What You’ll Accomplish
After following this guide, you will be able to:- Connect single or multiple WordPress sites to your Dashboard
- Import sites in bulk using CSV files
- Synchronize site data between Dashboard and child sites
- Edit site settings and manage tags
- Run security scans and fix detected issues
- Configure uptime and site health monitoring
Prerequisites
- MainWP Dashboard plugin installed and activated on your Dashboard site
- MainWP Child plugin installed and activated on each site you want to connect
- Administrator access to both Dashboard and child sites
- Valid SSL certificates recommended for secure connections
Video Tutorials
Connect Sites to Your Dashboard
Connect a Single Site
After installing the MainWP Child plugin on your website, add it to your Dashboard.1
Open Add New Site
Log in to your Dashboard site and go to MainWP > Sites > Add New.
2
Enter site details
In the Add a Single Site section:
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| URL | Your website URL |
| Verify Child plugin | Toggle on to reveal additional fields |
| Administrator Username | Admin username on the child site |
3
Configure authentication
| Option | Description | Default |
|---|---|---|
| Administrator Password | Uses admin password for initial authentication. See connection security | Enabled |
| Unique Security ID | Optional additional security layer. Configure in MainWP Child settings | Disabled |
your-child-site.com/wp-admin/options-general.php?page=mainwp_child_tab
4
Configure optional settings
| Option | Description |
|---|---|
| Site icon | Upload custom icon (site favicon used if empty) |
| Select icon | Choose from built-in icons (uploaded icon takes priority) |
| Tags | Add to existing tags or create new ones |
| Client | Associate with a client |
| Verify SSL certificate | Enable for sites with valid SSL. Disable for self-signed or outdated certificates |
| SSL version | Leave default if no SSL certificate |
| HTTP username/password | Required if site uses HTTP Basic Authentication |
5
Add the site
Click Add New Site.
Extensions Settings Synchronization
When using MainWP Add-ons that require third-party plugins:| Extension Type | What Happens |
|---|---|
| Requires third-party plugin | Option to install plugin and sync default settings |
| Standalone extension | Option to sync extension default settings only |
If you experience connection issues, use Test Connection to verify Dashboard-to-site communication. Check Potential Issues for solutions or submit a support ticket.
Connect Multiple Sites
Add several sites simultaneously using the Multiple Sites table. Prerequisite: Install and activate MainWP Child plugin on each site before connecting.1
Open Multiple Sites tab
Navigate to MainWP > Sites > Add New > Multiple Sites.
2
Enter required fields
| Field | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Site URL | Yes | Full URL of each site |
| Admin Username | Yes | Administrator username for each site |
| Admin Password | If enabled | Admin password (leave blank if disabled in Child settings) |
3
Configure optional fields
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Site Title | Auto-filled from URL, customize for dashboard display |
| Tag | Assign tag for organization |
| Unique Security ID | Enter if configured on the site |
| HTTP Username/Password | For sites with HTTP Basic Authentication |
| Verify SSL | 1 = enabled, 0 = disabled |
| SSL Version | Auto for most configurations |
4
Add rows and connect
Click Add New Row for additional sites. When ready, click Add Sites.
Import Sites (CSV Import)
Import multiple sites using a CSV file.
1
Prepare sites
Install and activate MainWP Child Plugin on all sites you want to import.
2
Download sample CSV
Go to MainWP > Sites > Import Sites and download the Sample CSV file.
3
Edit the CSV
Open in a text editor and replace demo values (lines 9-13) with your site details.
4
Format entries
Use comma-separated values in this order:
| Position | Field | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Site Name | Display name |
| 2 | Site URL | Full URL |
| 3 | Administrator Username | Required |
| 4 | Admin Password | If enabled |
| 5 | Tag name | Optional |
| 6 | Unique Security ID | If enabled |
| 7 | HTTP Username | If using Basic Auth |
| 8 | HTTP Password | If using Basic Auth |
| 9 | Verify Certificate | T = true, F = false |
| 10 | SSL Version | auto, 1.x, 1, 2, 1.1, 1.2, 1.3 |
5
Upload and import
Save the CSV, upload it to your Dashboard, check CSV file contains a header if applicable, and click Import Sites.
