How to Transfer Your Website to Fast2host Using Plesk (Zero-Downtime Guide)

Migrating your website to Fast2host can be seamless and interruption-free when done in the correct order. By following this guide, you can minimise (and often eliminate) downtime while ensuring your website, email, and DNS transition smoothly.

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1. Activate Your Hosting Account & Access Plesk

After ordering your hosting plan, you’ll receive a Welcome Email containing:

• Plesk login URL
• Username and password
• FTP/SFTP connection details
• Your web hosting IP address

Log into Plesk and verify your subscription resources (web hosting settings, PHP version, mail settings, etc.).

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2. Upload Your Website Files to Plesk

You can upload files using either:

• Plesk File Manager (GUI upload)
• FTP/SFTP using your provided credentials

The web root folder is usually:

/httpdocs

Delete any placeholder index page automatically generated by Plesk (e.g., index.html) to avoid it overriding your real website.

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3. Test Your Website Using a Temporary Preview URL

Plesk provides a built-in domain preview tool so you can test your website before pointing DNS to Fast2host.

To preview your website:

1. Log in to Plesk
2. Go to Websites & Domains
3. Select your domain
4. Click Preview

This loads your site through a temporary Fast2host URL, allowing you to verify:

• Pages render correctly
• Images & CSS load properly
• PHP applications (e.g., WordPress) function normally

If you need a custom preview URL, Fast2host support can create one for you.

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4. Configure Email Accounts Before DNS is Updated

To avoid losing emails during the transition, set up your required email accounts in Plesk before changing nameservers.

To add email accounts:

1. Go to Mail in Plesk
2. Click Create Email Address
3. Set mailbox size, password, spam filter settings, etc.

As soon as your DNS is updated, email will seamlessly route to Fast2host’s mail servers.

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5. Update Your Domain Nameservers

Log in to your registrar (e.g., GoDaddy, Namecheap, 123-Reg) and update the domain’s nameservers to the Fast2host nameservers listed in your welcome email.

Propagation typically takes 12–72 hours.

During propagation, traffic may alternate between the old and new server. This is normal.

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6. Confirm DNS Propagation

Once nameservers fully propagate, all visitors will reach your Fast2host-hosted website.

You can check propagation using tools like:

• whatsmydns.net
• dnschecker.org

When all global DNS locations point to the Fast2host IP, the migration is complete.

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7. Cancel Your Old Hosting Account

After your Fast2host site is live and running with full traffic routing, you may safely cancel your previous hosting plan.

Doing this only after propagation avoids downtime and ensures no data loss.

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Additional Tips for a Smooth Migration

• Take backups from your old host before transferring files or databases.
• Export databases (MySQL / MSSQL) and import them via Plesk’s Database Manager.
• If using WordPress, use Plesk’s WordPress Toolkit to manage updates, SSL, staging, clones & security.
• Enable FREE AutoSSL in Plesk once DNS is updated.

Fast2host support can assist with migrations - just ask!

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