Moving Your Domain Name

The big trick to a server (or hosting service) move is changing the Internet DNS to point your domain name to your new server's IP address instead of the old one's. Exactly how you go about doing this depends entirely on one factor: where your domain name "lives."

You see, your domain name has to "live" on two specific DNS servers, which are generally maintained by your hosting company (if you're using one) or your Internet service provider (ISP). Whoever maintains those DNS servers has to change them to have your new server IP address, rather than your old one. If you're hosting your own servers, you may be able to accomplish this yourselfcheck with your ISP or network administrator, and if you're also hosting your own DNS servers, check the DNS software documentation.

If you're hosting with a hosting service, however, your old service probably won't continue handling DNS for you after you've left them. Your new hosting service will probably be able to pick up DNS, but now you'll also have to tell the whole Internet that not only has your site changed places, but so has your DNSthe means by which everyone finds your site to begin with. That's okay, because the Internet has a process for moving domain names between DNS servers, too. This is something your new hosting service will definitely have to help out with, however, because there are several combinations of situations they may have to deal with. You may have to pay them an additional fee, as well, to move your domain name to their servers.