Most people who decide to move their website(s) to HostPapa from another host want to do so without any downtime, and without losing any of their email correspondence.

Note: Helpful video tutorial links appear at the bottom of this article.

Here is how to transfer your website:

1. Purchase a web hosting package with HostPapa – but do not cancel your account with your current provider just yet.


2. Use the login information provided with your new HostPapa account to access your new server space.*


3. Using FTP, download your website files from your old host to your local desktop.


4. Upload the files to HostPapa's servers.


5. Set up your email addresses.

*Note: when we send your account login information email, you will see there are two ways to log in.

1. The first is a temporary IP login address


2. The second is http://yourdomainname.com/cpanel

Use your temporary IP login address to get into your cPanel, upload your files and set up your email addresses on our servers.

Once your website files and emails** are set up on our servers, you need to change your domain name's DNS (domain name server) settings. Only then will your HostPapa hosting be live.

How to change your DNS:

1. If HostPapa registered your domain name, we have automatically set the DNS settings to match HostPapa's.


2. If you already have a domain name, we will send you the DNS settings and instructions in your login information email.


3. If your domain name was registered with a domain registrar, you may have an access login to change your DNS settings yourself.

Additionally, if your domain name was registered with another hosting company, you will likely want to transfer it to HostPapa:

1. HostPapa's domain name department can help you transfer your domain name to HostPapa.


2. Please submit a support ticket. Do this through http://hostpapasupport.com or by logging into your cPanel and clicking on “Submit a support request” under the “Advanced” heading.


3. Please include the domain name you want transferred to HostPapa in your ticket.


4. Once the domain is transferred, we will change the DNS settings for you and your site will be live with HostPapa!


5. You may also ask your old host to change the DNS settings to ours before you transfer your site to us.

Your HostPapa site is now live! At this point, your domain name will start to redirect to our servers across the Internet and will do so at different times in different locations (called “propagation”). As the DNS propagation to our servers takes place, your site will become visible from our servers. This process will take 24-72 hours.

As your domain name is propagating (through our DNS) to our servers, your website and emails will be picked up by HostPapa servers and, at the same time, go offline with your old host’s servers. All the functions of your site and emails continue without interruption.

At this point, you may cancel your previous hosting service, if you have not already done so.

**Note: email received prior to your domain residing on our servers are on your previous host’s servers and must be downloaded from those servers in order for you to retain them.

Helpful video tutorials:

All topics: http://www.hostpapasupport.com/tutorials/video.shtml

Using cPanel: http://www.hostpapasupport.com/tutorials/Tutorials_Cpanel.shtml

Using FTP: http://www.hostpapasupport.com/tutorials/Tutorials_FTP.shtml

Domain server setup and transfer:
http://www.hostpapasupport.com/tutorials/Tutorials_DomainSetup.shtml

Setting up email: http://www.hostpapasupport.com/tutorials/Tutorials_eMail.shtml