Transferring website and domain

[#1]

I am currently using legacy Plusnet CGI webspace to host a website. I have a domain registered with Just-The-Name which I have transferred in to Plusnet.
The billing for the domain is still handled by Just-The-Name, but the domain name settings (A-records, cname, name servers, etc) are controlled by Plusnet and I can access them by logging in to “Domain names” in the My Account section.
This has been working well for a number of years, but I am looking to move the website to a different host (Vidahost).
What I want to do is the following:
1) Keep Just-The-Name as the registrar of the domain name (billing).
2) Use Vidahost to host the website but not the domain – I want to keep the hosting and domain separate.
My confusion is about how to transfer the domain to the new host without also transferring in the domain name. At the moment the Just-The-Name control panel is not configured (ie. all the settings are at their defaults). All the A-records, name servers, etc are controlled by logging in to Plusnet, not Just-The-Name.
Do I need to transfer all these settings back to Just-The-Name, and then change the name servers to point at the new host?
I haven’t set up anything at Vidahost yet, or contacted them about the procedure. I’m posting here first to see what the normal procedure would be. My technical knowledge about these things is limited, but any help would be appreciated.
Thanks
Jim

[#2]

Hey there,
All you'll need to do is ask Vidahost what their name servers are, login to your Just-The-Name account and update the nameservers for your domain to the ones they give you.
This will then allow Vidahost to "control" the aspects of the DNS via their control panel, in the same way you do with Plusnet now.
Hope this helps,
Matt

[#3]

Thanks Matt.
I'm a little confused as the name servers are not currently set in the Just-The-Name control panel, in other words, they are not currently pointing to my Plusnet webspace. I presume Plusnet are somehow controlling the name server configuration (though I can't see where).
If I put in new name server addresses in the Just-The-Name control panel, will this automatically override the current Plusnet settings? Should I raise a ticket with Plusnet?
As I said, I haven't set anything up yet with Vidahost. I'm just trying to work out the sequence of events in advance.
Jim

[#4]

What's the domain name?  A quick check of WHOIS records will show what's going on...
There are three aspects involved here:
1. The Domain provider is responsible for the correct registration of your domain name with the relevant registry.  The registration consists of maintaining the records of the relevant contacts for the domain (Admin, Technical & Registrant) and also, importantly, the DNS servers that should be queried for the domain.
2. The DNS provider is responsible for hosting the DNS records for a particular domain.
3. The hosting provider(s) provide the physical server(s) for storing web sites and email accounts etc.
In your case it JustTheName is the domain provider, Plusnet is the DNS provider and hosting provider.
In a previous post you said

Quote

In the just-the-name control panel I’ve gone in to the Change Name Servers panel and entered ns1.force9.net and ns2.force9.net and clicked the Send Details button. I’ve only just done that so I’m still waiting for that to update on Whois.

So it looks like you didn't transfer the domain to Plusnet but you made them responsible for DNS provision.  As Matt says, changing the DNS to Vidahost's servers using the same method will work.
In any event, if you setup your website on Vidahost you should be able either:
a) Change the DNS settings in the Plusnet system to point at Vidahost servers for http and email etc
or
b) Change the nameservers to be the addresses supplied by Vidahost.
https://www.vidahost.com/knowledge-base/support/require-nameserver-ips
HTH

[#5]

I’m not sure what was ‘transferred in’ either!
I’m billed by Just-the-Name, but everything else seems to be controlled by Plusnet (who, to add to the confusion, are trading as Just-the-Name).
Whois shows the following:
=====
Registrar:
    Plusnet Plc t/a Just-the-Name [Tag = GETSURFED]
    URL: http://www.just-the-name.co.uk

Name servers:
    ns1.force9.net
    ns2.force9.net
=====
Even though I did specify those name servers just after I bought the domain, there is no indication anywhere in the Just-the-Name control panel that they have been set. So I’m presuming Plusnet have set the name servers. However, I have no way of altering those by logging in to Plusnet, and I’m not sure if entering new name servers in the Just-the-Name control panel will override anything.
Which I presume leaves me with only option a).
Wouldn’t it be better to go with option b) and change the nameservers to the addresses supplied by Vidahost? That way, if there are any problems with DNS records being incorrectly set up, they will have easier access to them.
And if I wanted to add a new domain at a later date, would I do that through Just-the-Name or Plusnet?
I’m trying not to put all my eggs in one basket, so that web hosting and domain registration are handled by two separate companies (which I’ve read is best practice) but this is getting confusing.

[#6]

Looks like Support at Plusnet and/or JustTheName will need to get involved if the control panels don't allow you to change nameservers.
Personally, having looked at JustTheName's prices, I'd bite the bullet and move the domain to a new registrar

[#7]

I’ll probably duplicate the site to Vidahost then raise a ticket with Plusnet to arrange the change of the name servers.
The domain has over a year before it’s due for renewal, so I’ll consider transferring the registrar around then. I think it will be overly complicated to transfer registrar *and* transfer web hosting at the same time, especially as I want to keep registrar and host separate.
Thanks for all the replies and help.

[#8]

Hey,
If the tag is with GETSURFED / Just The Name,
It'll be JTN support you need to contact, A ticket to Plusnet might not get to the right place.
However, there should be an option within the JTN control panel to set the DNS servers. - Though, I've never logged into it to be able to give you specific instructions.
Matt

[#9]

JTN Control Panel

Quote

Current Settings     Change Contact Details     Change Web Forwarding     Change Mail Forwarding     Change Password     Change DNS Settings     Change Name Servers     Change IPS-Key     Change Whois Details     View Renewal Date     Post Service Comments     Renew Domain Fees     WHOIS Opt-out     Free URL Masking Trial     Enable URL Masking     Host Your Domain     Logout

[#10]

Thanks Strat,
There you go - There's an option in there to Change Name Servers
That'll do the trick!
Matt

[#11]

And there's a 'Reset to Default' button if you get things a bit messed up.

[#12]

That's great.
Thanks everyone for the help.