Transfer domain from Hostpoint to CURIAWEB: change nameservers or transfer domain

If your domain is registered with Hostpoint and you want to use CURIAWEB hosting, you do not necessarily have to transfer the domain.

Basically, you have two options: the domain remains registered with Hostpoint and you connect it to CURIAWEB via the DNS configuration. Or you transfer the domain completely from Hostpoint to CURIAWEB and manage it there in the future.

Which option makes sense depends on whether you only want to change your hosting or also transfer domain management to CURIAWEB.

Briefly explained: If you want to continue managing your domain at Hostpoint, you can store the CURIAWEB nameservers there. If you also want to transfer the domain management to CURIAWEB, you will need a transfer code from Hostpoint.

Option 1: Keep domain at Hostpoint and use CURIAWEB hosting #

A domain transfer is not required to use CURIAWEB hosting.

The domain can still be registered and renewed with Hostpoint. For it to use CURIAWEB hosting, you can, for example, change the nameservers at Hostpoint to the CURIAWEB nameservers.

These are:

ns1.curiaweb.ch
ns2.curiaweb.ch

The domain registration will remain with Hostpoint. What is changing is the nameserver infrastructure responsible for DNS.

You can find further basics on this under Keep domain with another registrar and connect to CURIAWEB Hosting.

Enter CURIAWEB nameservers at Hostpoint #

Hostpoint allows changing the nameservers directly in the Hostpoint Control Panel.

1. Log in to the Hostpoint Control Panel using your Hostpoint ID.
2. Open the menu item Domains.
3. Click on the domain whose nameservers you want to change.
4. In the field of Nameserver the currently stored name servers are displayed.
5. If the Hostpoint nameservers are currently entered, remove them using the red X.
6. Enter the external CURIAWEB nameservers – one nameserver per line.

Use:

ns1.curiaweb.ch
ns2.curiaweb.ch

Then you click on Hostpoint „Check nameservers“.

Hostpoint checks whether the specified nameservers provide a response for your domain.

After successful verification, you can apply the change via „Change nameserver now“ execute.

Important: Hostpoint checks the external nameservers before making the change. If the new nameservers do not provide a response for your domain, you should first ensure that the DNS zone has been correctly prepared on the new DNS infrastructure.

Why should the domain be set up at CURIAWEB beforehand? #

The new DNS infrastructure should be prepared before you change the nameservers of a production domain.

This doesn't only affect the website. An existing DNS zone can, for example, contain entries for:

• Website
• Email
• Subdomains
• SPF
• DKIM
• DMARC
• external services
• Domain Verifications

If this information is missing after the nameserver change, individual services may fail.

We explain the meaning of the various DNS records at DNS Records Explained: A, AAAA, CNAME, MX, TXT, and CAA.

Check existing DNS configuration before switching #

Before you change the nameservers at Hostpoint, you should get an overview of the currently publicly used DNS configuration.

With the CURIAWEB DNS-Check can you check publicly visible DNS information of your domain.

You should pay special attention to the entries that are not exclusively needed for the website.

For example, if you use an external email provider, its required DNS records must still be present correctly even after a nameserver change.

We explain how to systematically control DNS at Check DNS records: View current DNS configuration of a domain.

Attention: Changing nameservers does not automatically copy the existing Hostpoint DNS zone to CURIAWEB. Therefore, make sure that all DNS records that are still required are present on the new DNS infrastructure.

What happens after the nameserver change? #

After the change, the domain will be resolved via the newly entered nameservers in the future.

Hostpoint points out that in connection with the activation or deactivation of DNSSEC, it can take up to 48 hours for a nameserver change to be fully completed.

This does not mean that every nameserver change necessarily takes 48 hours. DNS caches and delegation changes can cause different resolvers to use different information during a transition phase.

We explain the technical background at What is DNS propagation and why does a DNS change take time?.

Can I change only individual DNS entries at Hostpoint? #

Yes. If you want to continue using the Hostpoint nameservers, you do not necessarily have to switch to the CURIAWEB nameservers.

Instead, the DNS zone can continue to be managed by Hostpoint, and only the records required for CURIAWEB hosting will be adjusted there.

This can be useful, for example, if several external services are already connected via the existing DNS zone and you deliberately want to keep DNS management with Hostpoint.

