If your WestHost Site Manager account only has website data and email addresses, then migrating your account to cPanel can be done in a few steps. Follow the steps outlined below:
Click here to view the cPanel packages that we offer.
Enter your domain in the “Use an existing domain” field when it comes up during checkout.
If you have a coupon code for your migration, enter the requested information within the payment screen.
After you check out and your account is processed, you will have access to CHI, WestHost’s easy-to-use control panel.
FileZilla is a free, open-source application for transferring files. It will allow you to download the content from your SiteManager account and upload it to your cPanel account.
Follow the steps below to download your files:
Download FileZilla from the following link: https://filezilla-project.org/download.php?type=client
Install the program on your computer.
Run FileZilla.
You will be using the Quickconnect feature in FileZilla as soon as the program opens. Fill in the following information at the top of the screen:
After filling in the information, click “Quickconnect”.
Create a place on your local computer to store the data. We recommend in the downloads folder, but you can use any location. Drag the contents of the “/var/www/html” folder to that new file location.
Your website files are now stored on your local machine, and you are nearly ready to upload them to cPanel.
This is also a great way to store a backup of your Site Manager files on your local machine in the event you need them at a later time. Our technical staff highly recommends keeping a current backup at all times.
The next step is to obtain the IP address for your new cPanel hosting account. This will allow you to Quickconnect to your cPanel account via FileZilla and transfer the files you previously downloaded. To obtain your cPanel IP address, follow the steps below:
Log into CHI by going to CHI.WestHost.com
Enter your username and password. You will obtain these after purchasing a cPanel hosting account.
After logging into CHI, click on the Shared Hosting tab on the left-hand side of your screen.
Click on your domain on the left side of your screen.
Click on the cPanel tab from the menu at the top of your screen.
On the right side of the cPanel interface, there is a “General Information” section.
Look at the “Shared IP Address” or “Dedicated IP Address” section and note the IP address. You will need this IP address a few more times in this step, so make sure you keep it close by for reference.
Now that you know the IP Address for your cPanel account, you are ready to connect to your new account via FileZilla and upload your website files. This process is similar to Step Two, but you will be transferring your files from your local machine to your cPanel account.
Open FileZilla.
Fill in the fields for the Quickconnect feature:
Host: Enter the IP Address obtained in Step Three.
Username: Enter your cPanel Username. (This can be found in CHI under the main page of the Shared Hosting tab).
Password: Enter the cPanel/SSH/FTP password (This can be reset from within CHI).
Port: Leave this field blank.
Click “Quickconnect”
In the left-hand side, locate the files you previously downloaded to your local machine. Drag them to the “public_html” folder on the right-hand side. FileZilla will then upload those files to the cPanel server.
Now that you have migrated your files, it’s time to test the functionality of your website. Go to the temporary cPanel website and browse around to test the functionality. You can access this site by opening a web browser and going to http://[IPaddress]/~[cPanelusername].To complete the URL, insert the IP address you found in Step Three, add your cPanel username in the appropriate locations, and remove the brackets.
When you are satisfied with your website’s functionality in cPanel, you can then update your DNS to point to your new account. Follow the steps below to update your DNS:
In CHI, go to the “Domains” tab.
Choose the domain you are working with.
Click on the "DNS" tab from the menu at the top of the screen.
Enter the following information for Name Servers in the “Hostname” field:
Nameserver 1: DNS1.WESTHOST.COM
Nameserver 2: DNS2.WESTHOST.COM
Nameserver 3: DNS3.WESTHOST.COM
Migrating your email account involves two steps: creating the email accounts in CHI and migrating your email data. The first step can be done within the CHI control panel, the second step requires an email client such as Outlook or Mac Mail.
You will need to recreate all email accounts from your old account in CHI.
For help creating these, follow the steps below or watch this video.
Migrate your emails by following our guide How To Migrate Email to cPanel.
Navigate your website and send test emails to the accounts associated with your new account. If you encounter any issues, please contact our support team.