Export Sites
1
Open Tools
Go to MainWP > Settings > Tools.
2
Export
Click Export Child Sites.
Synchronize a Child Site
Regular synchronization keeps your Dashboard current with child site data.Global Synchronization
Click the Sync Dashboard with Child Sites button in the header.
Individual Site Synchronization
1
Open Manage Sites
Go to MainWP > Sites > Manage Sites.
2
Sync the site
Locate the site, open the actions menu, and click Sync Data.
MainWP automatically syncs sites once daily via WP Cron. For reliable cron execution, consider using Uptime Robot to ping your Dashboard regularly.
Edit Child Site Settings
Access per-site settings to update site name, administrator username, tags, and other options.1
Navigate to settings
Go to MainWP > Sites > Manage Sites, locate the site, and click Settings in the actions menu.
General Settings
| Setting | Description |
|---|---|
| Site URL | Change between HTTP and HTTPS if SSL certificate changes |
| Administrator Username | Update the connected user |
| Site Title | Update friendly name |
| Unique Security ID | Update if changed on the site |
| Tags | Add or remove tags |
| Auto Update Core | Enable automatic WordPress core updates |
| Ignore Core Update | Ignore WordPress core updates for this site |
| Ignore all Plugin Updates | Mark all plugin updates as ignored |
| Ignore all Theme Updates | Mark all theme updates as ignored |
Advanced Options
| Setting | Description |
|---|---|
| SSL verification | Adjust if experiencing certificate issues |
| SSL Version | Leave Auto Detect unless specific version needed |
| HTTP username/password | Configure if site uses HTTP Basic Authentication |
Access Child Site WP Admin
MainWP provides one-click access to child site admin areas.1
Navigate to Manage Sites
Go to MainWP > Sites > Manage Sites.
2
Access admin
Locate the site and click the Login icon.
Security Issues
MainWP scans child sites for known security issues and provides tools to fix them.Detected Security Issues
| Issue | Description | Fix Action |
|---|---|---|
| Directory listing | Checks if wp-content directories are listable | Adds empty index.php files |
| WordPress version | Checks if WP version is detectable | Removes generator meta tag |
| RSD meta tag | Checks for Really Simple Discovery tag | Removes RSD meta tag |
| WLW meta tag | Checks for Windows Live Writer tag | Removes WLW meta tag |
| Database errors | Checks if DB error reporting is enabled | Disables DB error reporting |
| PHP errors | Checks if PHP error reporting is enabled | Disables PHP error reporting |
| readme.html | Checks if readme.html exists in root | Deletes the file (cannot be unfixed) |
| “admin” user | Checks for admin username | Manual fix required |
If security issues are fixed by another plugin, MainWP detects them as fixed but cannot use the Unfix function.
Security Scan
1
Navigate to Manage Sites
Go to MainWP > Sites > Manage Sites.
2
Run scan
Locate the site, open the actions menu, and click Security Scan.
3
Fix issues
Click Fix All to fix all issues, or use individual Fix or Unfix actions per row.
Reconnect a Child Site
Single Site Reconnection
1
Navigate to Manage Sites
Go to MainWP > Sites > Manage Sites.
2
Reconnect
Locate the disconnected site and click Reconnect in the actions menu.
Bulk Reconnection
1
Select sites
Go to MainWP > Sites > Manage Sites and check disconnected sites.
2
Reconnect
Select Reconnect from Bulk Actions and click Apply.
Delete a Child Site
Delete Single Site
1
Navigate to Manage Sites
Go to MainWP > Sites > Manage Sites.
2
Remove site
Locate the site and click Remove Site in the actions menu.
Delete Multiple Sites
1
Select sites
Go to MainWP > Sites > Manage Sites and check sites to delete.
2
Remove sites
Select Remove from Bulk Actions and click Apply.
When deleting a properly connected site, MainWP automatically deactivates the Child plugin. For disconnected sites, manually deactivate the Child plugin on the site.