Which target values need to be used for your CURIAWEB hosting depends on your specific hosting. Therefore, use the server or DNS data specified for your hosting and not an IP address from a general guide.

Changing nameservers or modifying individual DNS records? #

Both variants are technically possible.

With a switch to:

ns1.curiaweb.ch
ns2.curiaweb.ch

the DNS zone is provided via the CURIAWEB nameservers.

If, on the other hand, the Hostpoint nameservers remain active, you continue to manage the DNS zone at Hostpoint and only change the required records there.

Above all, it is important that you know, which nameservers are authoritative and where the actually effective DNS zone is managed.

Option 2: Transfer domain from Hostpoint to CURIAWEB #

If you want to transfer not only the hosting but also the domain management to CURIAWEB, you can perform a domain transfer.

For this, you need a transfer code for your domain registered with Hostpoint.

Hostpoint also refers to this as Transfer code or rather Auth Code.

The code is used to authorize the registrar transfer.

Request transfer code at Hostpoint #

According to the current Hostpoint documentation, the transfer code is requested via the contract management.

Proceed as follows:

1. Log in with your Hostpoint ID in the Hostpoint Control Panel.
2. Click above Admin.
3. Open in the left menu Contracts.
4. Select the domain you want to transfer to CURIAWEB.
5. Click on the left Edit contract.
6. Click on Cancel contract on Edit.
7. Activate the option „I need a transfer code for this domain“.
8. Confirm the process with the password of your Hostpoint ID and click on Continue.

Hostpoint automatically cancels the domain agreement for the next possible date and sends the cancellation confirmation including the transfer code to the email address registered in the account.

Important: That Hostpoint marks the domain contract as canceled as part of this function is, according to the current Hostpoint instructions, part of the procedure for requesting the transfer code. The domain should then be transferred to the new registrar using this code. You should not carry out a cancellation without a planned transfer on mere suspicion.

What needs to be considered before requesting the transfer code at Hostpoint? #

Hostpoint points out that the transfer code can only be delivered if all invoices for the domain in question have been paid.

Therefore, if there is still an open invoice, it should be resolved first.

What needs to be considered with Hostpoint Domain Shield? #

If for the domain at Hostpoint a Domain Shield is used and the data protection escrow service included in it is activated, this must first be deactivated or canceled according to Hostpoint.

Only afterwards can the transfer code be requested using the described procedure.

Hostpoint states that Domain Shield can be deactivated via domain management.

What do I do with the transfer code? #

You need the transfer code received from Hostpoint to authorize the registrar change to CURIAWEB.

Treat this code as confidential. It should not be shared publicly or published in screenshots.

We explain the general procedure of a transfer at Domain transfer to CURIAWEB: How the transfer works.

Do I also need to disable a registrar lock at Hostpoint? #

Whether further requirements apply in addition to the transfer code depends on the respective domain extension and the specific domain status.

Therefore, it should not be stated across the board that every domain registered with Hostpoint must be unlocked via an additional switch.

If a transfer cannot be carried out despite a valid transfer code, the specific domain status or the error message should be checked.

You can find background information on transfer bans at Unlock domain for transfer: Registrar Lock and transfer lock explained.

Do I need to change the nameservers before the domain transfer? #

No.

A registrar transfer and a nameserver change are different processes.

Hostpoint documents for transfers To Hostpoint, that the nameservers existing for a domain are kept during the transfer. For a transfer away from Hostpoint should not, however, be derived solely from the fact that every target registry or every new registrar proceeds identically.

That is why you should document the currently used nameservers and DNS records before the transfer and check the configuration again after completion.

Practical Tip: If the website and email are currently working, do not change the transfer, nameservers, and DNS records all at once on a hunch. The fewer components that are changed at the same time, the easier it is to isolate any potential problem.

What happens to my website at Hostpoint? #

A domain transfer does not automatically copy your website from Hostpoint to CURIAWEB.

Website files, databases, and domain registration are technically distinct components.

If your website is also supposed to switch to CURIAWEB, it must be separately transferred to CURIAWEB hosting and set up there.

Therefore, the previous hosting should not be cancelled before the website has been completely migrated and the new environment has been tested.

What happens to my email accounts at Hostpoint? #

Email mailboxes are not automatically transferred during a domain transfer either.

If your email accounts are to be hosted by CURIAWEB in the future, the required accounts and any existing messages must be migrated separately.

