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How to Transfer Your Site to another Web Host

Sometimes, when you find the service of your current web host not enough to ensure what you need, you will think of transferring to another web host company. However, what keeps draw back is the thought that you will loose all the files and information from your website. Well, there are so many safety ways to transfer a web site to another web host. Try to follow the steps below to ensure smooth, easy and safety transfer of website to another web host:

Step 1

You must set a schedule for a transfer. It is better to set it one month before your subscription for your current web host expires. This will give you enough time to do the transfer smoothly. If you transfer your files just at the time of expiration, you will encounter some problems with accessibility.

Step 2

Register for the new web host you prefer. Pay everything that needs to be paid. Get acquainted with their services as well as the functions and scripts.

Step 3

Backup your files. This is the most important thing to do if you don’t want to lose your files. Backing up at your server and downloading the files to your own computer is needed to ensure safety. You may also want to backup your databases, the scripts or even the logs to maintain integrity.

Step 4

Upload the necessary files into your new web host using FTP. Usually, FTP works in any web hosts even if the domain name is not yet pointing to the server. You can install the databases and the scripts needed for your website and setup the email accounts and the auto responders if you want to use them.

Step 5

If you are sure that everything has been done on your new web host, then you will need to point your domain to your new host. You simply have to log into your registrar where you have registered your domain then change the name servers replacing the old ones with the new ones. The name servers should look like this:

NS1.NEWWEBHOST.COM

NS2.NEWWEBHOST.COM

In cases like the web host uses IP address, it should look like this:

NS1: 92.190.205.90

NS2: 92.190.194.110

Usually, it will take 24 to 48 hours to have the DNS records propagate in all WHOIS servers. By this time, you just have to wait until your domain will point to your new web host.

Step 6

When your website is up, try to perform a final testing of all pages, links, databases and scripts. Try to see if everything works fine.

Things to Consider When Looking to a Web Host for Your Website

You can never run a website if you don’t have a web host. Thus, looking for the best and reliable web hosting is a necessity you can never neglect. Choose the companies which are acclaimed by so many webmasters to ensure that your website can really perform well; the performance of your site also depends on your web host because it is where your files and information used in your site is saved. Below are the things to consider when choosing a web host for your website, try to understand each one of them.

The Web Space

This is the first priority you should be checking before you purchase a package. To be able to determine how much space you need, you must try to review your site. If you will have to use more media files like video, photos and the like, you will need to have larger space.

The Bandwidth

This is also important as it the amount of data which can be transferred from your site to the net. Looking into your website will also help you determine the bandwidth you will need. If you have an intensive-media website which offer free download, you must have a higher bandwidth.

The Features

It includes the languages and scripts which are available on your control panel. The normal web hosts feature PHP, FTP, SSI, CGI, Perl, ASP, Telnet, etc… Check if your web host offers those features. You must also check if you have the email services aside from email forwarding.

The Uptime

You must always choose the web host which has a 99% uptime guarantee which means that they are always up 24/7. Remember that when your web host is down, your website will also be down since the information cannot be accessed by the browsers all over the world. Also, try to consider a web host which has a technical support should you need help in some of the features and functions.

Ease of Use

You always have the right to choose a web host which you find easier to use and navigate. Nowadays, most of the web hosts offer automatic script installation which will install the most common scripts like WordPress, Joomla, Drupal, etc… You web host must have a good interface so that you will not spend much time looking for the functions.

Just by taking those things into consideration before you purchase a web hosting plan you can ensure you will have the best web host for your websites. Be meticulous as you have to pay good money for them. You must also get the best and nothing less.