If you’re new to managing a website, the process of hosting, setting up domains, and transferring or migrating your site can seem daunting.
The most important thing for you is to ensure you have access for your domain, web hosting and website.
This guide will help you understand the essentials in simple terms.
1. Domain Name
Your domain name is your website’s address on the internet (e.g., www.yourwebsite.com). To manage your domain name, you need access to your domain registrar account. This is where you can:
- Manage name servers: Name servers tell the internet where to find your website. You may need to update these if you change hosting providers.
- Update DNS records: DNS records are like the directory that directs visitors to the right parts of your website (e.g., emails, subdomains).
2. Website Hosting
Website hosting is where your website’s files are stored. Think of it as the land where your website lives. To manage your hosting, you’ll need:
- Access to cPanel (or similar control panel): This is where you can manage your hosting account, set up emails, databases, and install applications like WordPress.
- Access to your website’s Content Management System (CMS): If you’re using a CMS like WordPress, you’ll need login details to update and manage your website’s content.
Some platforms like Wix & Weebly might bundle the CMS and domain name together.
3. Transferring or Migrating Your Website
When moving your website to a new hosting provider, there are a few key things you need:
- Backup of your website: Ensure you have a full backup of your website files and databases. This is crucial to prevent any loss of data during the move.
- Access to old and new hosting accounts: You’ll need to transfer your website’s files from the old hosting provider to the new one. This usually involves downloading the files from the old host and uploading them to the new one.
- Domain name access: If you’re also moving your domain name, you’ll need to update the name servers to point to the new host. This is done in your domain registrar account.
As long as you have access to your accounts, DMH or other tech support can assist with making technical changes, updating name servers, DNS records, etc.
4. Final Checks
Once everything is transferred, you’ll want to:
- Test Your website: Make sure everything works as expected on the new host. Check all pages, links, and forms.
- Update DNS records: If your website uses any custom DNS records (e.g., for email), update these to ensure everything points to the right place.
- Monitor the website: Keep an eye on your website for a few days after the move to ensure there are no issues.