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How to Migrate a WordPress Website from Namecheap to Neurax Host

Overview

This guide explains how to manually migrate a WordPress website from Namecheap to Neurax Host.

The migration process involves downloading your WordPress website files, exporting the database from Namecheap, and restoring both on Neurax Host.

This guide is intended for WordPress websites hosted on a Namecheap hosting account with cPanel access. The exact steps may vary depending on your hosting plan, website size, and control panel configuration.

Need help with migration? Neurax Host advertises free website migration assistance. If you prefer not to complete the migration manually, contact Neurax Host support to confirm eligibility and request assistance.

Website: https://www.neuraxhost.ca/

Prerequisites

Before starting, make sure you have:

  • An active Namecheap hosting account with cPanel access.
  • A WordPress website hosted on Namecheap.
  • An active Neurax Host hosting account with cPanel access.
  • Access to your domain and DNS management settings.
  • Your WordPress administrator login credentials.
  • Enough storage space on your computer for backups.
  • A complete backup of your website files and database.
  • A record of your current DNS and email settings.

Important: Do not cancel your Namecheap hosting account before the migrated website has been fully tested on Neurax Host.

If your website receives orders, bookings, or customer enquiries, plan the migration carefully to avoid losing new data during the transition.

Phase 1: Export Website from Namecheap

Step 1: Access cPanel

Purpose: Open the hosting control panel for your Namecheap website.

Instructions:

  1. Log in to your Namecheap account.
  2. Navigate to Hosting List.
  3. Find the hosting account associated with your WordPress website.
  4. Click Go to cPanel or the available cPanel access option.

Expected Outcome: The Namecheap cPanel dashboard opens.

Note: The exact menu labels may vary depending on the Namecheap account interface.

Step 2: Open File Manager and Locate WordPress

Purpose: Find the correct directory containing your WordPress installation.

Instructions:

  1. Open File Manager in Namecheap cPanel.
  2. Locate the document root assigned to your domain.
  3. For some primary domains, the directory may be public_html.
  4. For addon domains or other configurations, the document root may be different.
  5. Open the correct directory and verify that WordPress files are present.

Common WordPress files and folders include:

  • wp-admin
  • wp-content
  • wp-includes
  • wp-config.php
  • index.php

Expected Outcome: The WordPress installation files are visible.

Important: Do not assume that every domain uses public_html. Check the actual document root in the Domains section of cPanel before creating your backup.

Step 3: Create and Download the Website Backup

Purpose: Create a complete backup of your WordPress website files.

Instructions:

  1. Open the verified WordPress installation directory.

  2. Open File Manager settings.

  3. Enable Show Hidden Files (dotfiles), if required.

  4. Select all WordPress files and folders, including hidden files such as .htaccess.

  5. Click Compress.

  6. Select ZIP Archive.

  7. Enter a backup filename.

    Example: backup.zip

  8. Click Compress Files.

  9. Wait until the archive is created.

  10. Verify that the ZIP archive contains the WordPress files and folders in the correct structure.

  11. Download the archive to your computer.

  12. Confirm that the download completed successfully.

Expected Outcome: A complete website backup is saved locally.

Important: Check the archive structure before uploading it to Neurax Host.

For example, if the archive contains a top-level public_html folder, extracting it directly into another public_html directory may create an unnecessary nested folder.

The final WordPress files must be located directly inside the destination domain's document root.

Security note: Backup archives may contain sensitive website information. Store them securely and remove temporary copies from publicly accessible directories after migration.

Step 4: Export the WordPress Database

Purpose: Download the database containing your WordPress content, users, and settings.

Instructions:

  1. Return to Namecheap cPanel.
  2. Open phpMyAdmin.
  3. Identify the database associated with your WordPress website.
  4. Select the correct database from the left sidebar.
  5. Verify that it contains your WordPress tables.

Common examples include:

  • wp_posts
  • wp_options
  • wp_users
  • wp_comments

Important: WordPress table prefixes may differ. Not every WordPress database uses wp_.

If you are unsure which database belongs to your website, open wp-config.php and check the DB_NAME and $table_prefix settings.

  1. Click Export.
  2. Choose Quick as the export method, if appropriate.
  3. Select SQL as the export format.
  4. Click Go.
  5. Download the SQL file to your computer.

Example filename: database.sql

Expected Outcome: The WordPress database backup is downloaded successfully.

