If you run a internet site — whether it ’s a small , personal situation dedicate to a by-line or pastime , or a larger web site that you utilize to promote your work or trade a product — there may fall a time when you want to move it . Your site may have outgrown your current hosting plan , you may be disappointed in the service or support of your hosting provider , or you may just want to change because you ’ve found a better monetary value .
My internet site , Kirkville , recently started outgrowing its hosting programme . With dealings achieve around 250,000 page horizon a month , I hit the demarcation of what my supplier could abide with standard , partake in hosting . All it would take was one clause that get a lot of grip , and the site could be overload . In addition , my previous host had a server problem back in February , which kept my internet site offline for about 36 hours , and I was infelicitous with their support . So , I decided it was time to move .
Two yr ago , I impress from France to the United Kingdom . I had to find a new place to live on , do having my possession move , and deal with administrative stuff , like taxes and utilities . In some ways , moving a internet site is standardised . There are many things you take to do — there ’s much more involved than simply moving files — to check that that everything run short smoothly .
The way you move your site will depend on how you bring off three things : Your domain name , your email , and the site itself . Here ’s how I move my own website , and a couple of substitute setups you could strain that are slimly different from mine .
Finding a new host
The first matter you need to do is find a new hosting company . Web host are as omnipresent as hot dog go-cart in low Manhattan , so it ’s hard to opt . There are big companies , which show up in all the Google searches — you’ve for sure seen names like GoDaddy , Hostgator , and Dreamhost , . And there are stacks , hundreds , even thousands of pocket-sized companies , which swan from very tacky to fairly expensive . If you run a WordPress blog — as I do — you could also check out companies that offer more specialised WordPress hosting .
With connection hosting , you often get what you pay for , but many more expensive hosts can have poor support .
I went with NameCheap , but there are plenty of host providers and packages to take from .
look on your website , you may hit limits that hosts apply . Some hosts will give you a maximum amount of computer memory — so if you go a exposure or picture website , be certain to pay attending to these limits , since you ’ll likely demand a lot of space . Others limit your bandwidth , or a monthly numeral of sessions . Others , including NameCheap , have resourcefulness usage limits . These are hard to look , but you ’ll know when you reach them .
You may also involve to move to a bigger hosting software , such as a VPS ( virtual secret server ) or a dedicated waiter , where you manage a set of the web site ’s back - remainder nitty - gritty item .
If you ’re especially disquieted about a Modern host , most companies offer a money - back guarantee ( usually 30 Day ) . While you would n’t want to move your website and then have to move it again , it ’s good to know that you may if it ’s not a proficient fit .
If you run a simple WordPress land site , one selection is to host direct from WordPress , where you could even keep your own knowledge base name ( for a small annual fee ) . You ’ll be exempt from all the vexation of maintain WordPress , but there are limit to which spark plug - ins you’re able to utilize , and you ca n’t sell advertising on your site ( and WordPress may exhibit ads on your website ) .
Moving your domain name
If your domain name is registered with your hosting ship’s company , you ’ll need to move it — but do n’t interest , your master of ceremonies will have instructions for this . If you ’ve register it with a different fellowship , all you ’ll need to do is change the name servers when your young site is up and go .
While it may cost a bit more , having your domain manage by a ship’s company different from your host has a lot of advantages , especially if you have multiple domains . I useHoverfor my domains , which intend I do n’t have to occupy about hosting companies that make it difficult to move knowledge domain . verify youcanmove the domain , and find out how long it will take , before you set about moving your website . It may take several days to do this , and you do n’t want to move your land site , and get it set up , only to have to await to be able to move your orbit name . Once you ’ve got the necessary authorization computer code to move the domain , you’re able to go on to the next footprint .
Moving files to the new host
Once you ’ve set up your newfangled hosting declaration and you ’ve gotten your login information , start by moving your file . You should be prepared to not make any ( or many ) changes to your website for several day .
