docs/content/migrate/from-godaddy.md

title, description, section, order

title	description	section	order
Migrate from GoDaddy	Step-by-step guide to moving your website and email from GoDaddy shared hosting to Arcline without downtime.	migrate	1

Migrate from GoDaddy

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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Before you start

You'll need:

• GoDaddy cPanel login (or FTP credentials if you're on GoDaddy's non-cPanel shared hosting)
• Access to your Arcline cPanel account
• Your domain's registrar login (wherever you registered the domain — could be GoDaddy itself)
• About 30–60 minutes depending on site size

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Step 1 — Export your files from GoDaddy

If GoDaddy uses cPanel

Log into GoDaddy's cPanel and create a full backup:

1. cPanel → Files → Backup (or Backup Wizard)
2. Choose Full Account Backup and download to your computer

The backup includes your public_html files and all databases.

If GoDaddy uses their custom control panel (Websites + Marketing / Managed WordPress)

GoDaddy's Managed WordPress product doesn't give you direct file or database access. Options:

• Use the Jetpack or UpdraftPlus plugin to export a full backup (files + database) that you can import on Arcline
• Use the WordPress Export tool (Tools → Export) for content only, then reinstall plugins/themes manually
• Contact GoDaddy support and request a backup — they're required by some hosting terms to provide one on request

For standard GoDaddy shared hosting (cPanel-based), direct export is straightforward.

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Step 2 — Export your database from GoDaddy

If you used the full cPanel backup in Step 1, the database is already included. Otherwise:

1. GoDaddy cPanel → Databases → phpMyAdmin
2. Click your database name in the left sidebar
3. Click Export → Quick → SQL → Go

Save the .sql file.

For large databases: use Custom export, enable Add DROP TABLE, and export table-by-table if phpMyAdmin times out.

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Step 3 — Set up your site on Arcline

Create the database:

1. Arcline cPanel → Databases → MySQL Databases
2. Create a new database and a new user
3. Add the user to the database with All Privileges
4. Note the database name, username, and password

Import the database:

1. cPanel → phpMyAdmin → select the new database → Import
2. Upload the .sql file from GoDaddy
3. Click Go

For large databases, import via SSH instead (see Back Up and Restore a MySQL Database).

Upload your files:

Connect to your Arcline server via SFTP (see Upload Files via SFTP) and upload your site files to /home/username/public_html/.

If you downloaded a full cPanel backup, extract it first and locate the public_html folder inside.

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Step 4 — Update your database connection settings

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:

define( 'DB_NAME',     'cpanelusername_newdbname' );
define( 'DB_USER',     'cpanelusername_newdbuser' );
define( 'DB_PASSWORD', 'your-new-password' );
define( 'DB_HOST',     'localhost' );

On GoDaddy, DB_HOST is sometimes a custom hostname. On Arcline it's always localhost.

For non-WordPress sites, update whatever config file stores your database credentials (.env, config.php, database.yml, etc.).

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Step 5 — Test before going live

Before switching DNS, preview your site on Arcline by editing your local hosts file.

Find your Arcline server IP in cPanel → Server Information.

On macOS / Linux, edit /etc/hosts (requires sudo):

123.456.789.0  yourdomain.com www.yourdomain.com

On Windows, edit C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc\hosts as Administrator with the same line.

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:

• Pages load correctly
• Images appear
• Forms work
• Login works (WordPress admin, etc.)
• SSL certificate is valid (if AutoSSL has run)

Remove the hosts entry when done testing.

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Step 6 — Switch DNS

When you're happy the site works on Arcline:

If your domain is registered at GoDaddy:

1. GoDaddy → My Products → Domains → click your domain
2. Scroll to Nameservers → Change → I'll use my own nameservers
3. Enter ns1.arcline.it and ns2.arcline.it
4. Save

If your domain is registered elsewhere:

Follow the nameserver update instructions for your registrar. See Point Your Domain to Arcline for provider-specific steps.

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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Step 7 — Email migration

If you were using GoDaddy email (Workspace Email or Microsoft 365 through GoDaddy), you'll need to decide what to do with email:

Switching to Arcline email:

1. Create email accounts in Arcline cPanel → Email → Email Accounts
2. After nameservers switch, Arcline handles MX automatically
3. Export any email you want to keep from GoDaddy webmail before the cutover (GoDaddy Workspace Email → Settings → Export)

Keeping GoDaddy email (or Microsoft 365): After switching nameservers to Arcline, add the original MX records back in cPanel → Domains → Zone Editor. GoDaddy's Workspace Email uses:

Type	Priority	Value
MX	0	mailstore1.secureserver.net
MX	10	smtp.secureserver.net

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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Common GoDaddy-specific issues

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.

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.

GoDaddy file permissions — GoDaddy sometimes uses suEXEC with specific permission requirements. On Arcline, standard permissions (644 for files, 755 for directories) are correct.

Email forwarding was set up at GoDaddy — if you had forwarders, recreate them in Arcline cPanel → Email → Forwarders after switching nameservers.