Important: Large databases may exceed phpMyAdmin export or import limits. Namecheap provides separate guidance for large database transfers, including databases over 1 GB. If your database is large, check the applicable limits and use a supported alternative export method when required.

Step 5: Verify Downloaded Files

Purpose: Confirm that the files needed for migration are available.

Instructions:

  1. Open the folder where your backups are saved.
  2. Verify that the website ZIP archive exists.
  3. Confirm that the SQL database backup is present.
  4. Check that both downloads are complete.
  5. Keep a secure backup copy before proceeding.

Example files:

  • backup.zip
  • database.sql

Expected Outcome: Both website and database backups are available locally.

Phase 2: Import Website into Neurax Host

Step 6: Log in to Neurax cPanel

Purpose: Access your destination hosting account.

Instructions:

  1. Log in to your Neurax Host Client Area.
  2. Open the hosting service associated with your domain.
  3. Launch cPanel.

Expected Outcome: The Neurax cPanel dashboard opens successfully.

Step 7: Open File Manager and Upload Website Files

Purpose: Transfer your WordPress website files to Neurax Host.

Instructions:

  1. Open File Manager in Neurax cPanel.
  2. Open Domains to verify the document root assigned to your domain, if necessary.
  3. Navigate to the correct destination directory.
  4. Click Upload.
  5. Select the actual ZIP archive downloaded from Namecheap.
  6. Wait until the upload completes.
  7. Return to File Manager and confirm that the archive appears.

Expected Outcome: The website backup archive is uploaded successfully.

Important: The destination directory may not be public_html. Always use the actual document root assigned to your domain.

If the ZIP file exceeds the available upload limit, use SFTP or another supported transfer method.

Step 8: Extract and Verify Website Files

Purpose: Restore the WordPress website files on Neurax Host.

Instructions:

  1. Select the uploaded ZIP archive.
  2. Click Extract.
  3. Extract the files into the verified document root.
  4. Wait until extraction finishes.
  5. Check that the WordPress files are in the correct directory.

Verify that the following files and folders exist:

  • wp-admin
  • wp-content
  • wp-includes
  • wp-config.php
  • index.php

Also confirm that hidden files such as .htaccess were transferred where applicable.

Expected Outcome: The WordPress files are restored to the correct location.

Important: Avoid unnecessary nested folders.

For example, if public_html is the verified document root:

Incorrect:

public_html/public_html/wp-admin

Correct:

public_html/wp-admin

Security reminder: Remove the uploaded backup ZIP from publicly accessible directories after confirming that extraction was successful and a secure backup copy exists elsewhere.

Step 9: Create a MySQL Database

Purpose: Create a new database for WordPress on Neurax Host.

Instructions:

  1. Return to Neurax cPanel.
  2. Open MySQL Databases, Manage My Databases, or the equivalent database management option.
  3. Locate Create New Database.
  4. Enter a database name.
  5. Click Create Database.
  6. Record the complete database name displayed in cPanel.

Expected Outcome: A new database is created.

Important: cPanel may add an account-specific prefix to the database name.

Step 10: Create a Database User

Purpose: Create a database user for WordPress.

Instructions:

  1. Locate Add New User in the database management interface.
  2. Enter a username.
  3. Generate a strong, unique password.
  4. Click Create User.
  5. Save the complete username and password securely.

Expected Outcome: A new database user is created.

Step 11: Assign the Database User and Privileges

Purpose: Give the database user the permissions required to access WordPress data.

Instructions:

  1. Locate Add User to Database.
  2. Select the newly created database user.
  3. Select the correct database.
  4. Click Add.
  5. Select ALL PRIVILEGES.
  6. Click Make Changes.
  7. Confirm that the user is assigned to the intended database.

Expected Outcome: The database user has the required permissions to access and modify the WordPress database.

Step 12: Import the WordPress Database

Purpose: Restore WordPress content and settings on Neurax Host.

Instructions:

  1. Open phpMyAdmin in Neurax cPanel.

  2. Select the newly created database.

  3. Click Import.

  4. Click Choose File.

  5. Select the SQL database backup downloaded from Namecheap.

    Example: database.sql

  6. Click Go.

  7. Wait for the import to finish.

  8. Verify that the WordPress database tables appear.

Expected Outcome: The WordPress database imports successfully.

Important: If the database import fails because of file size or server limits, check the available import restrictions and contact Neurax Host support for a suitable alternative method.

Step 13: Update wp-config.php

Purpose: Connect WordPress to the new database on Neurax Host.

