Transferring current site to a new domain.

[pilotguy]

Hey folks.  I have a few questions regarding the transfer of my current site to a new domain.  I found one post relating to this but it was dated in 2012 and the links in some cases were dead so here I am asking what I'm sure has been asked in the past.  First the details:

• Host will remain the same as well as plan
• Domain name will be changing (diff URL)
• I wish to retain the site in it's current state without heavy modification.  
• I back my site up weekly on Friday both file structure and databases.

My questions:

1. Overall, what do I need to make sure is done?
2. What are the steps to transferring my current IPS licence to a new domain?
3. Is the transfer itself as simple as restoring the original file structure and database from the old URL to the new one? 
4. Any questions I SHOULD be asking, that I'm not?

[Flitterkill]

If I understand correctly nothing is actually changing other than your domain name?

Whether it is 3x or 4x it's stupid easy. Approximately 3 steps.

1) With whoever is handling your domain name (gonna assume its the same place you have your current one) all you need to do is transfer the DNS settings from the current one to the new one. There are plenty of web posts here/google/etc. that can walk you through that. You will need to copy the settings from the one you have now, delete those from your old name, then plonk them into your new domain name settings.

2) Now you need to change your forum settings. conf-global.php you will need to change the name that is in the settings there to the new one. And in the ACP you may/probably need to change the site/forum name there as well. If you had already specified a location for the downloads folder you may need to update that; if it is already blank you're fine. On 4.0 once this is all done you will want to hit the support area in the ACP and choose the something isn't working option and do that. Nothing is "wrong"; you just want to rebuild all the caches to flush out the old site domain name.

At this point you are "done" except for contacting IPS  - either support ticket or there might be an option in the client area specifically to let them know you need to change your domain name linked to your purchase to the new domain name. Until you do that your site will be "unlicensed"; not a big deal if you take care of it soon after you do the change over.

The only legacy thing that is going to remain are any links to your old site name. Whether on the web somewhere or posted in your forums in the past, they will naturally have the old domain name. There are queries you can run on your database to swap out the old domain name for the new one and if you are keeping the old domain name registered you can do some redirects to get people to automatically come to the new site links when they click the old.

[pilotguy]

That's correct.  I'm simply moving from www.nwraid.net to www.newdomain.net.  I want to retain the entire site as is (content/images/everything) - The name will change and so will logos but aside from that all the users and information must go to the new site.

I get nervous with these things as I know how easily they can get completely fudged up.

Won't I need to transfer the file structure to the new domain and import the original DB?  I don't see how changing DNS info transfers my site from the directory for my current site to the empty directory of my new site.

[CalvinK]

55 minutes ago, pilotguy said:

That's correct.  I'm simply moving from www.nwraid.net to www.newdomain.net.  I want to retain the entire site as is (content/images/everything) - The name will change and so will logos but aside from that all the users and information must go to the new site.

I get nervous with these things as I know how easily they can get completely fudged up.

Won't I need to transfer the file structure to the new domain and import the original DB?  I don't see how changing DNS info transfers my site from the directory for my current site to the empty directory of my new site.

If you are staying with the same host you don't need to. If you are staying on the same package and only changing the domain, you do not need to import any DB or anything like that. It is still staying in the same place.

Re: DNS.

When someone types your address in, say Google, it checks the DNS record and reads that www.google.com goes to a server address of 8.8.8.8 (for example). All you are doing is going to your new URL and pointing that to go to the same place.

[pilotguy]

Ok I guess the confusion here for me is I'm getting tied up on physical files.  

My current URL has it's own directory home/nwraid. with it's own FTP access.

My new URL also has it's own directory home/newsite. also with it's own separate FTP access.

I have my entire current site sitting in that nwraid directory.  I'm confused as to how this works then to simply copy DNS info over to an entirely different server with it's own unique IP and NO files sitting in it at all.

[CalvinK]

You said that the hosting package is staying the exact same. Have you bought the domain name from your host? Some domains are sold with a small amount of hosting space but by changing the DNS records you can change this to the server of your choice.

[Flitterkill]

That makes it more complicated if that is the route you want to go.

You could just leave everything where it is though, and as above, just point the DNS stuff over.

If you do need to move it it is mostly as simple as copying the files over to the new dir; the db probably can just stay as it is.

I smell shared hosting though. Is this a separate account completely?

[pilotguy]

I meant with the same provider.  Separate package and server.  Sorry I started reading back here and I realize my wording was POOR.

Same account, separate package and yes shared hosting

[pilotguy]

Maybe I'm doing something wrong.  I copy the entire site to the new one, restore the DB to a new database.  Change the info in conf.global and it just doesn't cooperate at all.