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Switching Web Hosting Companies

Canadian Web Hosts has decided to write down some guidelines that you can follow in order to successfully switch from your current to the new hosting companies without experiencing downtime and complications. Switching web hosts may seem to be difficult task, but if you are getting what you are looking for from your current host, then it is time to switch to a better web hosting provider.

Top Hosting Companies in Canada

Web hosts Canada Monthly Price Support Rating Visit Site
1
Green Geeks Canada
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whc Canada
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Best Web hosts in Canada
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Bluehost
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Dream host
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Best Canada Web host
9
canspace.ca host
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SK-GOLD host
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There are few questions that you need to ask yourself before you switch to the new host.
  • Did you register your domain with your current host or is a different web hosting company?

It will be easy to do domain transfer to your new hosts if you have registered your domain with your current hosting company. Contact your current hosts and inform them that you would like to transfer the domain to another host. They will give you transfer code (also known as an EPP code). You will take this code and give it to your new web hosting company so that they will complete the domain transfer.Secondly, if your domain is currently LOCKED, you will need to ask your current web host to UNLOCK it. Before the domain is transferred, you will need to UNLOCK it.

Lastly, ask your current host to change the Admin Contact Email address to your email address. The domain registry will send you an email when you do a domain transfer. You will receive this email in your email address so that you will be able to confirm the transfer.

Once you have completed the abovementioned three steps, your domain will be ready to be transferred to the new web hosting provider. Remember, these three steps can be completed with an email or a telephone call to your current provider and they should be able to help you quickly without any hassles.

If you have not registered your domain with your current hosts, it will be easy to do a domain transfer.  You don’t have to follow the above steps. Your new web hosting will give you their ‘server’s name’ and you will only go to your domain registrar and direct your domain to your new host’ severs.

 

  • Does your current provider use the same hosting control panel as the other hosts?

The most popular web hosting control panel is cPanel. Your job is to find out what control panel your current hosts use and what your potential web hosts use. We highly advise you to choose a web hosting company that uses cPanel since it is very popular, powerful and easy to use. One big advantage of cPanel is that your new web hosts can make a carbon copy of your whole account and move it to theirs without losing any information. A carbon copy will contain all your website files, database, and email accounts. When both providers use cPanel, the domain transfer is fairly simple.

You can still successfully complete domain transfer even if both hosts don’t use cPanel. You can move it without experiencing any downtime. In order to do this, email or call your current provider and then contact your new web host and provide them with logins for the FTP and control panel. Your new provider will then download your database and all your website files to the new account you have with them. There are no costs involves, almost every hosting company offer free migrations when you switch providers.

Hosts that use cPanel and offer free migrations: 

  • HostUpon
  • HostHero
  • JustHost
  • InMotion Hosting

The Final Step of Migration

You can safely point your domain to the new host once your site has been successfully migrated. Once pointed to your new host, you will wait up to 24 hours for the domain to transmit to the new host. You cannot avoid this 24 hours period as it is necessary. You won’t experience any downtime, as long as you still have your previous hosting provider.

After 24 hours have passed, you can access your site and check if everything is functioning correctly. Once you are sure and have confirmed that everything works correctly, you can then cancel your service with your previous host. If you are not sure how to do a domain transfer, don’t be afraid to ask someone or go back to the abovementioned steps.

Switching hosts is very simple and can be done within 48 hours. All you have to do is to provide your new hosts with all the information and they will handle the migration process for you. If you have any questions about domain transfer, simply contact us and we will assist you.