Instructions:

  1. Open File Manager.
  2. Navigate to the verified WordPress document root.
  3. Locate wp-config.php.
  4. Click Edit.
  5. Find the database connection settings.
  6. Update the following values using your Neurax Host database details.

Example configuration:

define('DB_NAME', 'your_database_name');
define('DB_USER', 'your_database_user');
define('DB_PASSWORD', 'your_database_password');
define('DB_HOST', 'your_database_host');

Replace the example values with the actual database credentials.

Important: The database hostname may be localhost on some cPanel hosting accounts, but this is not guaranteed. Use the actual database hostname specified for your Neurax Host account.

Also verify that the $table_prefix setting matches the imported database tables.

Example:

$table_prefix = 'wp_';

Your website may use a different prefix.

  1. Save wp-config.php.
  2. Verify that the database connection settings are correct.

Expected Outcome: WordPress is configured to connect to the new database.

Step 14: Verify Domain Mapping

Purpose: Ensure the domain is associated with the correct WordPress files.

Instructions:

  1. Open Domains in Neurax cPanel.
  2. Locate your website domain.
  3. Check the Document Root assigned to the domain.
  4. Confirm that the WordPress files are located inside that exact directory.
  5. Verify that the domain configuration matches your intended website setup.

Expected Outcome: The domain is mapped to the correct WordPress installation.

Important: Simply seeing the domain listed in cPanel is not enough. The document root must match the location of the restored WordPress files.

Step 15: Test the Website Before Updating DNS

Purpose: Confirm that the migrated website works before directing public visitors to Neurax Host.

Instructions:

  1. Verify that all WordPress files were extracted correctly.
  2. Confirm that the database import completed successfully.
  3. Check the database credentials in wp-config.php.
  4. Test the website using a supported preview method or local hosts-file override, if appropriate.
  5. Check the homepage and important internal pages.
  6. Verify that images and styling display correctly.
  7. Test navigation menus and forms.
  8. Confirm that WordPress Admin is accessible.

Expected Outcome: The migrated website works on Neurax Host before the public DNS change.

Important: Keep your Namecheap hosting account active until the migration is fully verified.

Step 16: Update DNS

Purpose: Point your domain to Neurax Host.

Instructions:

  1. Identify your current DNS provider.
  2. Review existing DNS records.
  3. Confirm the correct Neurax Host server IP address or nameservers.
  4. Check existing email-related DNS records.
  5. Update the required DNS settings only after the destination website is ready.

Depending on your configuration, you may need to:

  • Update the relevant A record to the Neurax Host server IP address.
  • Change your domain's nameservers to those provided by Neurax Host.

Important: Changing nameservers and updating an A record are different approaches.

If you change nameservers, ensure that all required DNS records, including MX, SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records, are preserved or recreated with the new DNS provider.

Expected Outcome: The domain begins resolving to Neurax Host as DNS caches update.

Important: DNS propagation time varies depending on TTL settings, DNS providers, and caching. There is no guaranteed completion time.

Step 17: Enable SSL and HTTPS

Purpose: Secure the website using a valid SSL certificate.

Instructions:

  1. Open SSL/TLS Status or the available SSL management section in Neurax cPanel.
  2. Check whether a valid SSL certificate is installed.
  3. Run AutoSSL if available and required.
  4. Wait until the certificate is issued successfully.
  5. Open the website using HTTPS.
  6. Verify that the browser accepts the certificate.
  7. Confirm that the website loads securely.
  8. Enable Force HTTPS Redirect only after HTTPS works correctly.

Expected Outcome: The website loads securely over HTTPS.

Important: Do not enable Force HTTPS Redirect before the SSL certificate is active and HTTPS has been tested successfully.

Step 18: Complete Post-Migration Testing

Purpose: Confirm that the WordPress website functions correctly on Neurax Host.

Instructions:

  1. Open your website in a browser.

    https://yourdomain.com

  2. Verify that the homepage loads successfully.

  3. Check important internal pages.

  4. Confirm that images display correctly.

  5. Test navigation menus and internal links.

  6. Submit a test contact form and verify delivery.

  7. Open WordPress Admin.

    https://yourdomain.com/wp-admin

  8. Log in using your existing WordPress credentials.

  9. Navigate to Settings → Permalinks.

  10. Click Save Changes without modifying the existing permalink structure.

  11. Test internal pages again.

  12. Verify that plugins and themes function correctly.

  13. Confirm that there are no database connection errors.

  14. Test HTTPS and website redirects.

Expected Outcome: The website and WordPress dashboard function correctly on Neurax Host.

