Sometimes it can be hard to know what to do if your client already has their domain name hosted somewhere else, as it is not always the best idea to transfer your client's domain name or emails away.
This guide will help you decide if you should transfer the domain name or not for your client, based on their current situation.
My Client already has a Domain Name but no Emails attached.
If your client has a domain name hosted somewhere other than Rocketspark and they don't have any emails attached, the domain transfer should be a straightforward exercise.
You should confirm if this is the right move for your client. Firstly, make sure they know where their domain name is hosted, are able to contact their current host, and have access to their domain provider's admin contact information. They may need to do this to approve the transfer.
Please refer to the below section "To ensure the domain transfer goes smoothly" for further details and to get prepared for the transfer.
Note: Your client does not need to transfer their domain name to Rocketspark if they do not wish to. If they want to self-manage their domain name, check out our help guide: Self Manage Domain Name
My Client already has a Domain Name and Emails attached.
If your client has their domain name and emails already hosted somewhere other than Rocketspark, you will first need to clarify with your client where these are hosted and whether they are wanting to transfer over to Rocketspark. Once you have established this, please refer to the appropriate section below.
IMPORTANT: If your client is running their email with Google Workspace/Google emails or Office 365, we highly recommend that they leave their emails with their current host.
My Client wants to Transfer their domain name to Rocketspark but leave their email hosting where it currently is
If your client would like to transfer their domain name to us but keep their email hosted where they currently are, it is very important that you get a backup of their current DNS records before you transfer the domain name and make sure that their current email provider is able to allow this.
Getting a backup of the DNS records is very important to avoid any downtime with emails when the domain transfer is complete. This is because DNS records don't always pull through in the transfer. Having a backup will allow you to quickly re-add the DNS records into the domain name if they don't pull through. How do I edit DNS settings using Rocketspark
Along with the DNS records, it is important to ensure your client knows where their domain name is hosted, has the ability to contact their current host, and has access to their Domain providers admin.
Note: If your client has any special records set up, or their Name Servers are set to a different location from the domain name provider, it is important to either make sure you get a full backup of the DNS records or leave the domain name with the current host.
Please refer to the below section "To ensure the domain transfer goes smoothly" for further details and to get prepared for the transfer.
My Client wants to Transfer their domain name to Rocketspark and move their email hosting to Rocketspark
If your client would like to transfer their domain name to us and move their email hosting over to Rocketspark, it is first important to determine if your client is needing their email history or not.
If your client is needing their email history, they will want to find out from their email provider if they can get a backup of their email history or manually download these.
If not, or if your client wants to migrate their email history over to their new Rocketspark emails we can do an email migration for your client - This costs $100 + GST per mailbox. If your client would like to migrate their email history, please contact support@rocketspark.com to get further information.
Note: If your client has emails hosted with Google Workspace or Office 365 we strongly recommend NOT moving your client's emails to us.
Please refer to the below section to get prepared for the domain transfer.
To ensure the Domain Transfer goes smoothly
For .nz or .com Domains
Contact the current domain provider or log into the Domain Name Control Panel:
- Ensure the domain name is unlocked so the transfer can take place
- Double-check the domain Admin Email and ensure your client has access to this email
- Get the transfer code or AUTH code/password
-
Get a Back up of DNS records
For .uk Domains
Contact the current domain provider or log into the Domain Name Control Panel:
- Change the IPS tag to TUCOWS-CA
- Double-check the domain Admin Email and ensure your client has access to this email
- Get a Back up of DNS records
If you are still unsure what to do for your client check out our survey for further clarification to Understand the best option for domains and emails for new Rocketspark websites