in the CPANEL.   Hostgator takes over from there.   It gives you an email with the specific DNS information to tell your domain company.    And hostgator does the routing for you.

WIth your window setup you need to somehow do the same thing that "hostgators" do.

I'm sure it's just a config issue on your windows setup - but I don't know the specifics. But EE's windows server section will help you in a jiffy.

Rowby

Thank you!

O.K., I will try to explain as much as I can...

Regarding your questions:

First answer to your first question:

I am running my web sites until now on my own server NOT on a hosted server. I have about 20 altogether Web Sites hosted on my own server, with absolutely different domain names - URLs, which some of them are bought from different Domain Companies / ISPs (e.g. Godaddy or similar). The O.S. of my Server is MS Server 2008R2. I am using IIS7 [Internet Information Services (Version 7.5.7600.16385)]. All my web sites work fine so far, using the conventional IIS7 technology, i.e. before Joomla 3.1 installation...

Thus, by using IIS7 it was easy enough to host multiple Web Sites (Domain Names), by simply adding as many Sites as desired {IIS7->SERVER (domain\Administrator)->Application Pools->Sites}. Then, under "Sites" list by using "Add Web Site", I was able to define a "Site name" and its "Application pool", and subsequently I could define "Content Directory" by setting its "Physical path" in my hard drive, and finally I was defining its Binding data, i.e.: "Type", "IP address" and "Port'. ...and that was all ! All my Web Sites were functioning fine!

However, now, after I installed Joomla 3.1, ALL my web Sites show the SAME Web Site, whom the content is contained in the folder: C:\xampp\htdocs\joomla30 !!!!!!


Second answer to your second question:

All my URLs are going to be using to access the sites, DIFFERENT domains.


Third answer to your third question:

I mean that when Apache and MySQL database are on (Started) in the XAMPP Control Panel, all Sites (i.e. "www.site1.com", and so on so forth), ALL Sites in the IIS7 Manager interface (window) under the "Sites" list, go automatically STOPPED.... So, before I switch on "Apache" and "MySQL database" (services & start them) in the XAMPP Control Panel, I switch off (i.e. I STOP) the Web Server in the IIS7 Manager..... After that, ALL my Web Sites show the SAME Web Site, whose the content is contained in the folder: C:\xampp\htdocs\joomla30, as I explained above....


I am confused!!! Any help to understand how to set up and configure properly Joomla 3.1 on my Server, please?

Thank you!

Ok but XAMPP uses Apache - are you sure you are not getting the Joomla site from Apache?

Try editing your httpd.conf and changing the

Listen 80

To

Listen 8080

Or you can change the port in IIS

Either way you need to check that Apache and IIS are not bumping heads.

And double check your joomla configuration.php file for each joomla installation.  Make sure they properly reference your "live site".  Live site is one of the configuration items in that file.

And do you have a .htaccess file in each directory?  I assume you do.  Double check that to make sure things look ok.

Otherwise julianH is the server expert here  so follow his guidance.

Rowby

Thank you julianH,

However, no result...

Can someone, please, answer and explain on my "by: sachpazisPosted on 2013-09-19 at 04:33:36ID: 39505463" message?

I am confused

Can someone, please, answer and explain on my "by: sachpazisPosted on 2013-09-19 at 04:33:36ID: 39505463" message?

Which part?

My question is have you absolutely established that it is not Apache that is responding to your web requests.

Have you tried stopping the Apache HTTPD service and trying again?

..but if the Apache HTTPD service is stopped, the site does not work at all...

"Have you tried stopping the Apache HTTPD service and trying again? "

When I stop Apache HTTPD service the Site does not work !

Well then that sort of explains the problem.

IIS is not serving the pages so your configuration on IIS is having no effect. So I am confused again.

Was IIS working on this server before you installed XAMPP?

If so what changed between then and now?

As I understand the problem you have a Win 2008 R2 server.

On this server you are running IIS7 hosting a bunch of sites.

These have been working perfectly

You installed XAMPP and Joomla 3.1

Now the other sites all resolve to the Joomla site.

When you stop the Apache server - none of your sites work.

Is that the case?

Bottom line if your sites don't load when Apache is stopped then your settings in II7 are not really relevant.

Thank you very much julianH !! Much appreciated.

I will act accordingly and then I will send you my feedback.

Hmmmm, lost and confused.... julianH, can I contact you by e-mail?

