Moving My Site

March 3, 2006 6:09 PM

Website hosting and transfer. I know Point A, and I know Point Z, but I'm a little hazy on Points B through Y...

One of my websites is hosted with a fairly crappy hosting company ("Old Host"). I'm tired of some of the shit that's taking place with my account, and I want to move to a new hosting company ("New Host"). I don't care about moving all of the web files that Old Host has; I have duplicates in backup and can easily recreate my site. I don't care about getting any money back, either. I'm just looking to be done with them and get moved.

The site is registered in my name, and I've got the URL for another 10 years or so.

Do I just go to New Host, tell them I want them to start hosting my site, and they take care of the rest? Do I have to do anything with Old Host to get this taken care of? I'd love to avoid dealing with Old Host if at all possible.

Suggestions? Help? I know it's not a deep, complicated question, but I just don't have a freakin' clue where to start.

posted by NotMyselfRightNow to computers & internet (5 comments total)

You need to talk to "New Host". As long as the domain is in your name, they should be able to get DNS service and a website for you, then you can cancel "Old Host" at leisure.

If "New Host" is a bargain basement service, expect to have to handle more of this yourself.
posted by I Love Tacos at 6:19 PM on March 3, 2006

the basic procedure though:
Get DNS and Web service at New Host.
Put website on New Host
Get domain registrar to point DNS service at New Host
Wait a while for that to propogate
Make sure you're happy with New Host
Cancel Old Host
posted by I Love Tacos at 6:22 PM on March 3, 2006

Depending on how it's set up, you may have to get "old host" to update their DNS records for you if your DNS is hosted with "old host" too.
posted by fvox13 at 6:36 PM on March 3, 2006

I've done this so many times...

Sign up for hosting with the new company, make sure to specify you'll be using an already-existing domain name. Once the service is set up, transfer your website over, and use their control panel to set up any and all FTP and mail accounts you'll need.

On the old host, you may want to set your email to forward to a different account, so nothing is lost in the transition.

Once everything's configured on the new host, go to your domain registrar's website, and change your domain name's DNS settings to point at the new host's DNS servers.

Wait about 3 days.

Cancel your old hosting service.

The exception to this would be if "Old Host" is your domain registrar. You'll likely want/need to transfer it away from them. I personally use Dotster.
posted by CrayDrygu at 7:24 PM on March 3, 2006 [1 favorite]

Thanks folks. I'm in a good position, I think--the site is registered through Network Solutions, and the hosting is done by someone else. I think I just stumbled upon my weekend project here...
posted by NotMyselfRightNow at 8:02 PM on March 3, 2006