How to Migrate a WordPress Site to Aveshost

Migrating your WordPress website to Aveshost gives your site immediate access to high-performance NVMe SSD storage, optimized LiteSpeed/Apache web servers, automated backups, free SSL certificates, and 24/7 expert technical support. Best of all, migrating a WordPress website can be completed quickly with zero downtime for your visitors.

In this comprehensive guide, we will walk you through the three easiest and most reliable methods to migrate your WordPress site to Aveshost:

• Method 1: Plugin-Based Migration (Recommended for Beginners & Most Sites) – Using the popular All-in-One WP Migration plugin for a simple 1-click export and import.
• Method 2: Manual Migration (Recommended for Large Websites & Developers) – Transferring website files via DirectAdmin File Manager and importing the MySQL database via phpMyAdmin.
• Method 3: Free Aveshost Expert Migration Service – Letting our technical engineers handle your entire migration seamlessly at no extra cost.

Prerequisites

• An active Web Hosting account with Aveshost (see How to Buy WordPress Hosting: Step-by-Step Guide).
• Access to your DirectAdmin control panel (see How to Login to DirectAdmin Control Panel).
• Your domain name added in DirectAdmin (see How to Add a Domain Name in DirectAdmin) or a subdomain (see How to Create a Subdomain in DirectAdmin).
• Aveshost nameservers information ready (refer to Where to find Aveshost nameservers).
• An active SSL certificate installed and HTTPS enforced (see How to Install an SSL Certificate in DirectAdmin and How to Force HTTP to HTTPS in DirectAdmin).
• Knowledge of configuring WordPress email delivery (see How to Set Up SMTP in WordPress) and custom business email (see How to Create an Email Account in DirectAdmin).

Method 1: Plugin-Based Migration (All-in-One WP Migration)

This is the fastest and most beginner-friendly migration method. It automatically packages your WordPress core files, themes, plugins, uploads, and MySQL database into a single backup archive.

Step 1: Export Your Website from the Current Host

1. Log in to your existing WordPress admin dashboard on your current/old host.
2. Navigate to Plugins > Add New > search for All-in-One WP Migration > install and activate it.
3. In the left menu, go to All-in-One WP Migration > Export.
4. Click EXPORT TO and choose FILE.
5. Wait for the plugin to archive your website. Once complete, click the pulsing green download button to save the .wpress file to your computer.

Step 2: Install Fresh WordPress on Aveshost

1. Log in to your Aveshost DirectAdmin Control Panel.
2. Install a fresh WordPress site on your domain using Softaculous (see our guide on How to Install WordPress in DirectAdmin).

Step 3: Import Your Backup onto Aveshost

1. Log in to the newly installed WordPress admin dashboard on Aveshost.
2. Install and activate the All-in-One WP Migration plugin.
3. In the left menu, navigate to All-in-One WP Migration > Import.
4. Drag and drop your downloaded .wpress file into the import box (or click IMPORT FROM > FILE).
5. Click Proceed when prompted with the database overwrite warning.

Step 4: Save Permalinks Twice

1. Once the import completes, log in to WordPress using the credentials from your original/migrated site.
2. Navigate to Settings > Permalinks.
3. Scroll down and click Save Changes. Then, click Save Changes a second time to regenerate your rewrite rules and .htaccess file.

Method 2: Manual Migration (Files + Database)

For very large WordPress sites or custom developer configurations, manual migration gives you complete control over file transfers and database imports.

Step 1: Download Website Files from the Old Host

1. Log in to your old host’s File Manager (or connect via FTP/SFTP).
2. Compress your WordPress root folder (the contents of public_html, including wp-content, wp-config.php, etc.) into a .zip or .tar.gz archive.
3. Download the archive to your computer.

Step 2: Export the MySQL Database

1. In your old hosting panel, open phpMyAdmin.
2. Select your WordPress database from the left sidebar.
3. Click the Export tab at the top > choose Quick export method and SQL format > click Export to download your .sql database file.

