10
helpful tips to follow when switching web hosts
by: Russ Mate
You've made your decision to move from your website
from your current web host to a new web host. The
following tips will help you make the transition easier
and make you aware of some potential pitfalls to avoid.
1) Make sure the new web hosting plan you've chosen
offers you the storage capabilities to handle all
of your current website storage requirements. If your
website is 50MB, you need to make sure your new hosting
plan offers that much space, or more. If you're not
sure how much space your website is using, ask your
current host. You can also usually find this information
on your web hosting control panel.
2) How does your current web host determine what your
storage amount is used for? Find out what your current
and new host includes in your plan's storage amount.
Are your emails and log files counted towards your
total storage, or just your web files?
3) What operating system does your current hosting
plan use? Windows or Unix? Sometimes this can make
no difference, in other cases it can make the difference
between a working website and a broken website. If
your site is currently on a Windows server and your
website uses ASP scripting, you'll find it difficult
to make things work well on a Unix server, as ASP
is a Windows based programming language. Find out
ahead of time whether your current hosting plan is
on a Unix or Windows server.
4) Does your site currently use FrontPage? Find out
if your new host supports FrontPage. And make sure
your new host supports the same version of FrontPage
you currently use.
5) Find out if your new hosting plan offers you the
same amount of bandwidth that your current host offers.
You don't want to be surprised by unexpected overage
charges at the end of the month.
6) Does your new web hosting plan give you the same
amount of email accounts, autoresponders and mail
forwards that you currently use?
7) Does your site use a shopping cart that your current
hosting plan provides? Can you move the cart to your
new host? If not, does your new host have a suitable
shopping cart replacement?
8) If you are using any scripts on your website, make
sure that your new hosting plan supports all of your
scripts. Find out in advance if you'll need to make
any modifications to your scripts to get them working
on the new server.
9) Make sure to set up your existing email accounts
on your new server before transferring your domain
name to the new server. At MateMedia (www.matemediainc.com)
we see this overlooked quite often.
10) Do you know how to upload your website files to
the new server? If you don't, you'll need to find
out if your new web host will upload your files for
you. Some hosts will do this at no charge, some will
do it for a fee, yet other hosts won't do it all because
of liability issues.
Once all your files are uploaded to the new server,
you'll want to double check that the site looks and
functions properly on the new server. Most hosts can
provide a preview link for you to see how your site
looks before the domain name is transferred over.
If your host does not provide a method for you to
preview your site, you can modify your hosts file
to preview your site. The host file tells your computer
where to go to look for sites that are listed in that
file. This works with any version of Windows. The
file name is the same, the location can change. Here's
how to modify your hosts file:
The file HOSTS should be in the c:\windows\system32\drivers\etc
You might only find a file named HOSTS.SAM (as in
SAMPLE). That is OK; we can modify the HOSTS.SAM file
as well and do a SAVE AS HOSTS.
In either case, double click on the HOSTS file to
open it. You will be prompted by Windows to select
an Application (Program) to use to VIEW the file.
Scroll the list and select Notepad. Click the OK button.
The NOTEPAD program will now open, displaying the
file HOSTS. You will see examples listed (The # symbol
is used to comment out line or remarks.), the format
is this. IP address (xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx SPACE name)
So, to tell your computer that www.yourwebsite.com
is at the address (replace with your real IP) 12.345.678.90
add the following entry to the bottom of the hosts
file:
12.345.678.90 www.yourdomain.com (As in the example).
Click on FILE, slide down and click on SAVE AS.
In the Save As Type field, select ALL FILES. (Ensure
that no .SAM is shown after the filename HOSTS. Click
SAVE. You may be warned that the file already exists;
this is fine, click YES.
Close Notepad, by clicking on FILE, slide down to
EXIT, and click.
Now when you open your web browser, or try to ping
the site, your system will go to the IP address you
typed in the HOSTS file.
Remember to undo this when finished testing or your
machine will always want to go to that IP address
whenever you want to go to that site.
After you're satisfied that your site looks ok and
functions ok, you can go to your registrar (the company
where your domain name is registered) and modify the
nameservers associated with your domain name to your
new web host's nameservers. If you don't know your
new host's nameservers, ask them. Most hosts have
that information listed somewhere on their website
or in the email you first get after signing up for
an account.
Once the dns modification is completed it'll be 24-48
hours before you'll see your site on the new server.
Most whois utilities will display the nameservers
of the current host. A good one is at http://whois.sc.
Check your domain name and see if the nameservers
you added are listed. If so, you have completed the
website transfer to your new web host. Only after
you've confirmed this is it ok to cancel your old
web hosting account.
About The Author
Russ Mate is President of MateMedia, Inc.
www.matemediainc.com
sales@matemediainc.com
Your Partner on the Web
Toll Free 1-877-309-7521
MateMedia offers the following services:
Web Hosting
Web Design & Development
Search Engine Optimization
Domain Name Registration
webmaster@matemediainc.com
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