If you want to continue using your existing email infrastructure, the DNS records required for this must be kept.

Of particular importance in this regard are the MX records and, if applicable, SPF, DKIM, and DMARC entries.

You don't want to migrate your website and emails yourself? #

If, in addition to the domain, your website and email accounts are also to be transferred from Hostpoint to CURIAWEB, you do not need to carry out the technical migration yourself.

CURIAWEB handles the migration of a website, including databases and email mailboxes, for new customers as part of the Free moving service.

We will first transfer the data to the new hosting environment and verify the migration before pointing the domain to the new hosting.

Practical Tip: If you would like to use our moving service, update the nameservers and do not cancel your current hosting prematurely. This will allow us to check the existing environment and prepare the migration in a controlled manner.

Can I transfer the domain to CURIAWEB and keep the Hostpoint hosting for now? #

In principle, domain registration and hosting are separate from each other.

A registrar transfer does not automatically mean that the previous hosting technically disappears at the exact same moment.

Whether and for how long an existing Hostpoint hosting contract continues depends on the specific contract and any separate termination.

Therefore, if you still need Hostpoint hosting during the transfer, you should not cancel it prematurely.

Can I transfer only the hosting to CURIAWEB and leave the domain with Hostpoint? #

Yes.

That is precisely what variant 1 of this article is designed for.

The domain can remain registered with Hostpoint while the website is hosted via CURIAWEB.

You can either use the CURIAWEB nameservers for this or continue managing the DNS zone with Hostpoint and only change the required DNS records.

What is the safest order for a complete move? #

If the domain, website, and, if applicable, email are to be transferred from Hostpoint to CURIAWEB, a controlled process is recommended.

1. Document the existing DNS, website, and email configuration.
2. Set up the new hosting environment at CURIAWEB.
3. Transfer website and, if applicable, email data.
4. Check which DNS records are still needed.
5. Decide whether the domain should remain with Hostpoint for now or be transferred as well.
6. For a domain transfer, request the transfer code according to the procedure provided by Hostpoint.
7. Execute the transfer or the planned DNS switch.
8. Then check website, HTTPS, email, and DNS.
9. Do not shut down old services that are no longer needed until the migration has been fully verified.

How long does the domain transfer take? #

The transfer duration depends on the domain extension and the respective transfer procedure.

Therefore, a single flat-rate duration for all domains registered with Hostpoint should not be expected.

You can find more information at How long does a domain transfer to CURIAWEB take?.

How do I check the domain after the transfer? #

After a nameserver change or after the domain transfer is complete, you should check the publicly visible DNS configuration.

With the CURIAWEB DNS-Check can you check which DNS information is currently visible for your domain.

If the CURIAWEB nameservers are to be used, you expect:

ns1.curiaweb.ch
ns2.curiaweb.ch

In addition, you should check whether the website, HTTPS, email, and required subdomains are working correctly.

Change nameservers or transfer domain? #

The decision boils down to a simple question:

Would you only like to use CURIAWEB hosting?

Then the domain can stay with Hostpoint. You simply change the nameservers or DNS records necessary for your desired configuration.

Would you also like to transfer the domain management from Hostpoint to CURIAWEB?

Then you need a domain transfer and the transfer code provided for that purpose.

Note: A change of hosting does not require a domain transfer. A domain transfer is only necessary if the management of the domain is also supposed to move to the new provider.

Summary #

A domain registered with Hostpoint can be used with CURIAWEB in two ways.

If the domain should remain with Hostpoint, you can in the Hostpoint Control Panel under Domains edit the nameservers and the CURIAWEB nameservers ns1.curiaweb.ch and ns2.curiaweb.ch save. Hostpoint checks external nameservers before making changes.

If the domain management should also be transferred to CURIAWEB, you will need a transfer code. According to the current Hostpoint instructions, this can be found under Admin → Contracts → Domain → Edit contract → Cancel contract requested. The option must be „I need a transfer code for this domain“ be activated.

Hostpoint will then send the cancellation confirmation including the transfer code to the email address on file. According to Hostpoint, a prerequisite is that all invoices for the domain have been paid. If Domain Shield with privacy proxy service is enabled, it must first be deactivated or cancelled.

Regardless of this, domain transfer, nameserver change, website migration, and email migration are different processes. Therefore, during a complete relocation, they should be prepared in a controlled manner and not confused with one another.