Nameserver Transfer During Cancellation

At SiteCare, we understand that transitioning your website services can be challenging. If you’re in the process of canceling your service with us, we want to ensure that the transfer of your DNS records is as smooth as possible.

This article will explain how SiteCare handles your DNS during the cancellation process and provide instructions for updating your nameservers. Please note that improper DNS changes may result in website downtime, so it’s important to follow these steps carefully.

Step 1: Exporting Your DNS Records

When you initiate the cancellation process, SiteCare will provide you with a complete export of your DNS records. This export will include all of the necessary DNS settings currently configured for your website and services.

What’s included in your DNS export?

A file containing records such as A, CNAME, MX, TXT, and any other custom DNS records specific to your domain. This file ensures that you can reconfigure these settings with your new DNS provider without any loss of functionality.

When will you receive the DNS export?

You will receive your DNS records within 72 hours of your cancellation request being confirmed.

Step 2: Importing Your DNS Records to Your New Provider

CRITICAL STEP: Before you change your nameservers, you must configure your domain records at your new DNS host. If you skip this step, your website and email will stop working immediately after you update your nameservers.

Instructions for Importing:

1. Open the export file provided by SiteCare in Step 1.
2. Log in to the account of your new DNS provider (this might be your domain registrar or a third-party DNS host).
3. Locate the DNS Zone or "DNS Management" area for your domain.
4. Add the records from the SiteCare export file into your new provider's system. You generally need to match the Type (A, CNAME, MX), Name/Host (@, www, mail), and Value/Target (IP address or domain name).

Note: Some providers allow you to upload the zone file directly, while others require you to type the records in manually.

Step 3: Updating Your Nameservers

Once—and only once—you have confirmed that your DNS records (from Step 2) are fully set up at your new provider, you are ready to update your nameservers. This tells the internet to stop looking at SiteCare/Cloudflare for your website and start looking at your new provider.

Instructions for Updating Your Nameservers:

1. Log in to your domain registrar’s account (this is typically where you registered your domain, such as GoDaddy, Namecheap, or Google Domains).
2. Locate the option for managing DNS or nameservers in your domain settings. This is typically found under sections like “Domain Management,” “DNS Management,” or “Nameserver Settings.”
3. Replace SiteCare’s Cloudflare nameservers with the nameservers provided by your new DNS provider. The new nameservers will look something like:
   • ns1.newprovider.com
   • ns2.newprovider.com
4. Save your changes. The changes might take some time to propagate across the internet (usually between 24–48 hours).

Step 4: Understanding Website Downtime During Transition

Even if you follow the steps perfectly, there is a likelihood of website downtime or security certificate warnings while the DNS change propagates.

Why does this happen?

• DNS propagation: After updating your nameservers, it takes time for the changes to propagate through DNS servers worldwide. Some users may see the old site, while others see the new one.
• SiteCare’s protection ends: Once your cancellation is processed, SiteCare’s DNS services (such as Cloudflare DNS, performance optimizations, and security features) will no longer apply to your website.

What can you do to minimize downtime?

• Ensure you have completed Step 2 (Importing records) before performing Step 3 (Updating nameservers).
• Contact your new DNS provider to assist in the process and ensure that they have configured everything correctly in their system.

Need Help?

If you need assistance during this process or have any questions about your DNS export or updating your nameservers, don’t hesitate to reach out to the SiteCare support team. We’re here to help ensure a smooth transition.

By following these steps carefully, you can minimize website downtime and ensure that your domain remains properly configured during your service transition. Please remember that once the cancellation is finalized, SiteCare will no longer manage your DNS records or be able to assist with DNS-related issues.