Changing Web Hosts
If you are contemplating moving your website (e.g. yourdomain.com) from one hosting company to another, there are a number of steps you must take to ensure a smooth transition.
Make sure you understand exactly what services your hosting company provides you, because you will need to move and test each service independently.
Domain Registration
Your domain name itself is registered through an "RSP" (Registrar Service Provider). This might be "earthclick.net", "godaddy.com" or "register.com".
The domain registration is stored in a centralized database controlled by a company named VeriSign. Domain registration information can be viewed using a program called "whois". This information usually shows you (1) who owns the domain, (2) who the administrative and technical contacts for the domain are and (3) who the "Domain Name Servers" ("DNS") are.
The "Domain Name Servers" are important, because this information is what directs requests for Web Pages and Email services to the correct server.
When you register your domain, you may or may not know the DNS servers for your hosting company.
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Before your hosting company can host your web site and manage your email services, you must update your domain registration record with your host's DNS server information.
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Modifying your Domain Registration
If you haven't kept your RSP information (usually a login userid and password), contact the RSP. They will usually send a email with this information to the domain's owner or administrative contact.
Most RSP's also have Web-based maintenance to the Registration database, so you can modify contact and DNS information as your current situation dictates.
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If you change your email address and you do NOT change the contact email address on your domain registration, your RSP will not be able to email this information to you. It is also possible that they will not have direct access to the database to effect changes. So ... keep your ducks in a row!
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Changing Hosts
Changing hosts is more complicated than setting up a new host because there are several vendors involved.
Generally, the process is fairly simple, but must be accomplished in the following order:
- Give notice to the old hosting company
- Set up services with the new hosting company
- Change DNS on your Domain Registration
- Wait three days
- Have your old hosting company disconnect all services
- Test
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