This article will explain everything you need to know about the upcoming upgrade for 123 Reg’s Linux Shared Web Hosting platform.
From 24th April 2023, we will be upgrading users of our Linux Shared Web Hosting product to a faster and easier-to-use hosting platform, featuring cPanel.
Among the key benefits of this include a more user-friendly interface, access to advanced tools such as PHP and Perl programming languages and over 125 unique apps, with each one coming with one-click installation.
For more information about the upcoming process, please select the relevant question from the list below.
Please note: since this is an ongoing process, there may be changes to this guide over the next few weeks.
LAST UPDATED ON: 15/03/2023
When will the upgrade take place?
These upgrades are expected to start from 24th April 2023. We will send you reminder emails 30 days and 7 days before we upgrade each of your hosting packages.
Although we estimate that all the upgrades will be completed by the end of the year, we will keep you updated should these timings change.
Will this upgrade affect my website?
You will likely experience a downtime of around 15 to 30 minutes on the day of your upgrade. This may take longer for websites with large files and database sizes. You will be unable to access your hosting package via the 123 Reg Control Panel on the day of your upgrade.
We apologise in advance for any inconvenience this may cause, and we will do our best to minimise the impact of this work.
We’ll also send you an email to confirm that the upgrade has been completed. After this, you will be able to access your hosting package as usual. We will also let you know of any next steps that you may need to take.
Which hosting plan will I be upgraded to?
At the start of the upgrade process, we will place you onto the closest equivalent plan for our cPanel Web Hosting platform, based on your current package’s price and features.
What will happen to my current pricing?
You will continue to be charged the standard price of your current Shared Web Hosting plan until its renewal date.
What will happen to my renewal pricing?
On your original Shared Web Hosting plan’s renewal date, you will be charged the standard renewal price of your assigned cPanel Web Hosting plan. This may result in an increase in your renewal pricing, although you will be informed of any billing changes in advance.
What happens after the upgrade is complete?
If you have any domains pointing to your hosting package that ARE hosted by 123 Reg, then no further action will be required as we will automatically update the DNS settings for you. However, you may wish to log into your website to make sure that everything is running as normal.
If, however, you have any domains pointing to your hosting package that ARE NOT hosted by 123 Reg, you will need to amend their DNS settings so that your domain directs to our new platform. We will provide additional email reminders on this once the upgrade is complete.
To ensure that your website remains active while you’re making these updates to your DNS records, we will use a proxy to redirect to your new hosting package.
Please note: this proxy will be removed after 30 days. If the server IP address hasn’t been updated during this time, your website will NOT be accessible. If you need assistance with this process, you will need to contact the company that manages your nameservers.
If you’re using an older version of PHP (i.e. lower than 5.6), you may also need to modify your applications and website to work with PHP 5.6 or higher, to avoid any potential site errors or application malfunctions. If you have any questions on how to do this, please contact our Support team. For more information on the differences between PHP versions, please refer to the official PHP website.
What if I don’t want to upgrade?
You will need to contact our Support team to discuss suitable alternatives or to request a cancellation of your package. This is because our current platform will be shut down once the upgrades have been completed.
If you haven’t cancelled your plan before your upgrade is scheduled to start, your hosting package will be automatically upgraded to our improved cPanel platform.
My upgrade has failed – what should I do?
Since we are retiring the current Linux Shared Web Hosting platform, you will need to back up your data and make alternative arrangements.
If you need any help deciding on an alternative hosting platform, please get in touch with our Support team who will be happy to assist you.
Please note: the 123 Reg Linux Shared Web Hosting platform and any associated websites that cannot be upgraded will be closed on the termination date specified in our emails. Any unused paid term will also be automatically refunded to the account holder within 45 days of product closure.
Will my Terms and Conditions be changing?
Yes, you can view our Terms and Conditions for cPanel here.
I have a question that isn’t listed here. What should I do?
Please get in touch with our Support team by raising a ticket or calling them on 0345 450 2310, and they will be happy to assist you.