Step 3: Create a New Database in DirectAdmin

1. Log in to your Aveshost DirectAdmin panel.
2. Navigate to Account Manager > MySQL Management.
3. Click + CREATE DATABASE.
4. Enter a Database Name, Database User, and generate a strong Password. Save these credentials securely.

Step 4: Import Database via phpMyAdmin in DirectAdmin

1. In DirectAdmin, open phpMyAdmin (under Extra Features or Account Manager).
2. Select your newly created database in the left sidebar.
3. Click the Import tab > click Choose File > select your .sql file > click Import.

Step 5: Upload and Extract Files in DirectAdmin

1. In DirectAdmin, go to System Info & Files > File Manager.
2. Navigate to your domain directory: /domains/domain.com/public_html/.
3. Upload your website .zip archive and extract all files directly into public_html.

Step 6: Update Database Credentials in wp-config.php

1. In DirectAdmin File Manager, locate and edit wp-config.php inside public_html.
2. Update the database settings with your new Aveshost MySQL credentials:

   // ** Database settings - You can get this info from DirectAdmin MySQL Management ** //
   define( 'DB_NAME', 'username_wpdb' );
   define( 'DB_USER', 'username_wpuser' );
   define( 'DB_PASSWORD', 'YourNewStrongDatabasePassword' );
   define( 'DB_HOST', 'localhost' );

3. Save the file. Your manual WordPress migration is now complete!

Method 3: Request Free Professional Migration from Aveshost

If you prefer a completely hands-off experience, the Aveshost technical support team offers 100% Free Website Migration for all new and existing hosting accounts:

1. Log in to your Aveshost Client Area.
2. Navigate to Open Ticket > select Technical Support (or go directly to Submit Support Ticket).
3. Provide your old hosting control panel credentials (cPanel / DirectAdmin / Plesk / FTP login details).
4. Our engineers will migrate your WordPress files, databases, and emails with zero downtime and notify you as soon as the transfer is verified.

Post-Migration Checklist

• Update Nameservers: Update your domain’s nameservers at your registrar to point to Aveshost (refer to Where to find Aveshost nameservers).
• Install Free SSL: In DirectAdmin, go to Account Manager > SSL Certificates > issue a free Let’s Encrypt certificate (see How to Install an SSL Certificate in DirectAdmin).
• Force HTTPS: Enforce SSL redirects to ensure secure traffic (see How to Force HTTP to HTTPS in DirectAdmin).
• Configure SMTP: Set up authenticated email dispatch to prevent lost contact form submissions (see How to Set Up SMTP in WordPress).
• Test Functionality: Browse your site, submit a test contact form, test user logins, and verify WooCommerce checkout workflows.

Frequently Asked Questions & Troubleshooting

Q: Will my website experience any downtime during the migration?
A: No. By migrating your files and database to Aveshost first and updating your domain nameservers only after everything is verified, your site transitions seamlessly with zero downtime.

Q: What should I do if the All-in-One WP Migration upload limit is too small?
A: In DirectAdmin, you can increase your PHP upload limit by searching for Select PHP Version (CloudLinux PHP Selector) > clicking Options > increasing upload_max_filesize and post_max_size to 512M or 1024M. Alternatively, use Method 2 (Manual Migration) or request free migration from Aveshost Support.

Q: Why do I see "Error establishing a database connection"?
A: This error means the database credentials in wp-config.php do not match the database created in DirectAdmin. Check that DB_NAME, DB_USER, DB_PASSWORD, and DB_HOST (localhost) are correct.

Q: How do I preview my migrated WordPress site before changing DNS nameservers?
A: You can edit your local computer’s hosts file (located at C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc\hosts on Windows or /etc/hosts on Mac/Linux) and add an entry mapping your domain to your Aveshost server IP: 107.178.111.179 domain.com.

Need Further Assistance?

If you have questions about migrating your WordPress site, transferring databases, or setting up DNS records, our expert technical support team is available 24/7. Feel free to submit a support ticket through your client area for fast, personalized assistance.