Set up email for domains in transfer

Transferring your domain name from one host to another while minimising downtime for your email accounts requires careful planning and execution. 

You have the option to set up all of your email accounts with xneelo before the transfer completes. Please note that the creation and import of local backups is outside of our scope of service. It’s best that a desktop technician assist with this task.

Alternatively, you can create your email accounts with xneelo and wait until the transfer has gone through. Once the transfer has completed, you can update your mail settings to connect to the xneelo server.


  • Option 1: Set up email before transfer completes

    Step 1: Create mailboxes

    Duplicate your current email addresses by creating mailboxes on the xneelo server.

    Step 2: Set up the email accounts

    Use the IP address in place of server names

    • To ensure a smooth transition, keep your existing (old) email settings intact. In addition, you will create the new account(s) so that there is no interruption when the switch happens.
    • Configure the new account(s), ensuring that the Server Name e.g. www23.cpt1.host-h.net, is used as both the Incoming POP3/IMAP and the Outgoing SMTP server, rather than the domain name. The mail should be set up to use SSL/TLS. (Note: It is also possible to use the IP address. If the IP address is used then SSL/TLS would need to be disabled.)
      • For ease of reference, it may help to label the previous mail accounts as old and the accounts with xneelo as new to avoid confusion as the accounts will have the same names
        • In Mac Mail choose Mail > Preferences> Accounts Tab> (Choose Mailbox) > Change Description
        • In Thunderbird choose Tools > Account settings > Account name

    Step 3: Copy all mail from the old server to the new

    If the email accounts were previously set up using POP, then all mail gets downloaded to your local computer. However, IMAP has now become popular as it allows synchronisation of mail between multiple devices e.g. desktop and cell phone. It is recommended that the new mail accounts are set up using the IMAP protocol. With IMAP, mail is stored on the server, and will therefore need to be transferred to the new server when the domain is transferred.

    To move IMAP mail from the previous server:

    1. Open your mail client, e.g. Outlook or Thunderbird.
    2. Within each mail account, select all mail (Choose Edit > Select All)
    3. Ctrl/Cmd click and choose Copy to / Copy folder
    4. Choose the new mailbox
    5. Allow the process to complete. Depending on the amount of mail to copy, this process can take minutes to hours.

    Once mail is being delivered to your xneelo accounts only and no longer to the other accounts, delete the old, obsolete accounts.

    Note: If you will not be hosting your mail with xneelo, ensure that you have set up your DNS to point to your email host before submitting your transfer request.

    Important: If your mail programme does not allow you to create 2 mailboxes with the same name and you would still like to transfer your email content to xneelo before the transfer completes, please contact a desktop technician to assist with this.





  • Option 2: Set up email after your transfer completes

    Step 1: Create mailboxes

    In preparation for your domain transfer, recreate your current email addresses by creating mailboxes on the xneelo server.

    Step 2: Update your DNS

    Once your email accounts have been created, you’ll need to update your domain’s DNS records via your previous host’s control panel to point to your xneelo hosting package. 

    The following  MX (Mail Exchanger) records  should be updated via your current host’s DNS zone file:

     

    Type – MX

    Host – @ or domain name

    Destination – mail.domain

     

    Type – A

    Host – mail.domain name

    Destination – Server IP address

    Step 3: Initiate the domain transfer

    Start the process of transferring your domain name from the old host to the new host by submitting and approving the domain transfer request. This process typically takes a few days to complete.

    Step 4: Back up your emails

    After DNS propagation has completed, it’s essential to back up your emails, contacts, and any other important data from the email accounts hosted by your previous provider. You can do this by using email client software like Outlook, Thunderbird, or Apple Mail, which allows you to download emails and store them locally on your computer.

    Upload your mail backup by importing the emails into the new email accounts that were created with xneelo. The importing of emails falls outside of our scope of services and would require a desktop technician should you require assistance.

    Step 5: Verify and Test

    After the DNS changes have propagated, thoroughly test the email accounts to ensure that everything is working as expected. Send test emails, receive emails, and verify that no emails are being lost during the transition.



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