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How to Avoid Downtime While an Addon Domain Spreads

This guide shows how to keep your site working while DNS changes spread, after you add or move an addon domain.

Domains and DNS2 min read12 steps

Why does downtime happen?

An addon domain is an extra website name on your hosting account. DNS is like a phone book for the internet. When you change where a domain points, the change must reach many computers. This is called propagation. It can take a few hours, sometimes up to two days.

During this time, some visitors reach the old server and some reach the new one. If the new server is empty or not ready, those visitors see an error. That is the downtime.

The safe plan

Before the change

  1. Take a full backup of the website and email from the old place. A backup is a spare copy you can restore.
  2. Add the domain as an addon domain in cPanel on the new account.
  3. Upload your site files and import your database there.
  4. Create the same email accounts on the new account.
  5. If possible, lower the TTL of your DNS records a day early. TTL is the time others may remember the old value. A lower value means faster change.

Test before switching

  1. On your computer, edit the hosts file. It is a small file that can override DNS on your machine only.
  2. Add a line with the new server IP and your domain name, such as 203.0.113.10 example.com www.example.com.
  3. Open the site in your browser. It now loads from the new server.
  4. Check pages, forms and logins. Then remove the line you added.

Get the server IP from your welcome email or from Hostvento support.

Switch the domain

  1. Change the nameservers or A record to the new server.
  2. Keep the old site online for at least two days.
  3. Do not delete the old files or close the old account yet.

What about email?

Mail sent during the change can go to either server. Check both mailboxes for a few days. Copy any mail that arrived at the old one.

If visitors see errors

  • Check that the addon domain exists in cPanel.
  • Check that the files are in the right folder.
  • Ask visitors to clear their cache or wait.
  • Open a ticket at https://secure.hostvento.com/submitticket.php if the problem lasts more than a day.
Tip: Make the change at a quiet time, like late evening, when fewer people visit.

Quick recap

  • Downtime happens when the new server is not ready while DNS spreads.
  • Prepare the new site fully before you change DNS.
  • Test with the hosts file, then switch.
  • Keep the old site for two days or more.