177 lines
6.6 KiB
Markdown
177 lines
6.6 KiB
Markdown
---
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title: "Migrate from GoDaddy"
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description: "Step-by-step guide to moving your website and email from GoDaddy shared hosting to Arcline without downtime."
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section: migrate
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order: 1
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---
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# Migrate from GoDaddy
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Moving from GoDaddy to Arcline involves three parts: transferring your files, moving your database, and finally switching DNS. Done in that order, you can complete the whole migration with zero downtime.
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---
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## Before you start
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You'll need:
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- GoDaddy cPanel login (or FTP credentials if you're on GoDaddy's non-cPanel shared hosting)
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- Access to your Arcline cPanel account
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- Your domain's registrar login (wherever you registered the domain — could be GoDaddy itself)
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- About 30–60 minutes depending on site size
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---
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## Step 1 — Export your files from GoDaddy
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### If GoDaddy uses cPanel
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Log into GoDaddy's cPanel and create a full backup:
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1. cPanel → **Files → Backup** (or **Backup Wizard**)
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2. Choose **Full Account Backup** and download to your computer
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The backup includes your `public_html` files and all databases.
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### If GoDaddy uses their custom control panel (Websites + Marketing / Managed WordPress)
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GoDaddy's Managed WordPress product doesn't give you direct file or database access. Options:
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- Use the **Jetpack** or **UpdraftPlus** plugin to export a full backup (files + database) that you can import on Arcline
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- Use the WordPress **Export** tool (Tools → Export) for content only, then reinstall plugins/themes manually
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- Contact GoDaddy support and request a backup — they're required by some hosting terms to provide one on request
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For standard GoDaddy shared hosting (cPanel-based), direct export is straightforward.
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---
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## Step 2 — Export your database from GoDaddy
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If you used the full cPanel backup in Step 1, the database is already included. Otherwise:
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1. GoDaddy cPanel → **Databases → phpMyAdmin**
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2. Click your database name in the left sidebar
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3. Click **Export → Quick → SQL → Go**
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Save the `.sql` file.
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For large databases: use **Custom** export, enable **Add DROP TABLE**, and export table-by-table if phpMyAdmin times out.
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---
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## Step 3 — Set up your site on Arcline
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**Create the database:**
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1. Arcline cPanel → **Databases → MySQL Databases**
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2. Create a new database and a new user
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3. Add the user to the database with **All Privileges**
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4. Note the database name, username, and password
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**Import the database:**
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1. cPanel → phpMyAdmin → select the new database → **Import**
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2. Upload the `.sql` file from GoDaddy
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3. Click **Go**
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For large databases, import via SSH instead (see [Back Up and Restore a MySQL Database](/getting-started/mysql-backup/)).
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**Upload your files:**
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Connect to your Arcline server via SFTP (see [Upload Files via SFTP](/getting-started/sftp/)) and upload your site files to `/home/username/public_html/`.
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If you downloaded a full cPanel backup, extract it first and locate the `public_html` folder inside.
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---
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## Step 4 — Update your database connection settings
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WordPress stores the database host, name, username, and password in `wp-config.php`. Update it to point to the new database you created in Step 3:
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```php
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define( 'DB_NAME', 'cpanelusername_newdbname' );
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define( 'DB_USER', 'cpanelusername_newdbuser' );
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define( 'DB_PASSWORD', 'your-new-password' );
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define( 'DB_HOST', 'localhost' );
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```
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On GoDaddy, `DB_HOST` is sometimes a custom hostname. On Arcline it's always `localhost`.
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For non-WordPress sites, update whatever config file stores your database credentials (`.env`, `config.php`, `database.yml`, etc.).
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---
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## Step 5 — Test before going live
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Before switching DNS, preview your site on Arcline by editing your local `hosts` file.
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Find your Arcline server IP in cPanel → **Server Information**.
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**On macOS / Linux**, edit `/etc/hosts` (requires sudo):
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```
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123.456.789.0 yourdomain.com www.yourdomain.com
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```
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**On Windows**, edit `C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc\hosts` as Administrator with the same line.
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Now visit `https://yourdomain.com` in your browser — you'll see the Arcline version of your site even though DNS still points to GoDaddy. Check:
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- Pages load correctly
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- Images appear
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- Forms work
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- Login works (WordPress admin, etc.)
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- SSL certificate is valid (if AutoSSL has run)
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Remove the `hosts` entry when done testing.
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---
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## Step 6 — Switch DNS
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When you're happy the site works on Arcline:
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**If your domain is registered at GoDaddy:**
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1. GoDaddy → My Products → Domains → click your domain
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2. Scroll to **Nameservers → Change → I'll use my own nameservers**
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3. Enter `ns1.arcline.it` and `ns2.arcline.it`
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4. Save
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**If your domain is registered elsewhere:**
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Follow the nameserver update instructions for your registrar. See [Point Your Domain to Arcline](/getting-started/nameservers/) for provider-specific steps.
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DNS propagation takes 15 minutes to a few hours. During this time, some visitors may still hit GoDaddy. Keep the GoDaddy site live until propagation is complete (at least 24 hours).
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---
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## Step 7 — Email migration
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If you were using GoDaddy email (Workspace Email or Microsoft 365 through GoDaddy), you'll need to decide what to do with email:
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**Switching to Arcline email:**
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1. Create email accounts in Arcline cPanel → **Email → Email Accounts**
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2. After nameservers switch, Arcline handles MX automatically
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3. Export any email you want to keep from GoDaddy webmail before the cutover (GoDaddy Workspace Email → Settings → Export)
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**Keeping GoDaddy email (or Microsoft 365):**
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After switching nameservers to Arcline, add the original MX records back in cPanel → **Domains → Zone Editor**. GoDaddy's Workspace Email uses:
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| Type | Priority | Value |
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|---|---|---|
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| MX | 0 | `mailstore1.secureserver.net` |
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| MX | 10 | `smtp.secureserver.net` |
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For Microsoft 365 through GoDaddy, the MX record is specific to your tenant — find it in your Microsoft 365 admin portal.
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---
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## Common GoDaddy-specific issues
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**Site was on a subdomain (e.g., GoDaddy's temp URL)** — GoDaddy gives sites a staging URL while DNS isn't pointed. Make sure `siteurl` and `home` in WordPress → Settings → General (or `wp-config.php`) are set to your real domain, not GoDaddy's temp URL.
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**GoDaddy's PHP version differs** — GoDaddy defaults vary. Check your PHP version in GoDaddy cPanel and match it in Arcline cPanel → **Software → Select PHP Version** to avoid compatibility issues.
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**GoDaddy file permissions** — GoDaddy sometimes uses suEXEC with specific permission requirements. On Arcline, standard permissions (644 for files, 755 for directories) are correct.
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**Email forwarding was set up at GoDaddy** — if you had forwarders, recreate them in Arcline cPanel → **Email → Forwarders** after switching nameservers.
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