Q&A: Moving websites

I want to move my website from one web hosting company to another.
Jonathan Lewis

This is easier than it sounds, especially if the website was created using software such as Serif Webplus or Netobjects Fusion. Change the upload details to match those of the new webhost and start the upload process again. If you do not have the software, it is possible to move the website using an FTP program such as Filezilla.

Before starting, it is a good idea to set Filezilla to keep a record (called a log) of any problems. If any files are not copied properly, this file will show exactly what needs to be fixed. Click on the Edit menu and select Settings. Click on Message log in the left-hand column and select the second option, Log everything to file. Enter a filename, such as filezillalog.rtf, and then click on OK.

The next step is to copy all of the files from the website to the computer. Enter the ftp address, username and password into the toolbar along the top of the Filezilla window and then left-click on the Quickconnect button. Filezilla will connect to the webhost and if the details are correct the files and folders of the website will appear in the right-hand column.

Depending on the webhost, this may be the folder with the website in, otherwise double-click on the www or httpdocs folder to show the files. The website home will be a folder with an index.htm or index.html file.
Scroll to the top of the Local site section on the left and left-click once on the Desktop. Right-click in the section below, select Create Directory, enter a name, such as website backup, and click on OK.

Left-click once on this folder and the section below will be empty apart from one folder with two full stops next to it. Left-click on one file in the remote site list and then press Ctrl and A together to select all the files. Left-click and drag these files into the local site section. Depending on the size of the site this may take some time. The progress of the files will be shown in the bottom section of the screen.

Now enter the details of the new webhost in the boxes at the top of the window and click on Quickconnect. Click on Yes when the message ‘Break current connection’ appears. Find the home folder of the new webhost, again either www or httpdocs. Select all the files in the local site section and drag them over to the remote site. Again this will take some time. Once that has finished the website has been moved.

Some websites use a database to hold information and articles. Moving this information is more complicated and beyond the scope of Q&A, although it is possible. A guide to moving the database created by the Wordpress software can be found here.