Manage Child Site Notes
Create a Note
1
Open notes
Go to MainWP > Sites > Manage Sites and click the Note icon for the site.
2
Add note
Click Edit, add content, and click Save note.
View Notes
View notes through the Notes column or the Notes widget on the Individual Child Site Dashboard.Manage Child Site Tags
Tags (formerly Groups) help organize sites for easier selection and management. Multiple tags can be applied to any site.
Create a Tag
1
Open Tags page
Go to MainWP > Sites > Tags and click New Tag.
2
Name the tag
Enter a tag name and click Create Tag.
3
Assign sites
Click the tag name, select sites, and click Save Selection.
Edit a Tag
Go to MainWP > Sites > Tags, click the tag name, add or remove sites, and click Save Selection.Delete a Tag
Go to MainWP > Sites > Tags and click the Trash icon next to the tag name.
Uptime Monitoring
Monitor the online status of connected child sites with customizable intervals, methods, and notifications.Global Settings
| Setting | Description |
|---|---|
| Enable Uptime Monitoring | Toggle monitoring for all sites |
| Monitor Type | HTTP(s)/Website, Ping, or Keyword monitoring |
| HTTP Method | GET, POST, PUT, PATCH, or DELETE |
| Monitor Interval | 5 minutes to once daily |
| Request Timeout | Maximum seconds before timeout |
| Down Confirmation Check | Confirm downtime before alerting |
| Up HTTP Status Codes | Status codes considered “Up” (default: all 2XX) |
Configure Maximum simultaneous uptime monitoring requests in Advanced Settings. For server-side cron jobs, see Disable WP Cron.
Notification Settings
| Setting | Description |
|---|---|
| Enable | Toggle email notifications |
| Recipient(s) | Email addresses for notifications |
| Subject/Heading | Customize email subject and heading |
| HTML Template | Customize by copying template to wp-content/uploads/mainwp/templates/emails/ |
Per-Site Settings
| Option | Description |
|---|---|
| Override Global Settings | Customize options for this site |
| Sub-Page Monitoring | Monitor additional pages by clicking Add Sub-Page Monitor |
| Per-Site Email Settings | Customize notifications at Child Site Dashboard > Email settings |
Site Health Monitoring
WordPress Site Health checks security and performance. MainWP monitors child site health status and alerts you when sites need attention.1
Enable monitoring
Go to MainWP > Settings and enable Site Health Monitoring.
2
Set threshold
Choose the health threshold for notifications.
3
Save settings
Click Save Settings.
Individual Site Settings
Configure per-site settings on the site Edit page:- Custom check intervals
- Site Health threshold
- Disable monitoring
- Additional email recipients (comma-separated)
Manual Checks
Go to MainWP > Sites > Monitoring and use Check Now from the Actions menu for single sites or Bulk Actions for multiple sites.Common Problems and Fixes
| Problem | Likely Cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Site won’t connect | MainWP Child plugin not activated | Verify the Child plugin is installed and activated on the site |
| Connection fails with SSL error | Invalid or self-signed SSL certificate | Disable Verify SSL certificate in the site’s connection settings |
| Site shows as disconnected | Changed admin credentials or site URL | Use Reconnect from the actions menu and update credentials |
| Sync fails for a site | Firewall or security plugin blocking requests | Whitelist your Dashboard IP in the site’s firewall settings |
| Security scan shows issues already fixed | Another plugin fixed the issue | MainWP detects the fix; no action needed |
| CSV import fails | Wrong file format or missing required fields | Ensure file is CSV format with all required columns filled |
Self-Check Checklist
After working through this guide, confirm:- Sites appear in the Manage Sites table with green status indicators
- Sync completes without errors
- You can access child site WP Admin via the Login icon
- Tags are assigned and sites can be filtered by tag
- Security scan runs and shows results
- Uptime monitoring is configured (if needed)
- Site Health monitoring is enabled (if needed)
Related Resources
- Manage Sites Page Tutorial - Detailed walkthrough of the Manage Sites interface
- MainWP Dashboard Settings - Configure global dashboard settings
- Potential Issues - Troubleshoot common connection problems
- Connection Security - Learn about MainWP’s security model