How to Change Your Web Host

You may find that you would like to change your web host. This could be for many reasons. You may find that your current host does not fulfill your bandwidth or disk space requirements, or perhaps you have experienced bad customer service, or maybe you have heard great things about another web hosting company and want to try them out. Some people prefer to stick with a hosting company that they are dissatisfied with due to the difficulties of switching host. The good news is that it does not have to be hard to switch web hosts and you should definitely consider it, if you are not happy with your current service.

Remember not to shut down your old account straight away. You will need to make sure your website stays up and running whilst you choose your new hosting company and set up your new account. Take time when choosing the best host for you. You need to ensure that the host you choose provides you with what the old one could not. You should also ensure that it is easy to upgrade should your hosting needs change in the future. It is a good idea to read reviews on various companies to get a good idea of what they offer.

Once you have paid for and set up your new web hosting account, you will need to download your old account files and upload them to your new host. This is an easy task, which you can do by simply using the FTP client of the host company. Just use your old host's FTP to transfer the files to your desktop and then use your new host's FTP to upload the files to your new provider. Make sure you keep your old hosting account active throughout this stage and stay open to communication by using the same active email address for both companies.

The next step is to ensure that your website is functioning and that all the links still work. You can then change your domain name servers. You can obtain your domain server from your new web host, once you are registered. You may also be able to contact your domain name registrar and they can transfer it for you.

The new domain name server will take around 24-48 hours to set up and be fully functional. In the meantime your old web host is responsible for the website. After your complete website and domain name server has been moved to the new host you can finally cancel your old hosting account and start enjoying your new one.

source :http://www.goarticles.com/cgi-bin/showa.cgi?C=1403425