This guide deals with the transition between Webhosting and WebSite services. If you need to switch from one of these services to Mailhosting, follow the guide Services – Switch between Webhosting and Mailhosting.

In this article, you will learn:

• The comparison between Webhosting and WebSite
• How to switch from Webhosting to WebSite
• How to switch from WebSite to Webhosting
• How to transfer emails between Webhosting and WebSite
• Common issues
• Frequently asked questions

The Webhosting and WebSite services are both primarily used to publish a website on the Internet and possibly to operate emails. Webhosting and WebSite are two different services that cannot share the same domain name.

• Webhosting is used to run your own website, web application, or content management system (WordPress, Joomla, PrestaShop and others). You can run virtually any application using HTML, CSS, JavaSctipt and PHP here. All Webhosting plans are paid.
• WebSite is a web hosting service utilizing a block editor to create websites. The basic (Free) version of WebSite is free.

The WebSite service includes its own web hosting. If you want to use it, order it for that domain instead of Webhosting, not at the same time.

To create a WebSite service instead of existing Webhosting, you need to:

1. Release the domain name
2. Create a new WebSite service (possibly Mailhosting)

If you no longer want to use Webhosting, terminate it.

You release the Webhosting domain name by renaming the service or removing an alias.

You can rename the Webhosting that you want to continue using directly to the new domain name according to the Webhosting – Change Domain instructions. If you no longer want to use the Webhosting, set a name with an unused subdomain, e.g. oldweb.domain.tld.

After the Webhosting name is released, the old website will stop working. FTP, database and internal address will still be accessible.

Create your WebSite service by filling out the order form. The system will set up the service within 1 hour of receiving the payment (in the case of the Free option within 1 hour of completing the order).

If you want to use WebSite Free and have functional mailboxes at the same time, set up a Mailhosting service.

The paid WebSite plans include emails, do not order Mailhosting for them.

If you have no other use for the Webhosting, terminate it.

You can request a refund for Webhosting created no more than 7 days before the termination. An older Webhosting can only be left to expire, but as part of the termination, you can request us to transfer the remaining funds to the new WebSite service you have created. Enter your request in the Reason field, including the name of the service you wish to transfer the funds to.

To create a Webhosting service instead of an existing WebSite, you need to:

1. Release the domain name
2. Create a new Webhosting service

If you no longer want to use Webhosting, terminate it.

Release the WebSite domain name by renaming it.

You can rename the WebSite that you want to continue using directly to a new domain name according to the WebSite – Change Domain instructions. If you no longer want to use the WebSite, rename it to a name with an unused subdomain, such as oldweb.domain.tld.

Once the WebSite name is released, the old site will stop working. The block editor will still be accessible.

Create Webhosting by filling out the order form. The system will set up the service within 1 hour of receiving the payment.

After creating the Webhosting, we recommend activating HTTPS according to this guide.

If you have no other use for the WebSite, terminate it.

You can request a refund for a WebSite service created no more than 7 days before the termination. An older WebSite can only be left to expire, but as part of the termination, you can request us to transfer the remaining funds to the new Webhosting service you have created. Enter your request in the Reason field, including the name of the service you wish to transfer the funds to.

If you have mailboxes set up with the original service, they will not be accessible under the original name after the switch between Webhosting and WebSite. If the new (sub)domain does not exist, no new mail will go to the mailboxes, but the original emails will remain in the mailboxes until they are deleted or the entire service is deleted.

To access emails from the original service, you can use a mail client or Webmail. Change the mailbox login name to the form with the new name of the original service, e.g. info@oldweb.domain.tld.

The terminated Webhosting or WebSite will be deleted 7 days after expiration.

To maintain email traffic, set up identical mailboxes on the new service according to the Emails – Mailboxes guide. Then migrate older emails to new mailboxes according to the instructions Emails – Automatic Migration Tool.

You can find detailed instructions for the switching between Webhosting and Mailhosting services in the article Services – Switch between Webhosting and Mailhosting.

Common issues with switching between Webhosting and WebSite include:

• Service or order with domain name already exists
• Domain in another customer account
• Web displays old site or error

Issue: There is an error message: (Service) order for the same domain already exists..

Cause: The system registers an existing service or an active service order with the domain name (alias).

Solution: Make sure the renaming the original service or removing its alias completed successfully. If the service has retained its original name, try renaming it again from a different browser.

If an outstanding order prevents you from renaming or creating a new service, ask support to cancel that order.

Issue: There is an error: Domain is in a different customer account.

Cause: If you are renaming a service based on an existing domain registered with WEDOS, or if you are creating a service for this domain, both the service and the domain must be at least temporarily in the same customer account.

Solution: Move the domain at least temporarily to your own account using the AUTH-ID or user account login and ID.

Issue: I’m still seeing the old website or an error message.

Cause: Website content is often cached in the browser. The latter can then display the original website, even though the domain is already directed to another hosting.

Webhosting and WebSite services have different type A and AAAA DNS records. MX type records remain the same. When renaming and creating services, you can have DNS records set automatically – if you reject the automatic update, you must direct the domain to the service later.

Solution: If the original website is displayed, try loading it first without the browser cache using Ctrl+Shift+R.

If an error is displayed, direct the domain to the new service by following the Domains – Direct DNS to Service guide or manually by following the DNS – Domain Records guide. Automatic DNS directing only works if the domain has DNS records with us. Otherwise, you have to set the DNS records manually according to the provider’s instructions. The service addresses can be found in a table in the Service Detail.

Question: I bought a domain with Webhosting and now I can’t activate the WebSite. Why is that?
Answer: Webhosting and WebSite are different services. WebSite includes its own web hosting, although its management is inaccessible from the customer administration. If you want to use WebSite instead of Webhosting, switch from one service to another according to this guide.

Question: What if I want to have a WebSite and a content management system on the same domain?
Answer: You can have a content management system or WebSite on a subdomain, but you need to set up a separate service for it.