Site migrations can be simple or complicated. If you feel uncomfortable doing the following I offer a site migration service.

Static Website

This type of website is fairly straight forward (no dynamic programming outside of a form script). You can FTP the existing site down to your computer, and then FTP it to the new hosting account. Once the new site (under its temporary url) is functioning you will then need to log into your domain name registrar and update the DNS (domain nameservers).

Dynamic Website

A dynamic website may just use PHP server side includes with no database, but many dynamic sites use one or more databases.

You Have Access to the Web Server

FTP the entire site to your computer, backup the databases (using phpMyAdmin) and save it as a SQL file. You will be asked where you want to save the file. I typically use the same folder that I used to copy the web site to.

New databases will have to be created on the new web server using cPanel. See below.

Give the database a name. In the example I used “test”.

Add a user. I used “testing”. You can use your own database password or use the wizard to create one. You will need to save the password by copying and pasting the password in a safe place. Or you can write it down. Click “Use Password” if using the Wizard and it will automatically populate the second password field

Click “Next”.

You will then grant privileges to the database. Click on the top button to grant full access.

Populating the Database

Go back to cPanel and click on the phpMyAdmin button.

You will then see the following select the database you want to populate, e.g., test.

Click on “SQL” at the top.

Paste your SQL statement in the box and then click “Go”.

You Do Not Have Access to the Web Server

Some web designers and developers offer hosting, but do not provide access to the site outside of FTP access, and some do not even provide that.

If the above is the case here are my recommendations.

1. Request FTP access. If they will not grant access ask for a zip file of the site to be sent to you.
2. If they won’t provide FTP access odds are they won’t let you have access to the database so ask them to provide you with an “Export” of the database as a SQL statement and have them send it to you.