Dear Padas, yes I carry on, but now I am really stuck.... I am confused and I do not understand how to make my web sites work with Joomla 3.1....

I am waiting for some more and clear, step-by-step help,so that I will be able to follow, execute and finally see if my web sites will work...

I am sorry for the confusion I might have caused...

..and something more...

Can someone access my Server's Desktop and have a look at it and what is the problem that cause this malfunction, please?

Hi sachpazis,

I am unable to help you in this area, because my knowledge of windows servers is minimal.

Hopefully someone else will be able to, as you suggest, take a look at your server's desktop and fix it for you quickly.

I'm certain it's a very basic setup issue.

Rowby

Thank you Rowby! Yes, I respect and appreciate your honesty and our help so far! Best regards, Costas.

No points:  

I have not used joomla and only a few wordpress sites.  I know in wordpress there is a way to control multiple sites from one wordpress install and I found similar for joomla http://extensions.joomla.org/extensions/core-enhancements/multiple-sites.

However, it may be easier to do as julianH suggests http:Q_28243294.html#a39507239 where you create multiple sites in IIS and for each site add a new joomla install.

Dear JulianH,

Thank you very much indeed for your time, effort and energy you have spent so far for my case!

I extremely appreciate it!!

I can say now, by what you wrote to me in this e-mail, has really “opened my eyes”, as I was blind and confused so far, as far as the function of Apache is concerned!

Now, it is clear to me that IIS and Apache are functioning alike, and their role is the role of a “Web Server”, that Joomla needs to perform…. Is that correct?

Therefore, after your help and clarifications, my question has to do with how to configure IIS7 in relation to Joomla 3.1 in order to run my multiple Web Sites.

And I would like to tell you something more.

In my Server, I am hosting (as I said before) a few Web Sites.

Now, as an experiment, I have turned off IIS7, and I have turned on Apache and MySQL, using “XAMPP Control Panel”.

Now, in this case, I notice that ALL my Web Sites, that are hosted on my Server show the SAME experimental “Joomla” Web Site !!!!!

For your understanding and realization, please write in your browser the following Web Site addresses (which are all hosted in my server) and you will see what I mean above….

http://www.geostatic.eu/joomla30/
http://www.civil-ntua.com/joomla30/
http://www.geospectrus.com/joomla30/
http://www.photovoltaicengineers.com/joomla30/
…etc, etc, …..

You will see the same Web Site…

My question now is, how I can configure Joomla/Apache/IIS7/etc/etc, in order to make all different and absolutely independent Web Sites to work properly…

Thank you!

Yours Sincerely,

Costas.

Dear padas, yes by your clarifications and explanations, in conjunction with julianH's very accurate analysis and description of my problem, in addition to Rowby's comments, I am really understanding more and more the issue and the whole procedure / scheme is more and more clear in my confused mind!

I hope that eventually I will be able to manage the subject, with all your help!

Thank you so far!

Can we proceed, please?

Dear JulianH,

Thank you for your help so far!

I have read your above instructions, regarding setting up Apache for multiple web sites. O.K. for that, but I would like to ask you if it is possible at all to avoid setting up of “virtual hosts in Apache” altogether, and instead of Apache to use only IIS7 as web server in relation to Joomla 3.1.

Is that possible? If yes, could you please guide me through a little bit more in this direction?

Thank You!

Costas.

Dear JulianH,

Excellent!

This is what I wanted to!

I understand now. Therefore, in this case, I do not need Apache as a web server and all its complications. Right?

So, all I need is to point each website to its own folder through IIS7, then paste or upload in each separate web site folder the web site content. In the same folders I will have to paste all Joomla 3.1 content. True?

However, I have a question:

In Joomla 3.1 content, there exist a "index.php" by default. My sites, on the other hand, has a "index.php" as well, i.e. a file with identical name.... So, which one will overwrite the other? Joomla's "index.php" or my site's "index.php"? I would say "my site's" "index.php". But, what about Joomla's "index.php", which in this case will be overwritten??

Hmmmm!!


Thank you for your help so far!

I have read your above instructions, regarding setting up Apache for multiple web sites. O.K. for that, but I would like to ask you if it is possible at all to avoid setting up of “virtual hosts in Apache” altogether, and instead of Apache to use only IIS7 as web server in relation to Joomla 3.1.

Is that possible? If yes, could you please guide me through a little bit more in this direction?

Thank You!

Costas.

