Need Help on Transferring a Website

[siervocal]

I am the Webmaster of <snip> for nearly two years. In this period we have been using <a hosting company> but recently we have had some issues with it. When thinking about transferring, I proposed that we switched to <another company>.

I went through the process of transferring registar and it asked me for an authorization code; when I tried to contact <my present host> to get it, they never gave me an answer.

I would like to know any suggestions on what to do to switch hosts, note that I need to also transfer all the email addresses without having to wait too long.

<Snip>

Thanks in advance,

Carlos.

<Moderator's Note: We don't allow "recommend/endorse a hos" threads.>

[edited by: Webwork at 4:15 pm (utc) on Nov. 22, 2006]
[edit reason] Charter [webmasterworld.com] [/edit]

[Webwork]

Hi Carlos and welcome to WebmasterWorld. Sorry to greet your initial posts with a series of edits but once you read the Charter you will understand the deletions.

It would help if we knew whether the domain is registered in your name or your host's name.

If it's in your name then it should be easy to get the transfer code by logging into your domain registration account.

IF it's in your host's name then you may also have to read your hosting agreement/contract as some contracts spell out restrictions on domain name transfers, especially if the domain was part of a "package deal".

[siervocal]

Webwork, sorry about that (noob here!). I think the website is actually registered with my boss's name, not mine or the host. I think that would be easier. So do you think it should be in the Host's control panel or something?

[Webwork]

Not unless the host is also the domain registrar. Even if the webhost is the domain registrar you may still be able to login to the domain name management console, generate the transfer code (or request it from inside the domain management console) and be on your way to a new host.

[siervocal]

Domain Management Console... mmm.. they don't offer me anything like that. All they have is a control panel where you can change some of the site setting but I really can't find anything referring to the authorization code.

[Webwork]

Determine the domain name registrar. That's where you access the domain transfer controls. The administrative contact, in the WhoIs for the domain, should be able to receive an account name and password for accessing the domain registrar's control panel.

You are a noob, aren't you? :0) Welcome to the club. We all were once and we're here to help.

Alrighty, it's the day before Thanksgiving so someone else needs to step in and take over as guide. I've got some errands to run. ;)

[leadegroot]

Wow! 10 hours and no one has jumped in?
You've all gone off for Thanksgiving, haven't you?
Ok, its foreigners to the rescue! <g>

The first thing to do is to determine just who owns your domain name.
I am assuming you have your own domain name - something like mywidgets.com, or even mywidgets.co.uk
If, in fact, you have a domain name like
ourwidgets.myhost.com, or myhost.com/~mywidgets/ then you are a bit screwed - you don't actually have a domain name, your host has been renting you a bit of space (like the difference between owning a house and renting someone's spare room, which gives you no rights to sell the house).
I'll assume this isn't the case. If it is then you'll need to start over with a new domain name.

We need to do a whois.
When I google for whois the first result is
[whois.net...]
Lets try that.
Put your domain name in the 'WHOIS Lookup' field, select the right extension so the whole thing looks like your actual domain name and press the button.
ok, obviously its against TOS to tell us the results, but the line marked 'registrar' tells you who your real registrar is, and further down (probably waaaaaay down) you will see the actual registrant - hopefully this is you or your boss and not your hosting company.

Best case: the host is not the registrar and you (or your boss) are the registrant, with an email address listed that you have access to. You only need to log in at the registrar's website and request *them* to tell you the code.

Let us know how you go :)