Migrate WordPress to New Hosting

Moving your WordPress site to a new hosting provider can seem daunting, but with the right approach, it's a smooth process. This guide covers three migration methods: using plugins, manual migration, and Taiwan Web Hosting's free migration service.

Before You Start: Pre-Migration Checklist

• Backup Current Site: Create complete backup of your site
• Note PHP Version: Check current PHP version (WordPress → Site Health)
• List All Plugins: Document active plugins and their versions
• Check Email Accounts: List all email addresses to recreate
• DNS Records: Note custom DNS records (SPF, DKIM, subdomains)
• SSL Certificate: Save SSL certificate if custom (Taiwan Web Hosting provides free SSL)

Method 1: Plugin Migration (Easiest)

Using Duplicator Plugin

On Old Host:

1. Install Duplicator plugin
2. Go to Duplicator → Packages
3. Click "Create New"
4. Name your package, click "Next"
5. Wait for scan, click "Build"
6. Download both installer.php and .zip archive files

On Taiwan Web Hosting:

1. Create empty WordPress installation or empty database
2. Upload installer.php and .zip via FTP to root directory
3. Go to yourdomain.com/installer.php
4. Follow installation wizard
5. Enter new database credentials
6. Click "Run Deployment"
7. Delete installer files when complete
8. Test site thoroughly

Using All-in-One WP Migration

On Old Host:

1. Install All-in-One WP Migration plugin
2. Go to All-in-One WP Migration → Export
3. Select "Export To" → File
4. Download the .wpress file

On Taiwan Web Hosting:

1. Install fresh WordPress
2. Install All-in-One WP Migration plugin
3. Go to All-in-One WP Migration → Import
4. Upload your .wpress file
5. Follow import wizard
6. Update permalinks (Settings → Permalinks → Save)

Method 2: Manual Migration

For advanced users who want complete control:

Step 1: Download Files

1. Connect to old host via FTP (FileZilla)
2. Download entire public_html folder
3. This includes all WordPress files, themes, plugins, uploads

Step 2: Export Database

1. Log into phpMyAdmin on old host
2. Select your WordPress database
3. Click "Export" tab
4. Choose "Quick" method, SQL format
5. Click "Go" to download .sql file

Step 3: Upload to Taiwan Web Hosting

1. Log into Taiwan Web Hosting cPanel
2. Create new MySQL database and user
3. Grant all privileges to user
4. Upload files via FTP to public_html
5. Import database via phpMyAdmin

Step 4: Update wp-config.php

Edit wp-config.php with new database details:

Step 5: Search & Replace URL

Use Better Search Replace plugin or phpMyAdmin to update URLs:

1. Install Better Search Replace plugin
2. Go to Tools → Better Search Replace
3. Search: http://oldsite.com
4. Replace: http://newsite.com
5. Select all tables
6. Run as "dry run" first to test
7. Then run actual replacement

DNS and Domain Transfer

Point Domain to Taiwan Web Hosting

1. Log into your domain registrar
2. Find DNS/Nameserver settings
3. Update nameservers to Taiwan Web Hosting:
   • ns1.taiwanwebhosting.com
   • ns2.taiwanwebhosting.com
4. Wait 24-48 hours for DNS propagation
5. Test using nslookup yourdomain.com

Post-Migration Tasks

Common Migration Issues & Fixes

White Screen After Migration

Fix:

• Enable WP_DEBUG in wp-config.php to see errors
• Increase PHP memory limit
• Disable plugins via FTP (rename plugins folder)
• Clear browser cache

Broken Images/Links

Fix:

• Run Better Search Replace again
• Check for hardcoded URLs in theme files
• Regenerate thumbnails using plugin

Database Connection Error

Fix:

• Verify database credentials in wp-config.php
• Check database user has proper permissions
• Ensure database exists

Migration Checklist