Domain name transfer to different host

Stevo_76

Hi - I'm developing a website for a friend of mine who had previously purchased hosting with a company called Denobi.

For the new website I purchased hosting with hosting365 (as I needed asp.net and SQL Server - I'm not sure if Denobi provide this as there's nothing on their website. Plus my friend wasn't happy with the service they provided when he initially purchased the domain name and hosting off them) and want to attach his existing domain name to the website I've set up for him in hosting365.

I've sent emails to Denobi about this and their Operations Manager sent me an email to say if I was a hosting365 reseller the site and mails can be moved with minimal effort but if I'm a private party (which I am) there would be time required to pull down the site, emails and email accounts from the current site and build up on the new site. I emailed her back the details last week and I haven't heard anything back yet. I've also called them twice aswell, but again, nothing back. I don't understand why it will take much longer if I'm a private party.

I'm no network guru, but I would've thought it would be a relatively seemless exercise, particularily moving the website. Surely it's just a matter of them removing the www.domainname.ie entry from their dns records and getting my new hosting provider to add a new one into their dns records, then I simply map an alias from my website to the domain?

Has anyone had similar experiences to this?

Thanks

axer

You should have FTP access to the hosting which means that you should be able to get all the files. If not then I'm sure they could, depending on the size of the website, zip all the files and email them to you but I couldn't imagine your friend would not have FTP access to the website.

If the website has a database then they would most likely offer phpMyAdmin or something similiar with which you can backup the database. If not, then they should be able to export it for you.

How does your friend access their email? If it is via POP then they could download all their email before you migrate everything. If it server based like IMAP then it would be more awkward but there are ways.

Then you have the domain ownership. Is the domain registered to your friend? If so you should be able to get an EPP key from their current registrar to transfer the domain to hosting365 or you could get Denobi to look after the DNS for the domain (i'd recommend just moving the domain altogether as it is less hassle in the future). Once you get the EPP key it is very easy to transfer the domain - you just go onto hosting365's website and pick to transfer the domain, enter the EPP key and they will look after everything.

One thing that is important to do before you move the website is to get Denobi (or if you have access to do it yourself) to change the TTL of the A records and MX records to a low figure like 180 seconds instead of the usual 86400 (24 hours). If you do not lower the TTL of those records the visitors will still be visiting the old website/hosting for up to 24 hours after you move the website.

I think what Denobi mean is that they are a hosting365 reseller and i'm not sure but maybe hosting365 can move accounts between resellers with ease but not to non-reseller accounts. Also, now that I see that Denobi are with hosting365, then you should be able to get FTP access; you should have access to phpMyAdmin; If your friend is using IMAP then they can access their email via Horde (webmail app) and download folders of their email and upload the folders of email again via Horde in the new account (PM me if you want more info on how to do this). It should take you an hour at most (depending on the email setup and how big the website is) to move the website.

steve-hosting36

We can move accounts between resellers and ourselves direct, contact us directly and we can make the whole process seamless and zero downtime / work for you.

Stevo_76

Hi Guys - thank you both for your messages. Much appreciated.

Steve-hosting36, I will call hosting365 tomorrow about this. I was actually onto your live chat there yesterday evening and the support engineer said I had to go thru Denobi to get the change done but they still aren't returning my calls. In fact, the receptionist from Denobi told me earlier that the Operations Manager wouldn't take my calls as she felt it was too far down on her priority list. I have never been so insulted and I've been pulling my hair out wondering how to get this issue resolved seeing as they aren't returning calls. Do you know of any professional body that consumers can make complaints to about such issues. It seems that these businesses can simply hold people to ransom if they decide to move hosting companies.

Thanks again and I hope to be in touch with one of your colleagues tomorrow and get this resolved once and for all.

axer

Stevo_76 wrote: »

Hi Guys - thank you both for your messages. Much appreciated.

Steve-hosting36, I will call hosting365 tomorrow about this. I was actually onto your live chat there yesterday evening and the support engineer said I had to go thru Denobi to get the change done but they still aren't returning my calls. In fact, the receptionist from Denobi told me earlier that the Operations Manager wouldn't take my calls as she felt it was too far down on her priority list. I have never been so insulted and I've been pulling my hair out wondering how to get this issue resolved seeing as they aren't returning calls. Do you know of any professional body that consumers can make complaints to about such issues. It seems that these businesses can simply hold people to ransom if they decide to move hosting companies.

Thanks again and I hope to be in touch with one of your colleagues tomorrow and get this resolved once and for all.

Is the current website using a database? How does your friend access their email? It would most likely take less than 1 hour to move the website yourself, of course depending how big it is.

Is Denobi getting paid to move your account away from them?

Stevo_76

The current one isn't using a database - it's just a landing page saying the website is under construction. This is the site - http://www.edsports.ie. The new site is http://edsports.u122.hosting365.ie. When I originally got in touch with Denobi a support engineer emailed me to say if I forwarded on my login details for hosting365 they could do it for a "minimal administration fee", so I forwarded on the details. Then I got an email from the operations manager in Denobi to ask me if I was a reseller or private party I responded to say I was a private party. That was the last contact I've had with Denobi (except of course to be told by the receptionist yesterday that I'm the bottom of the list of priorities for the operations manager!). I don't know how many times I've rung them or emailed them since, with no joy. My colleague never got a login for the ftp site or control panel from Denobi when he originally purchased the domain as Denobi said they would do all the development work for them. €1500 later and the 'the website is under construction' page is all he has. He gave up trying to contact him themselves after about a year of constant arguments. I'm not sure how he accesses the email - I guess it's just thru a pop3 account or something like that and downloads the emails in Outlook (I'm only guessing that as I can see a reference to X-Mailer: Microsoft Outlook, Build 10.0.6822 in an email he sent me)

axer

If thats the case you don't really need the account transferred since there is nothing to be kept or backed up. Just recreate the domain and email addresses in your new hosting. I'm sure if there are DNS conflicts (as Denobi would have created records in hosting365's nameservers pointing to their account) then hosting365 would have to delete those records from Denobi's account considering the owner of the domain wants the website in his own account. I doubt you would have to have any dealings with Denobi then.

Stevo_76

I've dropped an email to hosting365 earlier today requesting just that, so hopefully they can sort it out. Fingers crossed! Thanks for replying - much appreciated.