This article will help you verify your website on the new server or new hosting account during the migration period, while your website still points to the old server. You should make sure that the website loads correctly on the new server before you change the DNS records.
One method you can use is to manipulate the hosts file on your PC, so that your website name will be redirected to a new IP address on your Laptop/PC before pointing to the new Server.
Below are the steps to manipulate your hosts file:
1. Locate the HOSTS file on your computer. It is usually in one of the following locations:
Windows NT / 2000 / XP / 2003 / Vista / 7: C: \ windows \ system32 \ drivers \ etc \ host
Windows 95/98 / Me: C: \ windows \ hosts
2. Open this file with a text editor such as Notepad or Wordpad.
3. Right-click on Notepad and select the option to Run as Administrator - otherwise, you may not be able to save this file later.
4. Then, open the file. You will see two columns of information, the first containing IP addresses and the second containing host names.
By default, the windows hosts file should be similar to the following:
You can add additional lines to this file that will redirect requests for specific domains to your new server IP address. Example:
103.82.240.5 example.com
103.82.240.5 www.example.com
5. Save your changes.
6. Close the currently open browser. You may also want to flush your DNS cache before attempting to access your website with the following steps:
On Windows PC/Laptop, Start, then run, then type "cmd" and press enter. Type the following:
ipconfig / flushdns
7. Visit your new site using http://example.com/ or http://www.example.com/