Move everything from your current host to the unexampled host . This is a simple FTP transfer : apply your preferred FTP guest and open two windows — one for the old host , and one for the new one . Copy everything . And be patient — if you have a lot of Indian file , or many orotund files , this can take a longsighted time .
It ’s promiscuous to export your database in phpMyAdmin .
For any site that uses a MySQL database , you ’ll need to export the database so you’re able to spell it to the newfangled site . WordPress.org hasa salutary tutorial explaining how to do this . It also tells you how to make a patronage of your database , which is something you should do to check that you do n’t lose anything .
Setting up your website
There ’s a peck of niggle setup oeuvre to get the unexampled site up and running . Again , using WordPress as an deterrent example , you ’ll need to create a new MySQL database on the new host , and import your exist database . You then redact the wp-config.php Indian file with the name , word and hostname for the new database server .
You do n’t need to commute much in WordPress for your newfangled site : just four lines in the wp - config file .
For other platforms , there are similar step to express out . You new host will have support documents that will help you do all this , and your political program will also have help files . ( WordPress hasanother large tutorial for this . )
Moving email
If your hosting company manage your domain name , there ’s a good chance that your email go on their servers . That , too , needs to be displace . Just as you ’ll have two websites running for a short prison term , a good way to make trusted you do n’t lose any email is to have two accounts operate concurrently . If your e-mail is host elsewhere , all you ’ll need to do is modify some DNS configurations when the new site is up ( or not , depending on how the electronic mail provider address DNS ) . Your email server will have information about this .
First , back up all your email .
Create your newfangled electronic mail account in Mail ’s chronicle preferences .
Next , find the email options for you young host . Set up a novel account with those configurations . ( This Apple keep documentexplains all the email options and what they think of . ) Until you move your DNS ( more on that in a bit ) , you wo n’t be able to connect to this account , and even after you switch the DNS it wo n’t link up aright away . But you ’ll need to check your sure-enough account and your young business relationship until you’re able to no longer connect to the old one . Even after that , you may still have email , and you ’ll then ask to find the numerical IP address that allows you to link to that account and go into it in your electronic mail guest ’s setting . It may be enough to check your old host ’s webmail to find any message you did n’t get at the new report , but if you do n’t get a hatful of email , this might be sufficient .
Once you ’re certain that your young e-mail account is the one catch messages — to check , send yourself trial emails , and have some of your friends , ideally in other countries , do the same — you may delete the old invoice , making sure to copy any emails you need to keep from that account to the young one .
Switching your DNS
Now comes the dodgy part . One your new land site is up and running — your boniface will give you a agency to access it , usually using a numerical IP address — and you ’ve made sure that all your content displays correctly , it ’s sentence to flip the switch .
When you move your sphere name , you require to get in newfangled nameservers , so every gimmick using the internet can find your website .
DNS ( domain name system ) immortalize the links between a domain of a function name ( such as , for my site , mcelhearn.com ) and its mathematical IP address . When you switch the name server for your demesne , you say one server that the sphere has moved . This server tells others , which tell others , each one sending updates at a sure frequence . Some name servers update often — say , every hour or so — and others only once a day . As the change propagates throughout the world , some exploiter will see your new site , but others will continue to see the old website . It can take between 24 to 48 hour for these alteration to get to all the name servers around the reality .
The practiced affair to do is not make any changes to your site during this period . If you do make changes , you ’ll necessitate to reduplicate them on each site . you may apply a site likewhatsmydns.netto check the multiplication of your DNS change . When all of the severs show your novel IP address , you’re able to let out a suspiration of relief , and come out refresh your internet site on the new server .
What’s next?
After everything is set up , it ’s fourth dimension to cancel your erstwhile host contract , and delete all your files and email write up .
If all goes well , your site should look exactly the way it did before , and you should be able to stake as you did before , and get and receive email . by nature , there are plenty of thing thatcango ill-timed , and your newfangled hosting company should be able to facilitate you if anything unplanned do up . In fact , that would give you the perfect chance to essay how responsive their supporting is .
