You don’t need to install WordPress on your computer to work with the live site.
If you want to add plugins to the live site, you either need to add them via Plugins -> Add New in the site’s Dashboard, or install them via SFTP connected to the hosting provider.
https://codex.wordpress.org/Managing_Plugins#Installing_Plugins
I was able to get the plugin files into my directory, but the Add New button does not show up under the “Plugins” tab. Did some Googling and it looks like the fix is to force update the database. Would this fix the issue, and if so, would I need to back up the database?
I looked at this page, http://codex.wordpress.org/Plugins_Add_New_Screen and the image on it. There aren’t any tabs under Plugins. I’ve checked that I’m signed in as an administrator, and I can see all the plugins that are already installed.
Does this help?
Is this a Multisite installation?
I’m unsure. I am not a computer person, but I have to create this website for my job. Could you just explain to me in baby steps how to put a plug in from the internet onto my website? I have done all of the installation steps, but it’s like the wordpress download is not connecting with my website. Like, when they say to go to my dashboard, and hover over plugins, there SHOULD be a “Add new” button, but there is not. So the only choice I have to use the default plug ins they give me, but I don’t want to use those. Specifically, I am trying to download the social plug in.
I am just not a computer person so I do not know what a SFTP is, or any other computer lingo.
Can you help?
“The WordPress Download” isn’t supposed to connect to your website, it’s just another copy of the same software running your website. 🙂
You use WordPress through your web browser and can optionally manage files through an SFTP or FTP client, there is no other software to install.
I recommend reviewing https://codex.wordpress.org/First_Steps_With_WordPress before continuing, just to build a good foundation on what to expect.
As for the problem site itself, is it http://blogs.miamioh.edu/steven15/ ? If so, can you access https://blogs.miamioh.edu/steven15/wp-admin/plugin-install.php directly? If not, would you please quote any errors you see?
It says I do not have permission to upload plugins on that site. However, on the dashboard, I am an administer for the website. So how do I get the access to upload plug ins?
And I have read the “first steps with wordpress” before. I am still lost.
Ok, so that means that they might be using a user role modifier plugin, to perhaps give you administrator rights, but not the power to install anything.
Are there any other administrators on the site that you could reach out to?
Just my boss. And she doesn’t have any answers. I have been to IT help on my campus and no one there knows what is wrong either.
Can you please ask your boss to log in and go to https://blogs.miamioh.edu/steven15/wp-admin/plugin-install.php ? Does your boss have access?
Are any other Administrators or roles with a different title listed at https://blogs.miamioh.edu/steven15/wp-admin/users.php ?
I have logged in as her, and it will not allow that log in to do any administrative actions either. And no, her and I are the only ones that are administrators.
Ok, time for some technical stuff then. First, get in touch with whomever setup the site and confirm that this is not a Multisite installation. This is *very* important.
If it is not a Multisite installation, access your database via phpMyAdmin (most hosting providers offer this in their control panel), go to the wp_users table and find the row for your user_login . Note the ID of this row. Now, go to the wp_usermeta table and find the wp_capabilities row for your user_id . Set the value of this row to a:1:{s:13:"administrator";b:1;}
What does multisite mean?
It means that it’s a single installation of WordPress on the server which actually runs multiple sites: https://codex.wordpress.org/Create_A_Network
It’s beginning to sound that is the cause, and a Super Admin user who you cannot see has adjusted how the roles work. In which case, adjusting the database as I mentioned above would be disastrous, hence why it’s important to know.
Ok, so what should I do to gain this administrative role?
You would need to contact the person who setup the site to promote your user account.
