This article explains how to do the migration of your site from another host to PlanetHoster.
We assume you already have an account at PlanetHoster (please refer to the articles How to Order a The World or How to Order a HybridCloud Plan).
We have produced a video to accompany this article, which we invite you to watch first to get an overview of the protocol to follow.
Prerequisites
You must first install FileZilla on your workstation. You can download it from the official website: https://filezilla-project.org/download.php?type=client.
Have a hosting plan with PlanetHoster (please refer to the articles How to Order a The World or How to Order a HybridCloud Plan).
Enter the following address in your web browser: https://my.planethoster.com.
Steps to Follow
To migrate your website, you will have to do all of these eight steps:
- Copy the files from your current hosting to your computer.
- Copy the files to your PlanetHoster hosting account.
- Export the database from your current hosting provider to your computer.
- Create a new empty database on your PlanetHoster hosting account.
- Import the database into the new database at PlanetHoster.
- Modify the settings in the database connection file.
- Recreate your email accounts.
- Change your domain servers.
Each hosting provider has its own specific requirements for obtaining the various necessary information for steps 1 and 3. That is why we have provided a series of articles to help you:
- How to Migrate Infomaniak Website to PlanetHosterr.
- How to Migrate an IONOS Website to PlanetHoster.
- How to Migrate OVH Website to PlanetHoster.
- How to Migrate a GoDaddy Website to PlanetHoster.
- How to Migrate a Bluehost Website to PlanetHoster.
If necessary, please refer to your hosting provider’s documentation.
Step 1: Copy the files from your current hosting to your computer
Use FTP to copy the files from your website that are on your current hosting provider to your computer.
Generally speaking, two steps are necessary:
- Open an FTP session with FileZilla, fill in the Host, Username, Port and Password fields, then click on the Quick Connect button.
- Select the contents of your website folder from the Remote Site section and download it to your computer. The section “Downloading files from the FTP server to your computer” in the article How to Put my Site Online with FileZilla explains how to do this.
Additional instructions on how to copy files to your computer can be found in our articles about:
- Infomaniak;
- IONOS;
- OVH;
- GoDaddy; and
- Bluehost.
Step 2: Copy the files to your PlanetHoster hosting account
Copy these files via FTP to your hosting in the public_html folder for your main domain.
- If you are using the MG panel, you have to refer to the article How to Connect to Your Hosting Using FTP and Send Files.
- If you use another panel, you have to refer to the article How to Put my Site Online with FileZilla.
Step 3: Export the database from your current hosting provider to your computer
With the MG panel, export your database to your computer from your PhpMyAdmin utility on your current hosting. If you do not use the MG panel, you have to export the database with another panel.
Additional instructions on how to copy database are available in our articles for:
- Infomaniak;
- IONOS;
- OVH;
- GoDaddy; and
- Bluehost.
Step 4: Create a new empty database on your PlanetHoster hosting account
With the MG panel, create a database on your hosting. If you do not use the MG panel, you have to create the database with another panel.
Step 5: Import the database into the new database at PlanetHoster
Import the previously exported database into your new database.
- If you are using the MG panel, use the PhpMyAdmin tool of your account.
- If you use another panel, you have to import the database to the account in SSH.
Step 6: Modify the settings in the database connection file
Modify the database connection file parameters duly noted in step 4.
- To do this, please update the following four lines: DB_NAME, DB_USER, DB_PASSWORD and DB_HOST.
- The approach varies according to your CMS.
Step 7: Recreate your email accounts
Recreate your email accounts by copying the emails from an IMAP server to a PlanetHoster server.
Step 8: Change your domain servers
Once you have done that, change your domain servers to PlanetHoster’s.
After your tests, take care to cancel any automatic renewals with your previous host to avoid unpleasant surprises.