Steps for Transferring a Domain

It just took me a month to figure out how to transfer my domain from one web hosting service provider to another. My new web host has a beautiful set of instructions on their site, including a video, on how to complete the transfer. However, it's missing some pertinent information, and it took me forever to figure it out. In the process my website "disappeared" off the internet. I'm putting this post together so it doesn't happen to you!

Step 1: Make Copies and Backups

Important! Always keep an up-to-date copy of your site on your computer or on a backup hard drive just in case something blows up and you lose what's online. This is important in general, not just when transferring your domain from one web hosting service provider to another.

Before you even begin the transfer process, set up an account with your new web host and copy the files and folders of your site to their server so it's ready to go once the transfer is complete. You will need to tell them which folder to point your domain to anyway, so this will make you prepared.

Step 2: Make Sure Your Domain is Renewed

No transfer of your domain can occur if your domain is about to expire. Make sure it is all paid up. You can find this out by going back to your domain registrar. Most web hosting service providers can do this for you and usually build it into your fee, so if you're unsure, talk to them.

Step 3: Request a Cancellation

You can't just automatically stop having an account with your current web host. You need to request a cancellation of your account, which usually takes a few days or a few weeks. Each web host has their own method of cancellation, so contact your current web host to find out what you need to do.

Step 4: Disable WHOIS Privacy

It's very frustrating having to rely on your domain registrar to do everything for you, so I found a work around. You can actually go in and make changes to your own domain. You can do this by going to manage.opensrs.net. Here you can sign in to your domain. If you don't know your user name and password for your domain, you can get it from your current web host or your domain registrar.

Once you're signed in, go to Domain Extras in the navigation bar at the top. Underneath your Authorization Code, you will find a section that shows if you have WHOIS Privacy enabled or disabled. If you have it enabled, disable it, otherwise one of your future steps in this process won't work. I found this out the hard way!

WHOIS has all the information of every single domain that exists. In order to keep that information private when you purchase a domain, you can purchase privacy (WHOIS Privacy). So when someone searches your domain using WHOIS, your personal information, which you have associated with your domain, won't be viewed by anybody who decides to investigate you on WHOIS.

So why would we want to disable this? It's a temporary disable. You can enable it again once your domain transfer is complete. In order for a confirmation email to be sent to the email address listed in your domain admin, you need to allow your new web host access to this email address. With WHOIS Privacy enabled, the default email address is yourdomain@contactprivacy.com, which you can't access.

So, temporarily disable WHOIS Privacy.

Step 5: Name Servers

A name server, as I understand it, is basically just a server that hosts a network, and it translates computer information into human-readable information, such as a number. For example, I'm sure you've probably heard of a DNS server. DNS stands for Domain Name System. The most important function of DNS servers is to translate domain names and hostnames into IP addresses. An IP address is a number that is assigned to each device (example: a computer) that participates in a network. In this case, our network is the Internet.

Contact your new web hosting service provider and find out what their name servers are. They should have two and they should look something like this:

ns1.webhostname.com
ns2.webhostname.com

Go back to manage.opensrs.net, and go to Name Servers in the navigation bar. There should already be two name servers in the top two fields. You want to replace them with the ones you just got from your new web host. 

Step 6: Transfer Your Domain

Your new web hosting service provider will likely have their own procedure for transferring your domain from your old web host to them. Make sure you find out what their procedure is and follow their steps.

You will need one piece of info, though. Your domain Authorization Code (also affectionately referred to by the techies as "auth code"). You can find your Authorization Code by going back to manage.opensrs.net and going to Domain Extras. It's located above the WHOIS Privacy stuff.

Step 7: Confirm the Transfer

Once you complete your new web host's steps for transferring, an email will be sent to the email address you have under Admin in your domain. The email will ask for confirmation to proceed with the transfer. (This is why we disabled the WHOIS Privacy.)

If you're not sure which email address you have set up for your domain, you can go to manage.opensrs.net, and find it under Admin.

The confirmation email will likely have a link or more instructions on how to confirm the transfer. Just follow these steps or link.

Once you confirm the transfer, the new web host will take a couple of days to make the transfer happen.


I hope this helps somebody because I sure could have used instructions like this during my process. I have to say, though, I learned a heck of a lot about what goes on in the back-end world. It's a lot for a creative, non-techie mind to wrap itself around, but hopefully I've laid it out as simply as possible for you. Good luck with your own domain transfers! May the force be with you! ;)