If I can't redirect to new url, how bad is forwarding it?

[SteveHarris]

Google apparently can't index my new domain, because my old domain, which is un-hosted, is indexed and points to the new domain. A permanet re-direct, from the old domain to the new, would be the best way to go, but frankly, it's too much of a hassle to use a permanent redirect with FrontPage. (I'm told it can be done, but it's not easy.)

I was thinking about removing the "pointing to" scenario, so Google can see my new url, and index it, but then I'm afraid of not being in Google for awhile. I wonder if I stop the old domain from pointing to the new domain, and then set up an url forwarding service, if that will free up Google to index my new domain, while showing a listing of the old indexed domain? Thanks!

[WebGuerrilla]

Assuming that it's the site in your profile, here's what will work.

Since both domains are pointing to the same IP, you can use Mod Rewrite on apache to change any requests for the old domain to the new domain. This will give a 301 redirect from your current site rather than having it setup on an old site.

You would need to put this in your .htaccess file

RewriteEngine On
RewriteBase /

RewriteCond %{HTTP_HOST} [olddomain.com$...]
RewriteRule ^(.+) [newdomain.com...] [L,R=301]

That will give Google a 301. Over time it will figure it out and index the site under the new domain.

[SteveHarris]

Thanks. I'm trying not to have to use an .htaccess file because I use FrontPage, and then I would have to fiddle with an FTP upload...and put the files in the correct place...and I'm wondering if there's a better way to get a decent result. BTW, thanks, it is the same domain as in my profile.

[CCowboy]

Steve,

If your old domain is un-hosted it is dead and all links in Google for it are dead also.

This would not affect your new site being indexed if it has incoming links.

301 re-directs are not a function of Front Page, but are a feature that is on your web server. You can redirect both individual pages or files or the entire domain if your web host will do it.

[edited by: CCowboy at 9:35 pm (utc) on May 13, 2003]

[WebGuerrilla]

FrontPage does use a modified .htaccess but I'm pretty sure you can add additional items to it without causing any problems.

If you log into your server using an FTP client rather than FP, you can download your .htaccess file. Make a copy of it, and then upload the changed one. If it doesn't work, just put the original back.

[SteveHarris]

Thanks. In my origianal post, maybe I should have been more clear. I wonder if there's another solution besides dealing with .htaccess. Maybe url forwarding? But then I wonder what that does with Google. Thanks.

[CCowboy]

You could forward your url, but depending how it's done could cause problems.

Sending your Old URL to the same I.P. address as your new domain would keep links to current pages live, if the navagation is the same. The problem is that the new site might look to google like a mirror site.

I have my own server so I always do a 301 redirect for important pages to the new pages. Takes more time, but avoids problems.

[WebGuerrilla]

>>The problem is that the new site might look to google like a mirror site.

That is how he has it setup now. When you do that, you are basically letting Google decide which domain the site should be indexed under. They will usually list the domain that has the most links pointing to it, so if you can't setup a 301, you need to start trying to get any existing links changed to the new domain.

[abcdef]

here is a simple 301 redirect in asp: for anybody's future reference that should be SE safe:

<%
Response.Status = "301 Moved Permanently"
Response.addheader "Location", "http://"
Response.End
%>

.htaccess is not for Windows. It's for UNIX/LINUX

[eaden]

abcdef:

.htaccess is not for Windows. It's for UNIX/LINUX

No, it's for Apache. Which is used on Windows, Linux, Unix, Apple... BSD.. etc.

[abcdef]

hi eaden,

i haven't heard of Windows servers running Apache ever, however that could be the case.

[SteveHarris]

Thanks Web G. That might be the best way to go!

[eaden]

abcdef

i haven't heard of Windows servers running Apache ever, however that could be the case.

only 7% of windows served sites run apache.. [news.netcraft.com]

[abcdef]

ah, indeed Eaton,

therefore the original poster, who is using FrontPage, though might be on FrontPage on a Unix box with ChileSoft,is most likely not on a Windows box running Apache...

So in all likelyhood, .htaccess would not work for most Windows platform hosters. That would explain why if they try adding one to a typical Windows web, it wouldn't take it. In case the poster was trying to....

Which was my point, however you did clarify.

[abcdef]

and yeah, Steve Harris, if your other domain name is not hosted, than it's pretty much dead to the whole world= re-direction is not possible in the first place unless you bring it back from the dead, if that is what you really wanting to do

presuming the domain name is different, you can have your current host enter it into their DNS and direct it to your new website, which should be search engine safe we would think. People have multiple tld's pointing to the same website, for various reasons, all over. As long as the IP is the same, and it will be.

[SteveHarris]

Thanks. I think I'll take the advice to optimize the site with the new domain name and let google, hopefully, find the domain name that has the most links pointing to it and make that site the one that is indexed. As it is now, Google shows my old url pretty well, and it does, after all, lead to my site...with an old but acceptable url.

[pianoman]

abcdefg -

RE: "People have multiple tld's pointing to the same website, for various reasons, all over. As long as the IP is the same, and it will be. "

I'm wondering how muti-dom pointers affect the rankings of the individual doms.

I've been led to believe that multiple domain names pointed at the same "website" look like mirrors / trickery to the engines...

I've heard about "redundancy filters".

Comments?

[abcdef]

i wouldnt think and have not heard of multiple domain names pointing to the same website as being considered mirrored sites (it is only one site) and subject to banning or penalty by google.

maybe googleguy wants to shed some official google light, or someone else who has had experience with multiple domain names pointing to one web site. becauese there are other reasons than to cheat google, valid ones, for pointing mutiple domain names to one website... for instance, what about a company phasing in one tradename, and slowly phasing out another..... why duplicate a site to do that, which could create a mirror site.......

however, no matter what, if you aren't hosting that second domain anywhere, whether or not to URL forward it is not relevant until you have it hosted somewhere. until than, that domain name is dead to the internet, if not the world.

[WebGuerrilla]

Multiple domains pointing to the same IP is not a problem. google is very good at figuring out that they are all the same site.

I would also suggest that if anyone wants to discuss it further, a new thread should be started.