Transferring a domain name to new server?

Hello, I run a web site for my dad's business, although I am not an expert web designer. I use iWeb and made a pretty decent looking site. The problem is I am fed up with the server that the site is stored on. The site is constantly going down, and the email now does not work at all and no one will return my emails. I want to move to a new server.

Anyway, is it possible to transfer a domain name to a new server? I registered the name with the server where my site is stored, and I have no idea how I could go about moving it to a new one. I can not lose this name because it is printed on countless business cards, company vehicles, etc. Can anyone enlighten me on how this is done?

Also some suggestions for good reliable (and fast) servers would be helpful too!

You don't say what country you are in

1on1 were very good with my club's website, and handled the domain transfer

any host will be able to transfer a domain for you, but is it a proper domain or a sub-domain of the hosts domain?

One thing they will do is send an email to whoever owns the domain name as dictated by the Whois database. If that's you, you can approve the transfer and your new host should be able to take care of it.

Similar to louishen, I transferred a domain using 1and1 and they were very helpful.

Sean

Normally it's pretty simple, but it depends how the domain was bought in the first place.

If you bought it yourselves, you have the right to put it anywhere. Your new hosts will make some simple configuration changes to point the domain to their servers, and you're up and running.

If you bought it through one of the shadier registration companies, they may have control of it. Normally at worst this involves a 'release fee'.

First thing to do is tell the people it's with at the moment you want to move it.

Usually all you have to do is find a replacement hosting service and initiate the transfer with them. I just signed up for Mister.net's service and they handled my complete transfer themselves. Most transfers require a code (I can't remember exactly what it's called right now) that you can easily find on your current domain account.

Decent companies are:
godaddy.com
sitegrounds.com
mister.net


I've used all three and they all worked fine.

Good luck.

Like everyone said. You have to contact the company that hosts your site.

For future reference, Dont buy it through your hosting company, It's too much of a hassle. Go through godaddy.

Second, Do not. I repeat. Do Not every register a free domain. If you do then this means at the end of the registration period they will charge you outrageous amounts just to keep the domain. Remember if you dont pay, They own it.

Domain name providers normally has very little to do with email or hosting problems, so I'll reiterate that it sounds like your web host and/or email provider is the problem.
That doesn't prevent you from having them provided by the same people like I do, as host providers will often do you a deal such that they will pay for your domain if you transfer it to them. Fortunately I haven't had too many problems and this has worked and saved me the $5 a year or whatever it is and meant i don't have to remember to pay 2 bills when they expire.

Anyway, enough rambling, sounds like you need a decents host so go switch - all those mentioned sound decent, but go shopping, transfer everything across, and tell your current host why your leaving as you please