Slow pages, poor support or rising renewal prices push many Ugandan businesses to change web hosts. The fear is always the same: what if the website goes down or emails get lost during the move? The good news is that with a clear plan you can move your website to a new hosting provider without downtime, or with so little that customers never notice. This guide gives you that plan, step by step.
Why downtime happens during migrations
Downtime usually comes from doing things in the wrong order: cancelling the old hosting before the new one is ready, changing nameservers before files are copied, or forgetting about email. The secret to a smooth move is simple: keep the old host running until the new host is fully tested, then switch DNS, then wait.
Step 1: Take stock of what you have
Before touching anything, list everything that lives on your current hosting:
- Website files and the platform you use, such as WordPress
- Databases
- Email accounts, forwarders and mailbox sizes
- Subdomains, such as shop.yourbusiness.ug
- Additional domains on the same account
- DNS records, especially MX, TXT (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) and any records for third party services
- Scheduled tasks (cron jobs)
- SSL certificates
Also note where your domain is registered and who controls it. You need access to the domain's DNS or nameservers to complete the move.
Step 2: Choose the new host and set up the account
Pick a host with the resources you need, servers that perform well for your audience, backups and responsive support. Create the hosting account, but do not change your domain's nameservers yet. Many hosts, including Baasa Cloud, offer free or assisted migration, which can save a lot of effort.
Step 3: Lower the DNS TTL
TTL (time to live) tells internet servers how long to cache your DNS records. A lower TTL means changes spread faster. About 24 to 48 hours before the move, lower the TTL on your main records, for example to 300 seconds (five minutes), at your current DNS provider. When you switch later, visitors will reach the new server more quickly.
Step 4: Back up everything
Take a full backup from the old host before you start. In cPanel, this usually means the Backup tool, or downloading files and exporting databases separately. Store the backup on your own computer or cloud storage. This is your safety net if anything goes wrong.
Step 5: Copy the website to the new host
Choose the method that fits your situation:
- cPanel to cPanel transfer: if both hosts use cPanel, a full account backup can often be restored on the new server, carrying files, databases and email together.
- WordPress migration plugin: plugins designed for migration package your site and restore it on the new host.
- Manual move: upload files via File Manager or FTP, create a new database, import the SQL file and update the configuration file with the new database details.
Step 6: Test before switching
This is the step most people skip, and it is the most important. You can preview the site on the new server before changing DNS:
- Edit the hosts file on your computer to point your domain to the new server's IP address. Only your computer will see the new server.
- Alternatively, use a temporary URL or preview link if your new host provides one.
- Browse every important page: home, contact, shop, checkout, forms and login.
- Submit a test form and check that it sends.
- Check images, menus and links.
- Remove the hosts file entry when you finish testing.
Step 7: Prepare email carefully
Email is where migrations most often go wrong. Plan it:
- Create the same email accounts on the new host, with the same addresses.
- Copy existing mail if needed. Some hosts can migrate mailboxes; otherwise, tools that sync IMAP mailboxes can copy old messages.
- Tell staff the plan, and give them new settings if they use Outlook or phone apps.
- After DNS switches, keep checking the old mailbox for a day or two in case some messages arrive there during propagation.
If your email is hosted elsewhere, such as Google Workspace or Microsoft 365, make sure you copy the existing MX and verification records exactly to the new DNS, or email will stop.
Step 8: Switch DNS
When the new site is tested, update your DNS. You can either change the domain's nameservers to the new host's, or keep your current DNS provider and change only the A records to the new server IP. If you change nameservers, recreate all necessary records on the new host first, including MX and TXT records.
Choose a quiet time for the switch, such as early morning or a weekend, when fewer customers are visiting.
Step 9: Monitor propagation
Thanks to the lowered TTL, most visitors should reach the new server within minutes to a few hours, although some networks may take longer. During this period, avoid making content changes on the old site, because they will not appear on the new one. If you run an online shop, consider pausing orders briefly or checking both servers for new orders.
Step 10: Install SSL and do a final check
Once DNS points to the new host, make sure an SSL certificate is issued for your domain and that the site loads with https. Then check:
- Website loads correctly on mobile and desktop
- Forms send emails
- Email sends and receives in all accounts
- Google Search Console shows no new errors
- Analytics is still tracking
Step 11: Cancel the old hosting, but not too soon
Keep the old hosting active for at least a week after the move. This gives you a fallback and time to catch anything missed. Download one final backup, then cancel.
Migration checklist
- Inventory of sites, email and DNS records completed
- New hosting account set up
- TTL lowered a day or two before
- Full backup downloaded
- Site copied and tested via hosts file
- Email accounts recreated
- DNS updated at a quiet time
- SSL installed on the new host
- Old host kept active for at least a week
Frequently asked questions
How long does a website migration take?
A small site can be copied in an hour or two. Testing and DNS propagation add time. Plan for a few days from start to finish, with the actual switch taking minutes.
Will my Google rankings drop?
Not if the URLs stay the same and the site works well. A faster host can even help.
Do I need to transfer my domain too?
No. Hosting and domain registration are separate. You can move hosting and keep the domain where it is, just updating DNS.
What if something breaks after the switch?
Because the old host is still active, you can point DNS back while you fix the issue.
Conclusion
Moving to a new hosting provider without downtime comes down to sequence: inventory, backup, copy, test, switch DNS, monitor and only then cancel the old host. Take care with email records and keep a fallback. If you would rather not do it yourself, the Baasa Cloud support team can handle the migration to our LiteSpeed hosting while you keep running your business.