Hi all,

Please I would like to know how long it will take to transfer from one host provider to another. Someone said it can take as long as 2 weeks and that the least time it will take is 7 days. Is that right? Also, I would like to know for how long services like e-mail will be down during the transfer process.

Please kindly advise. Thanks in advance.

Can be done in 12 to 24 hrs, if necessary.
[s]
Unless you are talking of domain name transfer from one registrar to another.[/s]

Domain transfer takes a week from initiation and confirmation of transfer.

Host service transfer (which just involved changing nameservers) takes 24-48 hours for the change to propagate across the interwebs.

Ok, thanks a lot. I a actually talking about both. Host and domain name transfer. So, will it be safe to say that moving both (domain name and host) can take from 7 days to 14 weeks?

ewds: Hi all,

Please I would like to know how long it will take to transfer from one host provider to another.

copying/moving/transferring 1 or more sites from one server to the other takes less than 5mins per site, depending on the size.

It will however take some hours for the new ip address of the site(s) to spread throughout the internet.

During that time, some people will be able to view your site, others wont.

Some emails will go to your old host, some to your new host, some will bounce.

Things should normalise within 24hrs if no complications, but try schedule the migration over a weekend, starting late at night.

By the time u wake up the next morning, or resume work on monday, things should have normalized.

Someone said it can take as long as 2 weeks and that the least time it will take is 7 days. Is that right?

ur site can be moved to a new server and working within 24hrs, while you wait 7 days for transfer of domain ownership.

Domain ownership or control shouldnt hinder your migration.

If its taking 2wks, something else is involved. Middlemen, maybe.

Also, I would like to know for how long services like e-mail will be down during the transfer process.

Please kindly advise. Thanks in advance.

emails can be misrouted for 12 to 48 hrs, depending on how your dns is configured.

I second the suggestion about making transfers on friday nights. Its the best time to do any DNS change... in my experience (hoping its not psychology) DNS changes propagate faster on Saturday and Sunday.

Do a DNS change on Monday and its doom for the business till Wednesday or Thursday.

In your case the best you can do is to sort out your hosting transfer first, changing domain nameservers to the new host.

When you are done with hosting transfer then sort out domain transfer. There are no downtimes in domain transfers and nothing needs to change or propagate.

Gee thnks a lot! I appreciate all the advice and support.

Just to add, you really need to find out why they are insisting on 2 weeks.

Another possibility is that they might want to register custom nameservers for you, which takes that long (2wks) but is not really necessary to get started.

At the end of the day, its up to your provider, not you.

No, I don't think so. It's just the regular transfer. What's the custom nameservers about please?

ewds: No, I don't think so. It's just the regular transfer. What's the custom nameservers about please?

if u were using ns1.your-domain.com and ns2.your-domain.com at your old host, they might want to get ns3 and ns4 for you at ur new one, though not really necessary.

Just added that cos its the only thing i know that can take 2wks, [s]apart from a domain that has entered Redemption Period i.e. "over expired" .[/s]

The domain name is still active. Thanks.

ewds: The domain name is still active. Thanks.

All domains must be transferred not later than 9-14 days to its expiry. If you try to do a domain transfer on a domain that will expire in 5 days (for instance) there is a very high chance your transfer won't be approved. In a case like that you just have to renew the domain with the present registrar before you try to transfer again.

Also note, you cannot transfer a domain earlier than 3 months into its registration. So if you register a domain today, you cannot transfer it to another registrar until some time in July.

No, email will not be down.

Thanks. I was given the impression that e-mail services will be down for a period of 7 days to 2 weeks