Switching from Claranet.

[paulbeckett]

Hi

I will soon be switching my hosting from Claranet - who at times, have given quite bad service.

I think I am at their mercy when I change the DNS(?) to my new hosts???During the switch over I believe I have to suspend ordering and therefore I am worried at how long Claranet might take. Has anyone had any experience of this? Any advice?

I haven't experienced Claranet doing anything in less than 2 or 3 days before. I really hope I dont have to suspend ordering for that long!

Paul

[jont]

CLARA are as slack as most hosts (not all - before anyone defends XYZ.com) when it comes to getting anything done. There has been a recent thread about the times it actually takes to get DNS sorted (mins rather than days).

CLARA have a form you need to fill in to transfer the domain over. Check with your hew host prior to this for their TAGS and DNS Servers.

It will probably take then 2-3 days as you suggest. You will probably find the site is still live with them for the first 2 days and then it will vanish - upon which you need to upload to the new server. In those 2 days of grace you can still accept and retrieve orders. It is the risk of anything being ordered just prior to the site being swapped over.

If you are using a PSP you can hopefully retrieve enough info to contact the customers whose orders where "lost" during the swap over. I have asked CLARA in the past to send me files when a domain has expired - you could ask them nicely to send you any .ord files in the catalog folder which you could then upload to the new site and hopefully retrieve using Actinic.

The amount of concern depends on whether you are getting 1 order per week or 10 orders per minute.

HTH

ps. the grass is always greener and all that!

[Mike Hughes]

Something to think about is that many of us keep our domain names separate from our hosting. This makes it easier to move away from a host as all you need to do is sign up for a new hosting package and then point the domain name to the nameservers of the new hosts. The only delay then is the time it takes for the dns to propogate. (and this also avoids any concerns you might have about hosts slowness in doing things, especially if you're in dispaute with them over payment, compensation, etc).

123-reg have a good domain name service and there are several others around as well.

Mike

[paulbeckett]

Mike

Are there any disadvantages in doing this? Is a valid option hosting on Pinbrook and keeping my domain name with Claranet? Is there any SEO impact?

I think I do this with my other site www.kjbeckettbespokeshirts.com. The domain name is with claranet but it is hosted somewhere else.

I think we had some issues with our beckettbespokeshirts.com email addresses. We dont use this address at all now.

Paul

[Mike Hughes]

The only disadvantage I can think of is that some hosts, such as 1and1 who I use, offer free domains with the hosting. I've now used 5 hosts over the years and after the first two decided that the ability to switch hosts quickly and cleanly was a major advantage.

I don't know if clara will let you keep the domain with them when you move hosting, but if they will I would make the switch a two/three step process:

1. setup the new host

2. Point the domain to the new nameservers.

3. (optional) Once everythign else has settled, move the domain to a dedicated name company such as 123-reg.

Mike

[pnagames]

Paul

we switched from Claranet (terrible) to Pinbrrok without any problems

never had tyo complete anything as Pinbrook sorted everything for me.

my site was up and running with pinbrook on the same day.

[pinbrook]

Paul, you can ask Clara to change the TAG (co.uk) and not change nameserver, or transfer the domain (com) to us also without changing nameservers. That way we get control to change nameservers at our/your convenience and have total control over timing. Especially if we upload using IP.... as i explained in another thread.

I'll email you

[fleetwood]

Hi Jo
Can I just clarify what you have suggested.

We can request that Claranet (who we are with too), change the tag to Pinbrook (or 1&1, who we want to move to), and this means that the name continues to point to the same webspace it does at present, without any interuption in service, and the details are then accessible via the Pinbrook (or 1&1) interface, and the site would remain (for as long as we wished with Claranet).

Is this correct?

Is there any way that Claranet could disrupt this process, or is it relatively straight forward?

Then at my leisure, we could upload the site to the new server space we already have booked, and point the name that is now with 1&1 at the new space, via the 1&1 domain name interface.

[pinbrook]

Martin, in theory yes.

But there are a few provisos. Some registrars automatically change name servers when a domain is transfered to them. You have to ensure the receiver does not do this.