Moving your website to 1-grid is simpler than you might think. With a little preparation, a website migration is completed with little or no noticeable downtime, in most cases.
This guide walks you through the essentials, so you’ll know exactly what to do before your migration, what to expect while it’s happening, and how to make sure everything is working afterwards.
By the end of this guide, you’ll be ready to move to 1-grid with confidence.
Before You Begin
Before starting your migration, make sure you have:
- An active 1-grid hosting service
- Access to your current hosting account
- Access to your DNS settings (if you manage them)
- A recent backup of your website
If you’re also moving your email service, it’s helpful to have a list of your email accounts available.
Follow These Steps
1. Review Your Current Setup
Before moving your website, make sure you know where your website, email and domain are currently managed. If your website uses an SSL certificate, simply make a note of it so it can continue protecting your website after the migration.
2. Create a Backup
Before making any changes, create a complete backup of your website. If available, include your website files, databases and email data.
3. Prepare Your DNS
If you manage your own DNS records, lower your DNS Time to Live (TTL) before your migration. This can help your DNS updates spread more quickly once your website moves to 1-grid.
4. Move and Test Your Website
Once your new 1-grid hosting environment is ready, migrate your website by uploading your website files and test that everything is working before updating your DNS.
Take a few minutes to check that:
- Your website loads correctly.
- Forms and logins work as expected.
- Your SSL certificate is active.
TIP: Finding any issues before going live helps ensure a smooth experience for your visitors.
5. Go Live
When you’re happy that everything is working on your new 1-grid hosting service, including the nameservers, go ahead and update your DNS records to point to your new server.
After updating your DNS, some visitors may still see your previous website while others reach the new one. This is completely normal.
It simply means your DNS changes are being propagated across the internet, a process known as DNS propagation. Most DNS updates complete within 24 hours, although some may take up to 48 hours.
IMPORTANT: During this time, keep your previous hosting service active and continue checking that your website and email are working as expected.
What Happens Next?
As DNS propagation completes, more visitors will begin reaching your website on 1-grid until everyone is directed to your new hosting environment.
Once everything is working correctly on 1-grid, you can safely continue updating your website as normal.
Related Articles
- How to Change Your Domain’s Nameservers
- Understanding DNS Propagation
- How to Back Up Your Website
- How to Restore a Website Backup
- Troubleshooting Website Downtime After DNS Changes
You’re Ready
Website migrations are a normal part of growing your online presence.
With a little preparation, a recent backup and a few simple checks, most websites move to 1-grid smoothly with minimal disruption.
Wherever you are in your migration journey, we’re here to help make your move to 1-grid as simple as possible.
Need Help?
If something doesn’t look right after your migration, our Support team is here to help.
To help us investigate as quickly as possible, have the following ready:
- Your domain name
- Your hosting package
- When the migration or DNS update was completed
- Any error messages or screenshots
- A brief description of what’s not working
Providing this information upfront helps us resolve your migration more efficiently.