Important: Confirm that you are testing the website served from Neurax Host rather than a cached version or the original Namecheap hosting server.

Additional Migration Considerations

1. Email Migration

Migrating WordPress files and the database does not automatically transfer email accounts or existing messages.

If you use Namecheap email hosting, plan the email migration separately.

Recommended steps:

  1. Identify the current email provider.
  2. List existing email accounts.
  3. Back up important emails and mailbox data.
  4. Decide whether email will remain with Namecheap or move to Neurax Host.
  5. If moving email, create the required accounts on the destination service.
  6. Transfer messages using a supported email migration method.
  7. Verify MX, SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records.
  8. Test incoming and outgoing emails.

Important: Incorrect DNS changes can interrupt email delivery. Preserve the required email records when changing nameservers or DNS providers.

2. Keep Namecheap Hosting Active During Migration

Do not cancel your Namecheap hosting account immediately after uploading your website to Neurax Host.

Keep the original hosting service active until:

  • The new website is fully tested.
  • DNS changes have taken effect for your visitors.
  • WordPress Admin works correctly.
  • Forms, plugins, and images function properly.
  • Email services continue working.
  • A current backup is available.

Namecheap recommends allowing an overlap period, including keeping the previous hosting active for at least three days in its migration guidance. Actual requirements depend on your DNS and website configuration.

3. WordPress URL Changes

If you are keeping the same domain name, a full URL replacement is usually unnecessary.

If the domain is changing, you may need to update WordPress URLs and internal links.

Recommended steps:

  1. Back up the database.
  2. Open WordPress Admin.
  3. Navigate to Settings → General.
  4. Review WordPress Address (URL) and Site Address (URL).
  5. Update the values if the domain is changing.
  6. Use a WordPress-compatible search-and-replace tool where required.
  7. Clear website caches.
  8. Test pages, images, menus, and redirects.

Important: WordPress may store URLs in serialized database data. Avoid simple database-wide text replacement because it can damage serialized values.

Use a tool that safely handles WordPress serialized data.

4. Backup and Data Protection

Before migration:

  1. Create a complete website file backup.
  2. Export the WordPress database.
  3. Store the backups securely.
  4. Confirm that the files can be accessed and restored.
  5. Record important DNS and email settings.

After migration:

  1. Create a fresh backup on Neurax Host.
  2. Keep a secure copy outside the public website directory.
  3. Remove temporary ZIP and SQL files from publicly accessible directories.
  4. Keep the original Namecheap hosting account active until final verification.

Post-Migration Checklist

Before completing the migration, verify the following:

  • Correct WordPress directory was identified on Namecheap.
  • Website backup includes hidden files.
  • ZIP archive structure was verified.
  • Database export completed successfully.
  • Website and database backups downloaded correctly.
  • Correct document root was selected on Neurax Host.
  • WordPress files extracted without unnecessary nested folders.
  • Database imported successfully.
  • Database user is assigned to the correct database.
  • Database privileges were saved.
  • Database credentials and hostname are correct.
  • WordPress table prefix matches the imported tables.
  • Domain document root matches the WordPress file location.
  • Website was tested before changing DNS.
  • Homepage loads from Neurax Host.
  • WordPress Admin login works.
  • Images and styling display correctly.
  • Internal links and navigation work.
  • Contact forms function correctly.
  • Plugins and themes work.
  • Permalinks have been saved and tested.
  • SSL certificate is active.
  • HTTPS redirects work correctly.
  • DNS records point to the intended services.
  • Email-related DNS records are preserved.
  • Email accounts and messages have been reviewed or migrated separately.
  • A fresh backup has been created on Neurax Host.
  • Temporary backup files have been removed from public directories.
  • Namecheap hosting remains active until final verification.

Migration Complete

Your WordPress website can be considered successfully migrated from Namecheap to Neurax Host once the website files, database, domain configuration, and important website functions have been verified.

Before cancelling your old hosting service, confirm that the website loads correctly from Neurax Host, WordPress Admin works, HTTPS is active, forms and internal pages function properly, and email services are not disrupted.

If you need help with the manual migration process, contact Neurax Host support to confirm the availability and eligibility requirements of its advertised free website migration assistance.

Learn more: https://www.neuraxhost.ca/

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