How to Move your Website to New Host - A Complete Guide

Are you also confused and trying to figure out how to transfer website from one hosting to another effectively? Without having any break or downtime and at an affordable cost. Then you are at the right place, as in this write-up; we will focus on how one can virtually migrate their website to a new host. 


Many still think migrating a whole website to a New Host is a very big task. No, not at all actually it's not as tiring as moving to a new house. It is a very easy process if you take the right steps. Let's discuss the steps one by one.

Steps to move your website to a New Host 

1. Add your Domain Name to New Host 

Before moving your entire website to a new host the first and mandatory step you have to take is to sign up for your new host and add your site to it. You might have already signed up for your host if you have a website. In Case you have multiple sites, you have to create an addon domain. Now, if you do not know about an addon domain in Cpanel, it's basically an additional domain name.

2. Transfer your entire files using FTP   

The next step is basically you need to move all your site files to your new host. This process takes some time if your site is large. One of the easiest ways to move your site files is via FTP. To connect it, you need an FTP program along with that, and you also need its credentials for example (Hosts, Username, Password, and port) 

From both your old host and a new host. 

Once you have all the information, open two windows for your FTP Program

Window 1: Connect your existing host using your FTP credentials 

Window 2:  Connect to your new host using your FTP credentials.

Both Windows, browse to your site's main folder: 

Windows 1: You will see all of your site files 

Windows 2: This should be mostly empty, Though you might able to see a few files from the host. 


Now select all the files in Windows 1 and download them to your local computer: 


Once you download it, upload all the files using windows 2 (new host). You can just drag and drop all of the files from the computer in the FileZilla interface. 


3.  Export your database from your existing host 


There are basically two parts to websites: 


  1. Your site files which you migrated in the previous step 

  2. Your site database usually contains all of your site content and settings.


If you have a static HTML Website, you don't need to move your database because your site doesn't have a database. Most cms rely on this database to store content i.e, Wordpress, Joomla, Drupal, Magneto, etc. 


To move your database, you need to export your database from your previous existing host. Then you have to import to the new host in the next step. 


To export your database, you can use php My Admin, a database admin tool most hosts mainly offer. 


If your current host uses cPanel, you should use the PHPMyAdmin tool in the database section. Once the php is open now, select the database for the site that you want to move to the left. 


For that: 


  • Go to the export tab 

  • Select Quick for the export method 

  • Now choose SQL for formatting 

  • Now click GO and export your database 

4. Import your site database to your new host 

Once you have exported your site's database from your old host, you must reverse the process and import it to your new database. 


Before doing that, you must create an empty database on your new host. If your host uses cPanel, you can open the MySQL Database Wizard tool under the databases section in cPanel. 

While going through the wizard, you need to enter the following: 


  1. Database name 


  1. Database Username 


  1. Password for your database username 


Once you create your database username, you’ll be guided to the next screen: 


Now, if you have created one, select the new database and the. n 


  1. Go to the import tab. 

  2. Then use the file to import section and select the .sql.zip file that you exported in the before step. 

  3. Now press Go and import your database. 

5. Update your necessary configuration details 


If you have used a different database name, username, and password, you have to update is first in your new site configuration details in your sites. Again it's hard to give specific instructions here because this step will depend on your CMS and how it's configured 

6. Test your site  

At this point now, your site might be working on your new host. Now you just want to test it to make sure that it is working properly or not. 


There are two ways to do it: 


Way 1: Use a temporary URL: 


Most websites do provide a temporary URL before switching domain names. 


For Example 


https://[cpanel_ip_address]/[cpanel_username]/[domain.c om]


http://171.654.321.000/~code12/microcode.wp/


Still, if you are facing confusion, it is always a good idea to first ask your host provider or support for help. 


Option: 2 Edit your computer host files: 


Another way to test your site is to edit your computer's host file to the new server. This will lead you to manually override your computer and tell you to use the new server when entering your site domain name. 

  • First, you have to edit your host's file: 

  • After editing your host file, You should thoroughly check the new version of your site that your new site is working properly or not. 

7. Move your Email address (Optional) : 

If you are using email hosting from your old host, you have to create a custom email address and have to set up the email address. And the same way, you have to also set this email address to the new host before you switch. 


Or else you won't be able to receive emails once you update your domain name. If you’re using email hosting from your host, you can do it by recreating the custom email address to your new host via cPanel. 

8. Update your domain name and point it to the new host: 

Once you’ve verified that your website is working properly on the new host, there is only the last and final step which is to move the website to a new host. 


Once you move it to your new host now, the visitors will be taken to the new version of your site with no downtime. For this process, you just need to change your domain name server.  


So to change the domain name server in the new web host, you have to search for the name server option. You can basically find it in your hosting dashboard or welcome Email from the new hosting provider, or else you can also concern your new hosting provider. 

9 Test and have a look at everything again: 

You have to wait 24 hours for the process to get completed, but normally, it’ll take only half an hour or an hour. Now you can access your site's version at your new host. Just test everything thoroughly, like checking and browsing around on different pages and testing your forms; please also confirm whether your email is receiving properly or not. 


If everything is working properly, you are done with it you have successfully moved your website to your new host. 

Source - https://harrychristian.livejournal.com/18689.html 

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