Retaining my URL

December 21, 2007 1:48 PM

I subscribe to an internet hosting service for my website. When I signed up I was provided with a URL that contains the name of my organization. Now I want to move to a less expensive hosting service. Can I retain my current URL?
posted by retiree to computers & internet (7 comments total)

Do you mean something like mycompany.typepad.com or mycompany.hostingcompany.com ?
posted by ceri richard at 1:52 PM on December 21, 2007

If the address is a top-level domain you should be able to transfer it to an independent domain registrar (e.g. namecheap.com, godaddy.com) or your new host. You will need to notify your old host of the transfer so they can unlock the domain and give you an EPP code that you'll give to the new registrar (you can probably do this through your site's control panel).
posted by hjo3 at 2:43 PM on December 21, 2007

If the address is a top-level domain you should be able to transfer it to an independent domain registrar

If you have a top level domain then you're l33t indeed. I think you meant second level domain.
posted by dereisbaer at 2:59 PM on December 21, 2007

Did they merely provide you with a domain to use or is the domain actually registered in your name? For example, my site is currently under Microsoft's Office Live program. They registered the domain, but it is in my name. I can cancel my service with Microsoft and the domain is still registered to me to take to any host I wish. After canceling the service, as long as I renew the registration, the domain is mine to keep.

So if you are in a similar situation, then what hjo3 applies. Just find out how to get that code and you should be set.

If the domain is not registered in your name, then you'd need to figure out exactly how to get that done, or risk losing it.
posted by cmgonzalez at 3:39 PM on December 21, 2007

To summarize... If your URL looks like:

http://www.host.com/my-organization/ -- you can't keep the URL unless you keep paying this host.

http://my-organization.host.com/ --ditto.

http://www.my-organization.com/ -- you can probably keep the URL but you need to figure out if you're the owner of the domain name.
posted by mmoncur at 4:32 AM on December 22, 2007

Thanks for all the responses. My URL has the form: http://www.my-organization.com/ It appears (based on WHOIS output) that my URL is registered to my organization.
posted by retiree at 5:22 AM on December 22, 2007

Since you own your own top-level domain, it should be trivial to move to a new host. Every major host offers DNS with their hosting plans and can assist you with domain transfers. All you need to do is change the DNS servers to your new host.

You will of course, potentially lose email as you transition from one place to another, but just be sure to download all mail off your current server before the move, and set up any addresses/aliases on the new server to match (and change your mail client settings to look at the new host when you switch).
posted by mathowie at 9:50 AM on December 22, 2007