Transferring an email domain. Idiots guide needed. Registered, hosted where?

[#1]

Hi

After more years than I care to remember with metronet and then plusnet they are booting me out to EE. Feeling aggrieve and hassled. It's a choice of email hosting or landline.

The question is where is my domain registered and hosted, whats the difference? I bought my domain from Reg123 and I think it's registered there and I pay them to renew the domain. I'm guessing plusnet host it and as such hosting needs to be moved before being booting out. If it makes a difference, as far as I'm aware I've not been migrated to Greenby. Sounds like that's not been going well!

So am I right so far, and how do I go about it?

I'm maybe looking at Zoho and I'm assuming they host as well as operate the email service?

I've seen a few topics around transferring hosting but I'm a few steps behind that in knowledge and don't want to mess it up as the other domain users wouldn't be happy.

The clock is ticking as they have given me 30days notice!  aaggghhhh No pressurehuh!

Thanks for any help

Jon

[#2]

If it's registered with 123 Reg with our name servers, just contact 123reg, and they'll change the name servers to the new ones. 

[#3]

@JonG01 

as Tony says, if the domain is registered with 123 then you can just change the nameservers to a new hosting service. Note that there can be up to 48 hours for the nameserver change to propagate so in the meantime some email may still go to the old hosting service

and don't want to mess it up as the other domain users wouldn't be happy.

That sounds like you have multiple users(mailboxes) . Like many hosting services , Zoho charge on a per-user basis , so it can be expensive with many users.

I'd suggest having a look at Mythic beasts https://www.mythic-beasts.com/hosting , their pricing includes unlimited mailboxes subject only to an overall storage limit depending on the product selected. They have a good guide here https://www.mythic-beasts.com/support/domains/transfer-no-downtime detailing the procedure to transfer a domain . Note that it will not be possible to use the 'no downtime' procedure since the Plusnet DNS control panel does not permit changing the existing MX records

[#4]

I second @MisterW 's suggestion of Mythic Beasts for good value web and email hosting.

[#5]

Thanks for advice. I think I'm clearer.

Just change the name servers on Reg123 and I don't need to touch the plusnet settings. Then just a bit of setting up on the new host.

I've seen talk about changing or transferring the MX records! Would I need that?

As you say I would have 3 or 4 mailboxes, some alias's and a catch all. Mythical beasts doesn't look a bad option and a tad cheaper!

Thanks

Jon

[#6]

@JonG01 

Just change the name servers on Reg123 and I don't need to touch the plusnet settings. Then just a bit of setting up on the new host.

Close, but you setup the new hosting first, then change the nameservers to the ones for the new hosting.

I've seen talk about changing or transferring the MX records! Would I need that?

For the 'no downtime' procedure then, yes you change the MX records at the existing hosting provider. That's not possible on the Plusnet DNS control system.

So , if you take the example of moving to Mythic, you create the account, add the domain as a third-party domain, create all the mailboxes and aliases, and then switch the nameservers to the Mythic ones. Mail will now start to be received at your Mythic account bu (due to nameserver change propagation) some may still arrive at PLusnet. After 24-48 hrs the NS change will be complete and all mail should now be being received at Mythic. 

Mythical beasts doesn't look a bad option and a tad cheaper!

and even cheaper if you pay quarterly or annually!

[#7]

I have just made this move to Mythic Beasts within the last couple of weeks. Having also been made nervous by Greenby's performance to date, I took the decision to move my old Freenetname supplied domain, plus its associated me@mydomain.co.uk style email, to Mythic Beasts.

I set up an account with Mythic Beasts (MB) first, with the domain name hosted as 3rd party and the associated email address set up. Once this was done, I then configured my (desktop) Outlook email software to connect to MB via POP3, and confirmed that the me@mydomain.co.uk email account was logging on correctly with no issues.

Having done this, I made a request via this Community forum for my domain to be transferred out to MB. This was done very promptly (thanks Plusnettony!). I monitored the changeover progress by regularly checking on Nominet to see who it recorded as the registrar for my domain.

As soon as I saw that the transfer had happened, I went onto the MB website and changed the name servers to those of MB. Mail was still coming through via Plusnet at this point.

About a day later, mail dried up for about 20hrs, then gradually started coming back again via MB before returning to full flow about another day or so later. Note that I deliberately left Outlook collecting mail from the same email address via both Plusnet (Freenetname) and MB at the same time. This was to ensure that none was missed, no matter what route it was delivered. Once everything was coming through via MB, I removed the old Plusnet (Freenetname) account from Outlook and made the MB version the default account.

To finish the job, there were a couple of other settings that needed doing on MB. These were the DNS, SPF and DKIM settings. I needed a bit of hand holding for these, so emailed MB support team. They were both quick, friendly, and very helpful in getting all the settings sorted correctly.

As well as everything now working smoothly, you will also be pleased to hear that I can now send emails to both Gmail and Hotmail people, without them being auto rejected - as was the case prior to making the move.

Job done!

[#8]

@Busychip thanks for that very useful detailed description.

Its a while since I moved my domains to MB so had forgotten the detailed steps

[#9]

@Busychip 

I note that you have not added DMARC.

[#10]

That reassuring. Esp, as not sure of those last tweeks

Thanks 

Jon