HostKitten > Knowledgebase > Site Building > How to switch hosts without having any down time
Switching to a new host can be a very smooth process or it can be very complicated. Following our steps will ensure that your move is a painless one.
- The first step is to find the new host you want to be with and join them. Make sure not to cancel with your old hosting provider, and do not tell them yet that you will be canceling. You don't want them to terminate your site early and cause downtime.
- At this point you should have hosting accounts with two hosting providers, the old and the new one. You can now upload your entire site from the old host to the new one. This can be done by connecting to the ftp of your old provider and downloading all your files. Then connect to the new hosts' ftp and upload all your files. If you choose to make us your new host we will transfer your entire site over free of charge!
- After you have all your files on both hosting accounts, you can change your domain names dns (follow the steps below for a smooth forum transfer). Your new host should have provided you with their domain name servers (dns). If they haven't contact them to find out what dns you should use for your domain name.
Dns usually looks like this:
ns1.thehostsname.com
ns2.thehostsname.com
Once you know what dns to use on your domain name you will need to contact your domain registrar to make the changes. If you purchased your domain name from your host you can ask them to make the dns changes for you.
If you have any questions we would be more then happy to help you, and if your domain is registered with HostKitten, we'd be happy to make the dns changes for you.- Once your dns changes have been made, you will need to wait up to two days before your site will load off the new host. During this two day period your dns is prorogating world wide, and your site will be bouncing from the old host to the new host every other minute randomly. Once the two days is up your site will only be loading off the new host.
- After the 48 hours have passed since you have updated your dns, and if all works well on your new site, now you can contact your old hosting provider and cancel your account with them.
If you complete all the above steps you have successfully switched hosts, with no downtime at all!
What about my active forum?
If you run a forum, and are concerned about people posting randomly in either the new one or the old forum during the dns propagation time (you have no control which site people will see during that time), here is a simple method to ensure that your information stays consistent.
- Just before you download your database from your old host, post a message on your forum that you will be down for a few hours (stay positive) for maintenance, and lock the forum.
- Upload your forum database in the new place, ensure it all works well. Then unlock the forum and post a message that the maintenance has finished.
- Only then change your dns names.
- The visitors lucky enough to have the propagation come through quickly, will be able to participate in the "new" forum right away.
- The visitors who are still directed to the old location, will know that the site will be up for them soon!
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