201 lines
7.1 KiB
Markdown
201 lines
7.1 KiB
Markdown
---
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title: "Migrate from SiteGround"
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description: "How to transfer your website and database from SiteGround to Arcline, including handling SiteGround's custom tools and SuperCacher."
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section: migrate
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order: 3
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---
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# Migrate from SiteGround
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SiteGround uses cPanel on older accounts and their own Site Tools panel on newer ones. The migration process is similar either way: export your files and database, set up on Arcline, test, then cut over DNS.
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---
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## Before you start
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- SiteGround Site Tools or cPanel access
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- Arcline cPanel account
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- 30–90 minutes depending on site size
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- Note any SiteGround-specific plugins installed (see [SiteGround-specific notes](#siteground-specific-notes))
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---
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## Step 1 — Export files from SiteGround
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### Via Site Tools (newer SiteGround accounts)
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SiteGround's Site Tools replaced cPanel on newer accounts. To export your files:
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1. Site Tools → **Site → FTP Accounts** — create an FTP user if you don't have one
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2. Connect with FileZilla or Cyberduck to `yourdomain.com` on port 22 (SFTP) or 21 (FTP)
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3. Download your `public_html` folder
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Or use SiteGround's Backup tool:
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1. Site Tools → **Security → Backups**
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2. Select the most recent backup date
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3. Click **Restore** on **File System** — but choose **Download** instead of restore to download the archive
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### Via cPanel (older SiteGround accounts)
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cPanel → **Files → Backup Wizard → Full Backup → Download**
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This creates a full archive including databases.
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---
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## Step 2 — Export your database
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### Site Tools
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1. Site Tools → **Site → MySQL** → select your database → click **phpMyAdmin**
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2. Click the database name in the left sidebar
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3. **Export → Quick → SQL → Go**
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Or use the **Backup** tool → select the most recent backup → **Download** on the database section.
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### cPanel
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cPanel → **Databases → phpMyAdmin** → select database → **Export → Quick → SQL → Go**
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For large databases, export via SSH:
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```bash
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mysqldump -u dbusername -p dbname > siteground_backup.sql
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```
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---
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## Step 3 — Set up 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 database, a user, and assign the user with **All Privileges**
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3. Note all three: database name, username, password
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**Import the database:**
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1. cPanel → phpMyAdmin → select the new (empty) database → **Import**
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2. Choose the `.sql` file from SiteGround
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3. Click **Go**
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For large files (over 50 MB), import via SSH (see [Back Up and Restore a MySQL Database](/getting-started/mysql-backup/)).
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**Upload files:**
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Connect via SFTP to Arcline and upload everything to `/home/username/public_html/`. See [Upload Files via SFTP](/getting-started/sftp/).
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---
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## Step 4 — Update database credentials
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Edit `wp-config.php` (or your site's database config file) with the new credentials:
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```php
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define( 'DB_NAME', 'arclinecpanel_dbname' );
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define( 'DB_USER', 'arclinecpanel_dbuser' );
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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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SiteGround sometimes uses a non-localhost `DB_HOST` (e.g., a private IP). On Arcline, it's always `localhost`.
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---
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## Step 5 — Check PHP version
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1. SiteGround Site Tools → **Devs → PHP Manager** — note the PHP version
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2. Arcline cPanel → **Software → Select PHP Version** — match it
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Also enable any PHP extensions your site needs. Common ones: `mbstring`, `curl`, `gd`, `imagick`, `intl`, `zip`. Check the **Extensions** tab in MultiPHP Manager on Arcline.
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---
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## Step 6 — Remove SiteGround caching
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SiteGround's SuperCacher (now called SG Optimizer) installs a caching plugin and server-side caching. Before testing on Arcline:
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1. Deactivate the **SG Optimizer** plugin (or **SiteGround Optimizer**) — it will try to connect to SiteGround's infrastructure which won't be available on Arcline
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2. Delete any `.htaccess` lines added by SG Optimizer that reference SiteGround-specific caching rules
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3. Install a standard WordPress caching plugin instead (LiteSpeed Cache, W3 Total Cache, or WP Super Cache work well on Arcline)
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If you leave SG Optimizer active, the plugin will disable itself gracefully on non-SiteGround servers, but it's cleaner to remove it.
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---
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## Step 7 — Test before DNS cutover
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Add your Arcline server IP to your local `hosts` file:
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```
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YOUR_ARCLINE_IP yourdomain.com www.yourdomain.com
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```
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**macOS / Linux:** `/etc/hosts` (requires sudo)
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**Windows:** `C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc\hosts` (as Administrator)
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Visit your domain and check:
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- Homepage and key pages load
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- Images display
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- WordPress admin works
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- Contact forms submit
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- Any e-commerce checkout works (if applicable)
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Remove the `hosts` entry when done.
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---
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## Step 8 — Switch nameservers
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**If your domain is registered at SiteGround** (they became a domain registrar):
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1. SiteGround → **Domains** → select your domain
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2. Go to **Nameservers** and select **Custom Nameservers**
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3. Enter:
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- `ns1.arcline.it`
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- `ns2.arcline.it`
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4. Save
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**If registered elsewhere**, update nameservers at that registrar. See [Point Your Domain to Arcline](/getting-started/nameservers/).
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Leave SiteGround running for 24–48 hours. Both servers will serve the site during propagation — that's fine, the content is the same.
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---
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## Step 9 — Email migration
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**Moving to Arcline email:**
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1. Create accounts in Arcline cPanel → **Email → Email Accounts**
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2. Arcline's MX records activate after nameservers switch
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3. Export existing email from SiteGround's webmail (Roundcube) before cancelling
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**Keeping Google Workspace or another provider:**
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After switching nameservers, re-add your external MX records in Arcline cPanel → **Domains → Zone Editor**.
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---
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## SiteGround-specific notes
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**SG Optimizer / SuperCacher** — disable and remove before or shortly after migration. It won't cause harm on Arcline but serves no purpose.
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**SiteGround staging** — if you used SiteGround's staging feature, the staging site lives on their servers. You can ignore it; migrate only the production site.
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**Cloudflare via SiteGround** — SiteGround has a built-in Cloudflare integration. If your site was using it, you have a Cloudflare account attached to SiteGround. After migrating, you can either:
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- Switch to Arcline nameservers directly (disables the SiteGround-managed Cloudflare)
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- Keep Cloudflare: transfer the zone to your own Cloudflare account and update the A record to point to Arcline's IP
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**SiteGround emails about resource limits** — if you were on SiteGround's entry-level plan, you may have hit CPU/memory limits. These limits don't carry over; Arcline has its own resource allocation.
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**WordPress auto-updates** — SiteGround has WordPress auto-update settings in Site Tools. These won't apply on Arcline. Set up your own update preferences in WordPress → **Dashboard → Updates** or use a plugin like ManageWP.
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---
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## After migration checklist
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- [ ] Site loads at `https://yourdomain.com`
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- [ ] SSL certificate valid
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- [ ] WordPress admin accessible
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- [ ] SG Optimizer deactivated/removed
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- [ ] Caching plugin configured for Arcline
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- [ ] Email accounts working
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- [ ] DNS propagated (verify at dnschecker.org)
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- [ ] SiteGround account kept active for 48 hours as fallback
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