Sorry for the duplicate sentences in my previous message.. Please, just ignor them...

Hmmmm! I see!!! Much more complicated than what I was thinking....

Thank you  julianH! You gave me an excellent guidance so far!

Let me first sort out in my mind all informations, functions and peculiarities of Joomla based Web Site content and I will come back to our forum in due time...

Thanks a lot!

Costas.

..However, if Apache service is off, http://localhost/, shows an error-->

HTTP Error 403.4 - Forbidden
The page you are trying to access is secured with Secure Sockets Layer (SSL).
Detailed Error Information
Module
IIS Web Core
Notification
BeginRequest
Handler
StaticFile
Error Code
0x80070005

Requested URL
http://localhost:80/ 

Physical Path
C:\inetpub\wwwroot

Logon Method
Not yet determined

Logon User
Not yet determined

I think the best way forward is to close this question and open another one as this has now moved off the topic of the original Question - which was how to run mutliple websites off a single Joomla installation.

O.K. JulianH, you are absolutely right!

I will, right now.

However, any suggestion about "..However, if Apache service is off, http://localhost/ shows an error-->" ?

Yes, open a new question.  And it may not even need to be on a Joomla forum.

You might want to include Joomla in your selected EE sections, but make the main posting in the appropriate web section.

JulianH -- what might be the best section to post this new question on???

Rowbyu

Thanks for the points.  Keep us in the loop!

...Rowby

Dear Padas, Rowby & julianH, yes of course I will keep you all in the loop and I will post a link here to my new question.

Thank you all Guys for your input!

..however, before I start doing anything with Joomla, I started studying carefully from this (http://docs.joomla.org/Portal:Beginners) point...

So, I will not bother and confuse you with simple and stupid questions.... Thank you!

So, I will not bother and confuse you with simple and stupid questions.

Firstly, it was a pleasure to be of assistence.
Secondly, there is no such thing as a stupid question. This is why we are here.

Best sections to add to

Web Servers
Microsoft Web Servers

THANK YOU julianH!

Very kind and polite of you to say so!

Now, I am studying very carefully and in details about Joomla! and its functions...

By the way, may I ask:

Could I use MySQL56 (from Oracle) for working with Joomla! 3.1, insteat of using the one included in XAMPP?

Also, when I start Apache it seems that there is a conflict with IIS7, because ALL Sites there (in IIS7 interface) go automatically stopped.....

But, if I do not start Apache, I can not connect to "http://localhost/phpmyadmin", you see....

Also, when I start Apache it seems that there is a conflict with IIS7, because ALL Sites there (in IIS7 interface) go automatically stopped.....

Probably because they are both configured to use port 80.

Try changing the listening port in your Apache http.conf file to listen on port 8080 and then access your Apache sites like so

servername:8080/yoursite

If you would rather Apache was on port 80 then you would need to go into the properties of your site in IIS and set IIS to listen on port 8080.

Bottom line - you can't have both of them configured to listen on port 80.

Yessssssssss! It worked!!!!!!!

You are a wise and smart guy!!! ..and above all very kind and helpfull!!!!!!!!!!!!

THANK YOU JulianH!!!

I am learning!!!!

...and, in case I would decide to set IIS to listen on port 8080, would that be O.K.?

I mean, changing the the listening port of my Server's IIS from 80 to 8080, it would not adversely affect my running web sites using IIS7???

Yes - the port can be anything - you just have to remember (if you are not using port 80) to included it in the URL.

You should set whatever server is going to be the default to port 80 and then change the port on the secondary servers to something else. The reason - because you don't want people accessing the site to have to know to append the port number to the URL.

If you don't need to run both servers then disable the one (Apache or IIS) and set the other to port 80.

O.K. julianH!

I understood what you just explained to me above, regarding the ports and the web servers...

However, to tell you the truth, I do not like using two web servers, i.e. IIS7 & Apache.

I would prefer to only use IIS7. But, if Apache is NOT on, then the http://localhost/phpmyadmin does not work....

So, I am forced to use both servers..., although I do not like it....

But, if Apache is NOT on, then the http://localhost/phpmyadmin does not work....

So, I am forced to use both servers..., although I do not like it....

Then you need to look deeper - because the only time they will intersect is when using the same port. If you disable one and assign port 80 to the other (all other configuration being good) there should be no issue.

Open a question in the zones mentioned above - you should get your answer there.

173.193.106.14

???

How is this possible (173.193.106.14) ????