Often, web hosting providers are the ones in charge of acquiring domains and it is through them that you obtain the necessary storage space to host a web page. However, this does not mean that the domain is linked to that provider. In the case of provider and domain services, these are rather two separate offers. If you are not happy with your web hosting provider, you can use the services of any other by transferring your domain. In this guide, we offer you information on how a domain transfer is carried out.
Reasons to change the provider:
With the purchase or registration of a domain you ensure the ideal Internet address for your website. The webspace can be rented from the web hosting provider. As a general rule, these providers make available to interested parties different types of packs of very varied scope. The reasons for changing Internet service providers can be very diverse. Among the most common are factors such as:
- The current web host does not offer the desired feature(s)
- Poor price/performance ratio
- Poor or poor quality care
- Few security guarantees
- server slowness
- Frequent server crashes
When is it advisable to transfer a domain?
The reasons for changing providers must be weighed individually. Dissatisfaction with the performance of the current provider does not mean that you have to automatically switch providers. Typically, web hosting providers offer a choice of various storage options or various types of servers , either virtual or dedicated. Often, to avoid transferring the domain itself, it is more profitable to use another package from the same provider.
However, if you are not happy with the basic conditions of your current hosting provider, such as the quality of customer service or its features, then you should consider switching providers. The same applies if you want to register multiple domains and have them managed by different providers. In this case, the most practical thing is that all the domains are transferred to the same provider to minimize costs and efforts.
What is the entity in charge of transferring domains?
Domain registrars, also called Network Information Centers (NICs), who are responsible for managing top-level domains (TLDs), are also responsible for transferring domains and they have the ability to manage one or several.
To do this, you must carry out the relevant procedures. The first step will be to contact the registrar or hosting provider, who will forward the transfer request to the person in charge to carry out the process. However, this transfer can also be managed directly and without intermediaries.
How is the transfer of a domain made?
The process of transferring a domain from one provider to another works the same way for all providers and the first thing is to find out how to proceed. Here are the basic steps:
- Data backup: before transferring any type of information to the new provider’s database, the first thing to do is save separately, on a computer or on an external hard drive, all the data contained in the old provider. If you do not yet have backup copies of your website data (for example, database or templates), it is advisable to do so, as losses may occur during the process, when you no longer have access to the data hosted on the old provider.
- Authorization code (AuthInfo Code): in order to transfer a domain from one provider to another, it is necessary to have the domain password, that is, the AuthInfo Code or AuthCode. It is a security code that denotes that a certain domain is registered under a specific name. This will be provided by the old provider or registrar. Simultaneously, the said provider can also be informed of the desire to change to another web-hosting provider or to submit the termination of the contract.
- Registration with a new provider: once you have the authorization code, you can register the domain with the new hosting provider. The code is attached to the form required by the supplier, although it is convenient to review the FAQ to see what the specific requirements are to carry out the process. In most cases, new customers can request the domain transfer themselves when they select the web hosting package that most interests them by providing their authorization code.
- Import the database: You can transfer your website data to the new server once the domain has been registered and activated with the new provider.
What happens to email accounts when a domain is transferred?
When a domain is transferred, email accounts are also transferred to the new provider. However, this does not apply to all emails in the inbox. In case you want to continue using the services of your old provider, you have the option to continue managing emails through your old provider and register the email server in the so-called MX record (mail exchange record) of the domain.
As an alternative, it is also possible to transfer the entire inbox to the new server, especially if the contract with the previous provider is terminated. This can be done manually, which will require some effort for large email inboxes, or through the email transfer service offered by many web hosts.
Transferring domains is easier than it seems:
Changing providers is usually something simple and quick, and only in exceptional cases may not be carried out immediately. This is the case, for example, when it is not possible to transfer a domain to a new provider because the web page address is not old enough. For more information on this, you can visit our guide on domain locks, although, as a general rule, the transfer of domains is a process that is carried out relatively quickly.