How to move your website

Our step-by-step tutorials will guide you through the backup and moving process, even if you are new to FTP and phpMyAdmin.

Avoid downtime to your website while you transfer it from one host or server to another by keeping the hosting services active on both servers for an overlap period.

Moving a website involves

  1. Copying web files from the current server – use FTP
  2. Copying database files from the current server, if applicable. Note that many applications, such as WordPress, include databases – use phpMyAdmin
  3. Creating new databases on the new server (if applicable) – use the control panel
  4. Uploading the copied web and database files to the new server – use FTP

Note: Websites using SiteBuilder can’t be backed up and transferred to another host.

Requirements:

1. Copy your Web Files

Use an FTP programme to download your web files to your local computer.  Refer to the following tutorial for further details:

How to upload a website using FTP (to download, drag from the remote site to the local site).

2. Copy your Database Files

If your website uses a database, use phpMyAdmin to export your database files to your local computer.

Follow this tutorial: How to export a MySQL database

Note that some files may need to be edited for use with a new host e.g. WordPress sites will need the wp-config.php file edited to reflect the new server’s access details.

3. Create a Database on the New Server and Import the Database Files

Moving to xneelo:

  1. Create a MySQL database using phpMyAdmin
  2. Import a database using phpMyAdmin

Moving away from xneelo:

  1. Create a database on the new host’s servers, usually within the control panel, such as CPanel.
  2. Then import the database files using phpMyAdmin

4. Upload the Web Files

Use FTP to upload the web files from the local drive to the new server. As the domain name should still be pointing to the current host, use the IP address of the server as the server name. 

5. Check

Use the temporary URL in the format https://domain.server to view the website on the new server and ensure that all is in order. With the same website live on both the current and new server, no downtime will occur during the domain transfer.

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