Web Hosting

"How to Switch Web Host Without Any Downtime?"

The Easy Ways

Many thought it's troublesome when it comes to switching web host and might incur downtime, but few ever realize the simplicity of that - as simple as 1-2-3.

No kidding. I'm gonna show you how exactly switching web host can be that easy, and most importantly migrating to the new host without a single downtime.

• Step 1: Download FTP Client Software

  Uploading all your files into your new hosting server via your hosting account is slow and troublesome. Time consuming as well.

  The more preferred way is to upload all your files with ease via an FTP client software.

  You can get such a free FTP software at http://smartftp.com/download/.

  Save it on your hard drive and then install. After installation, launch your FTP client.

• Step 2: Set Up FTP

  As you can see from the figure below, go to [File] and select [New Remote Browser] from the dropdown menu.

  In the [Host] field (see the [New Remote Browser] panel below), you'll either key in your domain name (eg. YourDomain.com) that points to the new web host or the IP address of the new web hosting server that'll be hosting your website.

  Since your domain name server (DNS) is still pointing to your existing web host, you can't simply enter YourDomain.com into the [Host] field to access your new hosting server. If you do that you'll still be calling up your existing web host instead of the new web host.

  So, in this case you need to enter the exact IP address of your new web hosting server (shown in the figure as 11.22.33.55).

  Usually, this information should have already sent to you via email the moment you sign up with the new web host. If you've not had that sent to you, contact them and ask for it.

  Leave the [Protocol] as Normal FTP and the [Port] as 21, then enter the username and password you use to log into your new web hosting account. Finally, click the [OK] button to connect to your new hosting server.

  Next, go to [File] and select [New Local Browser] from the dropdown menu.

  Then go select the folder where you keep all the files that are to be uploaded to the new remote server.

  So now you've completed setting up the FTP between your remote server and local hard drive, let's move on to the next step to see how easy it is to transfer your files between them.

  Tip: The next time when you launch the FTP client, your last accessed remote server's info will appear right upfront (as seen below).

  
  

  If you want to connect to it, all you need to do is simply click that green (with white arrow) button.

  If you've set up the wrong host name, you can delete it by following the figure below.

  
  

  For more file transfer tips, you may like to visit http://smartftp.com/support/howto/
  
  

• Step 3: Transfer Files by Dragging and Dropping

  Now, you've got 2 browsers opened side by side in your FTP client, it's time you transfer the files from your local hard drive to your new remote server.

  The transfer is pretty easy such that you'll only need to drag and drop, just as you were dragging and dropping files between folders in your local hard drive.

  
  

  Drag-and-drop works by holding the mouse to select the items you want transferred, and then move the cursor to the destination where you want the selected items to be placed, then release the mouse button and the selected items will be dropped into the destination folder.

  You can also download files from the remote server to your local computer via drag-and-drop.

• Step 4: Check All Links and Web Pages

  At this point, you may not be able to view your web pages using YourDomain.com yet, so checking to make sure ALL your links and web pages are functioning well will have to be done through the server URL, something like this => http://yournewwebhost.com/~yourusername/

  Once you're done with checking and all your links and web pages are working as expected, next will be to edit your DNS.

• Step 5: Edit Your Domain Name Server (DNS)

  Now is the time for you to change and point your domain name to your new web host's name server.

  You can learn how to perform that DNS change here.

  Here's some extra info you do need to know.

  Changes to the DNS settings will take an average of 48 hours to propagate and become effective, so during these short period, your website will hop between your existing web host and your new web host every now and then before it stabilizes on your new web host.

  People who visit your website will not be able to notice this backend happening, what they'll see is your website and nothing else. So you don't have to worry much about the hopping.

  Tips: Once the domain hopping has settled down on the new web host, you can in fact enter your website (ie. domain) name into the [Host] field of the FTP client and click the green (with arrow) button to access your files on the remote server in future.

  
  

  
  

  The username and password will remain the same (unless you alter the password for security reason).

  One more thing you have to take note of is your email address.

  Now, since your web host has changed, you'll need to re-configure your email settings at the new host as well, so during these 2 - 3 days while your website is still hopping between the new and the old hosts, those who need to email you may not get through to the right inbox of yours.

  So I'd suggest you send a broadcast to your subscribers as well as putting up a notification on your [Contact] page (if any) to inform them of your website migration and during this period you may not be able to receive their messages.

  Kindly request them to email you (if they need to) only after 3 days. This is to make sure you do not miss out on their messages that could have brought you sales (in case they ask you anything about your product offer).

• Step 6: Do Some Markings to Help Identify Changes

  How do you know the switching and hopping have completed? How can you tell that the website you're seeing now is running on the new server?

  Very simple. Add or change a little something on your home page to make it look different from your old web page.

  For example, you can change the color of your logo to be different from the one that is still running on the old server so that you'll be able to know when your website is running on the new server.

  Or in your old home page you don't have a welcome message for your visitors, so now in your new home page you include a welcome message.

  I mean, you're free to do any form of markings you want. The key here is to let you know that whether your website is currently running on the new host or not.

  If after 3 days, you still don't see your edited home page and your old home page is still showing up, then something might have gone wrong with the domain settings or some network issues. Quickly troubleshoot or contact your new web host about it.

There's one more method you can use if you were ultra lazy, that is, ask if your new web host does provide free file transfer for you or not. Some really good web host like Host Gator does perform that "task" for their users at no cost.

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