Best Way To Build Website

[paulk7737514]

I am building a new website for a client. I will need to transfer the domain name to a new reseller account, created by me, but I don't want the current site to go down because there is a lot of content to scrape, especially in the way of downloadable files.

Should I just build the site locally before transferring the domain to the new registrar? Or should I contact the present registrar to make sure the domain name won't get decoupled from the current website just because it is transferred to a new registrar?

[B i r n o u]

Simply put in place a process to follow such as:

1. stop updating the old web site
2. clone the current web site locally
3. adjust all the new web site locally as you need
4. upload the new content to the new web location
5. change the DNS to point at the new web location
6. once the domain respond to the new location (full propagation is more or less 48 hours) remove the old web site
7. start updating the new web site as needed

[osgood_]

Do you have access to the current website i.e., ftp/control panel?

If so do as Birnou suggests, download and transfer the current files onto the new hosting server, then instruct whoever is responsible to point the domain at the new servers. That should guarantee a seamless approach.

Work on the new website locally, test (I assume that will take several weeks) and when youre ready upload it and remove the old files. Its up to the old host to remove the old files from their server.

You could of course do nothing until the new website is near finished (you might have to if the old website is using old database code, such as mysql) but personally I like to jump ahead just to ensure things are running smoothly and I'm not wasting my time.

[paulk7737514]

I'm building the site in a hosting account in a GoDaddy reseller account and transferring the domain to the registrar which is used for the GoDaddy reseller (Wild West Domains). Ideally I'd like to keep the domain DNS pointing at the old site (different hosting provider) until I'm ready to launch the new one, but I don't want to take a chance and transfer the domain to Wild West Domains and for whatever reason it no longer points to the old site.

I guess the best solution would be just to work on the website locally, then transfer the domain name and FTP the new site files to the new hosting provider account.

[B i r n o u]

the new web hosting can create a temporary alias URL to this new location... then , and only then, when the new web site will be ready to be public , the password protected access will be removed and the DNS changed

[B i r n o u]

I do this every week on each new project which consist to rebuild an existing web site.

the only problem is when the registrar own the domain (technically speaking) he can block you week and week to administrativly change the DNS trying to keep you being its client.

[osgood_]

paulk7737514  wrote

I guess the best solution would be just to work on the website locally, then transfer the domain name and FTP the new site files to the new hosting provider account.

That's what I usually do and just hope the current custodian of the domain plays ball, transfers over the donain name or at the very least points it at the new servers. I've not had any problems in the past but there is always a small possibiliy that whoever currently manages the domain/website could make it 'akward'.

In an ideal world you would get all this sorted out before entering into the process of buidling a new website. I always give my clients the ftp and control panel details so they can pass those on to another developer should they wish not to use my services any longer. Then they at least have access to all the current files/database.

Domain names are registered - if someone wants to be akward you can approach the company that manages the domain name to intervene. Thats how it happens with .uk names anyway, Nominet are the custodians,  although they will always advise to go down the correct channels first before they become involved in domain name disputes.

Much easy if its a start up company but there are few of them about these days, its mostly functioning websites or re-builds which are inherited.