# switching web domain hosting - help **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 6, 2003, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/switching-web-domain-hosting-help/186597 "2003-07-06T18:01:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Headcoat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/6bbea6/32.png) [@Headcoat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Headcoat)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2003, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/switching-web-domain-hosting-help/186597/1 "2003-07-06T18:01:14Z")
I had bought a package deal from a web hosting service (domain name registration + hosting) - I still retain the ownership of the domain but wish to cancel the hosting on their service because I found a much cheaper one. How do I transfer this over? I also get this message when trying to cancel my current hosting plan - > [@](#): > > IMPORTANT:In order to preserve your custom DNS zone file settings, you must change your name servers to the Parked Name Servers BEFORE canceling your hosting account. Ok, how do I do that? What do I need to bring my current domain info to the new hosting service? I would call tech support but its Sunday and its not available. ---
**Author:** ![Headcoat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/6bbea6/32.png) [@Headcoat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Headcoat)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2003, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/switching-web-domain-hosting-help/186597/2 "2003-07-06T18:04:43Z")
oh no, can a moderator please change the tags on the coded text to quoted text? ---
**Author:** ![Bill\_H](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a5b964/32.png) [@Bill\_H](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bill_H)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2003, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/switching-web-domain-hosting-help/186597/3 "2003-07-06T18:35:30Z")
The simplist solution is to call the new hosting place and tell them you want to switch to them. They’ll make it all happen for you. They are correct: switching DNS can take a couple days to percolate through the internet. So you want to buy the new hosting service, load it up with your site, switch over the dns, wait a day or two, and cancel the old site. In that order. ---
**Author:** ![manhattan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/manhattan/32/7_2.png) [@manhattan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/manhattan)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2003, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/switching-web-domain-hosting-help/186597/4 "2003-07-06T19:45:29Z")
The OP has been edited by the author’s request. ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2003, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/switching-web-domain-hosting-help/186597/5 "2003-07-06T20:07:08Z")
**Bill H.** has it right. The process is called _propagation_. Basically what happens is your new webhost’s server has to tell all the DNS servers that connect to it what IP address is associated with your site’s domain name, and then they tell all their DNS server friends, and so on and so on… It usually takes no more than 2 to 3 days for the DNS information to fully propagate. If you need to access your site at the new host until that happens, you can usually use the assigned IP address your host will provide you in lieu of the URL. ---
**Author:** ![handy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2003, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/switching-web-domain-hosting-help/186597/6 "2003-07-06T23:08:08Z")
I did it recently. My ISP said on it’s website just to change the nameservers to theirs & thats all. Of course they want to know when that is done.