Switching webhosts and DNS issues

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Switching webhosts and DNS issues

ashish2005

6:23 pm on May 8, 2010 (gmt 0)

Hi,

I moved from one webhost to another recently. I copied all the files and then changed the nameserver to reflect the new webhost. Then I realized that my traffic started going down according to awstats of the newhost. I wondered for a week about what went wrong. I had not deleted the files from my old webhost as well. Then I checked the awstats of my old webhost as well and found out that my old webhost was also in use. So right now I have my files at two webhosts.

When I compare, around 70% of my traffic accesses the new webhost and the remaining 30% go to my old webhost. It has already been around a week now since I switched the hosts and did the nameserver change. How do I stop the use of my old host without losing the 30% traffic?

rocknbil

7:31 pm on May 8, 2010 (gmt 0)

Usually this issue is automatically managed, but often, it's not. You have the old host remove the site and remove the entry from their internal DNS.

Let's say you have a huge Internet service provider, like one of the huge cable or telecommunications companies. You host with their servers. They are located in Anytown, USA.

Their internal network has a DNS that, when receiving a request for an IP address within their network from Sometown, U.K., responds by serving the files. When you changed the DNS, requests from Sometown U.K. never touch their network, because you've changed it, it's going to the new one.

However, when one of the millions of other customers connecting to the Internet using "huge Internet provider" request your site, their request never leaves the network. That is, their request never goes out to the name servers and says, "oh, it's pointed over here. It says, "hey, no need to connect to the name servers, we have this site right here in da' house."

It's like . . . asking for directions to Dunkin' Doughnuts when you're standing in Safeway. They'll tell you, "doughnuts are on aisle 7." :-)

30%, I'm guessing the previous host was one of the big nationwide networks.

ashish2005

10:53 pm on May 8, 2010 (gmt 0)

Thanks for the explanation. I wanted to also say that I have also not deleted the domain from my previous control panel. And while adding the domain name in my new host through WebHost Manager I chose to check the option "Use the nameservers specified at the Domain's Registrar (ignore locally specified nameservers)". Do any of these actions relate to the problems that I am facing now?

rocknbil

12:57 am on May 9, 2010 (gmt 0)

No . . . I don't think so. This is your "new" DNS, I'm guessing. Should have nothing to do with the "old site."

ashish2005

12:09 pm on May 10, 2010 (gmt 0)

Fixed. Thanks a lot rocknbil