Major Additions - CERBERUS: 1 vB4: runs multiple domains with custom styles, forums, universal login

***Attention: This product is currently UNSUPPORTED***

We would like to release an Alpha version of the vBulletin4 Cerberus product. This product allows you to create one vBulletin4 installation which can power unlimited number of domains and sub-domains; while allowing to customize each domain differently to make it look like different sites or sections. Domains will have one universal admincp and user login information.

***Example***
www.supercoolautoforum.com - main site, all forums
ferarri.supercoolautoforum.com - custom style and forums, same login
bmw.supercoolautoforum.com- custom style and forums, same login
honda.supercoolautoforum.com - custom style and forums, same login
supercoolmotorcycleforum.com - custom style and forums, same login

*** Why are you releasing this, I want more features?! ***

This is a very simple product; we believe that the basic functionality provided in this product will satisfy a lot of communities - and since the product is simple - it will be easy to extend it and modify it to work for your custom community requirements.

Overview of Current Features:

• One shared installation of vBulletin 4
• One shared user account on all domains
• Custom Style for each domain
• Custom Forum listing for each domain

Known Issues:

• CMS and Blogs are currently not configured to have special domain-specific categories and sections. CMS is shared across all sites although the appearance will be different for each domain.

Project Contributors: s.lauderdale;m.biddle;a.ahn; anders

[sticky]

Originally Posted by iBaker

I have gone live with this mod however it looks like I will have to remove it as there are far too many issues with it on my site. Most of my other mods don't work but I guess this mod would be ok for stock standard vb installs.

vbDynamics doesn't work (I have 10 instances of this mod)
vbLinks doesn't work
Members who have visited (https://vborg.vbsupport.ru/showthread.php?t=221579) doesn't work
Even after making the changes to the Archives I still get a warning error across the top of the Archives page
Chat room doesn't work as it is licensed to only one domain
Same as vbTubePro...only licensed to one domain
and most importantly once this mod was implemented I noticed an impact on SEO figures

Sorry, the concept is great and would be a great asset to vb if it became a vb feature that was supported so mod developers would develop their mods accordingly.

Still have a great need for this so does anyone have any suggestions on alternatives? I have 6 domains with each one having geographic specific TLDs that need to have a category of forums dedicated to each one with the remaining forums across all domains

I'm surprised you are having so many issues, I'm loving the mod.

What impact did it have on SEO for you? I've noticed a boost.

Also, all my mods work and I see no reason why VBtube wouldn't.

I understand why this isn't supported as just looking at this thread it would be a mess and suck up a ton of time to support. I'm stoked this is out and can't thank them enough for going through with it. It has errors, sure, but it works extremely well and the community has done a great job of fixing the bugs.

[el_capiton]

hi
i've read the thread and i'm using KW802 xml file and i get that issue.
also did anyone get problems with moderators that can't access moderator zone. it keeps loading the login page

[KW802]

Originally Posted by el_capiton

hi
i've read the thread and i'm using KW802 xml file and i get that issue.

I could've sworn I responded earlier today (pretty lengthy response, I must've not saved it. It's been a long week. )... anyway, if you are seeing the vB archive page at all then it means that something is wrong since the plugin that comes with this product is actually designed to redirect the archive URLs to their production counterpart. If you scroll back a page or two you'll find some additional edits that need to be done to the plugin; those changes aren't in the XML I posted way back since at the time those edits weren't known.

So cliff notes... this product will disable your archive page if you have it enabled, there are edits that need to be done to the plugin, and if you are seeing the archive page then those edits haven't been applied.

[iBaker]

The main issue I am having with this mod is the Styles. I have:
Settings -> Options -> Style & Language Settings
- Default Style = <my default style i.e. style_id_1>
- Allow Users To Change Styles = Yes

Styles and Templates -> Style Manager
- I have 7 styles with sequential IDs 1 to 7
- Each style is ticked for "Allow User Selection"
- All styles are parent styles

My navbar menu has links in it to Domain1...Domain2 thru to Domain7

When ever I go from domain to domain the style remains as Style1 i.e. my default style

To fix this I go to each domain and set the style manually in the style chooser in the footer...all domains use the right styles now

Go out of the site and log in to the admincp log out, open the site up and all domains are are back to showing the default style even though I logged in to the admincp using domain2 and opened the site using domain 2 that should be using styleid 2

This is the biggest frustrating thing about using this mod and if this can be fixed then I could look at some of the other issues.

