Up & Down: Transfer a domain

[pixelman]

Need advices from you experts.

1. If I move my domain to a new registrar, will the e-mail and web services of that domain down temporarily (even if I point to the same DNS servers)?

2. If I want to trasnfer my web site to a new ISP and the DNS entries will be changed, how to make sure that the e-mail service won't be down for a few days after the transfer of domain?

 

[MarkMitford]

In general, if the DNS servers are staying the same there will be no downtime (the name just remains in the zone file without change).

Changing DNS is a little more tricky and I'm sure people here can provide more help than me.

One warning: If you are moving between ISPs/Registrars that both use Criticalpath for their email then you may have problems. I transferred a name from VRSN to Tucows and the email wouldn't work until VRSN deleted the email box they had created for the domain, of course VRSN would respond to requests to do this and I had to fax a signed document to Tucows to get it done.

 

[GeorgeK]

1. No, since the DNS stays the same during a transfer.

2. Setup the new webhosting account, and let the old webhosting account continue to run while you change the DNS to point to the new servers. Then, get email from both systems, and monitor the number of hits to the website at the old host. After a few days (up to a week), almost all traffic should be going to the new host, and you can go ahead and cancel the old webhosting account.

 

[GeorgeK]

Correction to #1 -- if the webhosting and/or email are being provided by the registrar itself (i.e. as part of a package), you can lose service by transferring, even though the DNS doesn't change. If you're with a standard webhosting company somewhere, though, that's not related to your domain registration, switching registrars should have no impact, as the DNS doesn't change.