Migrating Your Website to TekLan

Moving your website to TekLan Hosting is straightforward if you follow the right order: copy files, copy databases, test, then switch DNS. Doing it this way means you can verify everything is working before any visitors see the new server.

Step 1: Back Up Everything First

Before touching anything, create a full backup of your existing site from your current host. This includes:

• All website files (public_html or equivalent)
• All databases
• Any cron jobs or custom server configuration

Step 2: Set Up Your Hosting Account

Log in to your TekLan client area and find your hosting service. Open the Enhance control panel link. Add your domain as a website inside Enhance - this creates the directory structure and sets up PHP.

Step 3: Copy Your Files

Use FTP or SFTP to connect to your new hosting account. Upload your website files into the public_html directory (or the folder Enhance created for your domain).

If your site uses Composer or npm build steps, run those locally first and upload the compiled output.

Step 4: Export and Import Your Database

On your old host, use phpMyAdmin or the command line to export your database as a .sql file:

mysqldump -u username -p database_name > backup.sql

In Enhance on your new account, create a new database and database user. Then import:

mysql -u new_username -p new_database < backup.sql

Update your site's configuration file (e.g. wp-config.php for WordPress) with the new database host, name, username, and password.

Step 5: Test Before Switching DNS

To preview your site on the new server without changing DNS, add a temporary entry to your local hosts file:

# Mac / Linux: /etc/hosts
# Windows: C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc\hosts

203.0.113.10  example.com www.example.com

Replace 203.0.113.10 with your TekLan hosting IP (visible in the client area). Your browser will go to the new server while everyone else still sees the old one.

Test thoroughly - check forms, logins, payment flows, and any dynamic features. When everything works, remove the hosts file entry.

Step 6: Lower Your DNS TTL

On your current DNS provider, lower the TTL for your A records to 300 (5 minutes) at least a few hours before you plan to switch. This minimises how long old DNS records are cached during the cutover.

Step 7: Switch DNS

Update your A records to point to your new TekLan IP address. Within 5-30 minutes, most visitors will start hitting the new server. Keep the old server running for 24-48 hours in case some resolvers are still serving the old IP.