Incidentally the only way to fix the Archive error is to just completely turn the Archive off but isn't the Archive used extensively by search engines???...If I turn it on the Archive works except it has the error warning printed across the top even after making the Archive changes a few pages back

[iBaker]

Originally Posted by el_capiton

hi
i've read the thread and i'm using KW802 xml file and i get that issue.
also did anyone get problems with moderators that can't access moderator zone. it keeps loading the login page

Not sure if this helps you but when I first switched the mod on and then later tried to login to the admincp it wouldn't login...it would just keep showing the login page.

It turns out that in my .htaccess file I had a redirect of domain.com to www.domain.com - once I removed that in the htaccess file I could log in to the admincp...just a thought that might start some investigation for you

[andrefedalto]

Originally Posted by el_capiton

hi
i've read the thread and i'm using KW802 xml file and i get that issue.
also did anyone get problems with moderators that can't access moderator zone. it keeps loading the login page

I posted the solution 2 pages behind:

Originally Posted by andrefedalto

For the ones that are having problems to login on AdminCP/ModCP, follow this:

Go to AdminCP > Plugins & Products > Plugin Manager > Edit plugin "Domains Login" from Cerberus. Replace the original code:

PHP Code:

$vb_cerberus_login = vb_cerberus_iframe("login");

$templater = vB_Template::create('STANDARD_REDIRECT');

$vbulletin->templatecache['STANDARD_REDIRECT'] = str_replace('<div class="standard_error">
', $vb_cerberus_login . '<div class="standard_error">
',
$vbulletin->templatecache['STANDARD_REDIRECT']); 


for this:

PHP Code:

if ($vbulletin->GPC['logintype'] != 'cplogin' && $vbulletin->GPC['logintype'] != 'modcplogin')
{
    $vb_cerberus_login = vb_cerberus_iframe("login");
    
    $templater = vB_Template::create('STANDARD_REDIRECT');
    
    $vbulletin->templatecache['STANDARD_REDIRECT'] = str_replace('<div class="standard_error">
    ', $vb_cerberus_login . '<div class="standard_error">
    ',
    $vbulletin->templatecache['STANDARD_REDIRECT']);
} 


This fix the problem with login to panels. Be aware that you need to clear your cookies to get this working also.

[Alfa1]

Please consider the functionality request in here:
http://tracker.vbulletin.com/browse/VBIV-11124

[sticky]

Originally Posted by Alfa1

Please consider the functionality request in here:
http://tracker.vbulletin.com/browse/VBIV-11124

That is what it does...

[iBaker]

Originally Posted by sticky

I'm surprised you are having so many issues, I'm loving the mod.

What impact did it have on SEO for you? I've noticed a boost.

Also, all my mods work and I see no reason why VBtube wouldn't.

I understand why this isn't supported as just looking at this thread it would be a mess and suck up a ton of time to support. I'm stoked this is out and can't thank them enough for going through with it. It has errors, sure, but it works extremely well and the community has done a great job of fixing the bugs.

Thanks Sticky
The SEO I have noticed is that by now having 7 different domains the traffic is being spread across all 7 thus lowering the rating on the main domain that was rated very highly. This I know is logical and naturally expected however with competing sites so close behind my site and just waiting in the wind to swamp my first place ranking I wonder whether this will have an adverse effect on the placement of my site in Google search. I can see that possibly instead of having first place in Google I may end up with 7 places (that would be good) but much further down in the Google search results (that will be bad)

[Alfa1]

Originally Posted by sticky

That is what it does...

No.
Cerberus shares forums between sites. Not blogs, social groups and CMS content. The latter is particularly important if you want to use the CMS for your home pages and want every site to have a different homepage.