Can I Transfer My Site to InMotion?

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Yes, you definitely can transfer your website from your present host to InMotion Hosting provided you “pass” a few must-be’s first. As a matter of fact, transferring your website from your present hosting provider to InMotion is an easy process. However, there are a few things or a few must-be’s which we need to be clear first. One is that, not all sites can easily transfer to InMotion as there is a particular list of sites whose transfer InMotion supports. Another thing to remember is that though you may not be able to transfer your website to InMotion, you can still host your domain with InMotion Hosting. Sounds baffling, isn’t it.
Technically, there is a basic difference between just transferring your site to a new host and transferring your domain. While for some this may sound the same, it actually is not. The difference is that Domain Name Registration and Domain Hosting, also known as Web Site Hosting, are two different things. Domain Name Registration is your ownership of a domain name which, except for the settings you make in the registrar control panel, does not have much to do with your actual hosting while Domain Hosting is the company the owns the server where you put your website, including your files and folders. Your web host does not have to be the same company where you registered your domain.

What steps should I take to transfer my website to InMotion Hosting?

As mentioned earlier, transferring your site to InMotion is an easy process. Simply follow the succeeding steps and you should have transferred your website to InMotion in no time. The following steps are:

•  First, you need to evaluate your site. Site evaluation is necessary in order to find out the following:
•  Which folder your website files are stored by your previous host;
•  What databases, if any, are used or if you are using any database; and
•  See how you can get a back-up copy of your database files.
•  Next, you will need to download your website files from your previous host to your desktop. This is best done through the use of the File Transfer Protocol or FTP.
•  Then, the next step will be to export your website databases. If, in any case, your website uses databases, it is important that you get a backup of it. The process of database backups could vary from host to host so it is important to contact your previous webhost for assistance.
•  Next, upload your website files and import your databases. To do this, it is important to upload your website files using FTP into the public_html directory of your InMotion account.
•  If you have a database, this is also the right time to import it to your InMotion account. It is imperative to create the database within the cPanel and then after having created the database, import your database backup into it using phpMyAdmin.
•  As soon as your website files are already uploaded and your database, if any, restored, your website should be ready to run in its new host. However, it is but proper to test your website first using the temporary account URL.
•  After making sure that the website works fine, the next step will be to setup the email address of your domain.
•  Next, what you need to do is point your domain away from your previous host and toward your InMotion Hosting server. To do this, you need to modify your domain’s nameserver into:
•  ns.inmotionhosting.com
•  ns2.inmotionhosting.com
•  After having updated your nameservers, you are now ready to test website again. However, it is important to note that changes may not take effect immediately and could often take up to 24 hours. It is recommended that website testing be done every 6 hours until the 24-hour period has elapsed.

How do I export a MySQL database in phpMyAdmin?

As FTP cannot access MySQL databases, there may be a need for you to export your MySQL database in phpMyAdmin. This allows you to make a backup of your database which is to be used to transfer the database to another server or simply for safekeeping.
To export your MySQL database, you need to follow the succeeding steps:

•  First, you need to login to the cPanel.
•  Then click the phpMyAdmin icon which can be found under the Databases.
•  From the list in the left menu, select the database that you want to export by clicking the database name.
•  Then click the Export tab.
•  Make sure that all the tables and the SQL option are selected.
•  Then under the “Structure”, enable the option “Add DROP TABLE/VIEW/PROCEDURE/FUNCTION.”
•  If your database is large, you can compress the files by choosing “zipped” or “gzipped”. Make sure that the “Save as file” is selected.
•  Then click on the Go button that is found on the bottom part of the screen.
•  To download the database export to your local desktop, select “Save” when you are prompted to open or save the file. Make sure that you take full note of the file name and the location where the backup is saved.

Is transferring my website to InMotion worth the effort?

InMotion Hosting is one of the recognized leaders in the website hosting market. It is well known for its cheap and affordable yet reliable, stable and powerful hosting service. This positive attributes and the advantages that InMotion Hosting brings makes transferring your website from your previous host into InMotion Hosting really worth the effort.