Welcome to the Treehouse Community

Want to collaborate on code errors? Have bugs you need feedback on? Looking for an extra set of eyes on your latest project? Get support with fellow developers, designers, and programmers of all backgrounds and skill levels here with the Treehouse Community! While you're at it, check out some resources Treehouse students have shared here.

Looking to learn something new?

Treehouse offers a seven day free trial for new students. Get access to thousands of hours of content and join thousands of Treehouse students and alumni in the community today.

Start your free trial

Business

Posted by mattmeazey
mattmeazey
4,407 Points

Transferring hosting, domain to me (new web designer) from old web designer.

Hi all,

I have designed a new website for a new client. They already have a website and web designer but have said they want me to now take over and be their new web designer.

The query I have is the current website, host and domain is through the current web designers company. Is there an easy way to transfer over these or will I have have to set up new hosting etc.

I hope this makes sense, quite difficult to explain!

Thanks in advance.

1 Answer

Ron McCranie
Ron McCranie
7,837 Points
Ron McCranie
Ron McCranie
7,837 Points

  1. GET A BACKUP OF THE EXISTING SITE: Have the client contact the person hosting the existing site & domain. They should ask for a current backup of the entire site which is usually a zip file of the file system and database (if applicable). Then you need to put that site, or the new one, on your server and test it.

  2. POINT THE DOMAIN TO YOUR SERVER: Get the other web designer to change the DNS records to point to your server, or change the name servers to point to yours (if available).

  3. TRANSFER THE DOMAIN:
    a. CONFIRM REGISTRAR EMAIL ADDRESS: Make sure the contact emails listed in the domain records are your client's email address so that the domain transfer authorization emails will go to the client or you for approval of the transfer. b. UNLOCK DOMAIN FOR TRANSFER: Get the client or old web designer to unlock the domain for transfer from the existing registrar, get the transfer code from that registrar. c. INITIATE THE TRANSFER: You will go to the new registrar and initiate the transfer, provide the transfer code from the existing registrar, ensure the email address that the approval email will go to is correct. (see step 3.a.) d. CONFIRM TRANSFER: An email will then be sent to the email address on record to approve the transfer. Make sure you setup the DNS records and name servers correctly at the time you initiate the transfer so there will be a seamless transition.