Setting up test Enviroment

by clickingfrenzy

Posted: 13 years ago 16 replies

WEB DESIGN

I have a client with an active site (not WP) on a different web host. New WP site with premium theme will be set up on new web host. How do I work on the new site, allowing client to review as we go, while keeping old site live until new site is ready for prime time?

I'm sure this question has been answered here before...i just can't find it.

Thanks

#enviroment #setting #test

Thomas Frank 13 years ago

You could just access it via the IP and wait to associate the domain name when it's ready to go...
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- dapwalvekar 13 years ago
  
  Thanks but how to test the environment?
  
  Thanks
  
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clickingfrenzy 13 years ago

Thats what I was thinking, but i could of swore I had issues accessing wordpress admin because wordpress kept trying to pull up the domain which isnt pointed to my server yet.

For example, i have setup the CPanel account for the domain BlueAdobeGrille.com even though the domain isnt pointed to my server yet. When I go to install wordpress what should my settings be since the domain is not pointing to my server yet??

After I login to wordpress admin isnt the browser going to automatically try to load BlueAdobeGrille.com/admin/dashboard instead of my IP address?

Please see attachment screenshot for wordpress install option settings.

[IMG]file:///C:/Users/admin/AppData/Local/Temp/moz-screenshot-2.png[/IMG]
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KirkMcD 13 years ago

Where WP asks for the domain in the control panel, put the full ip address domain.
It's probably something like
http://256.256.256.256/~whateverishere/
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clickingfrenzy 13 years ago

Kirk,

Thanks for responding.

I was hoping I could do something like that, but the 'Install on Domain' field is a drop down and currently the only option is the domain, BlueAdobeGrille.com

BTW - i'm using fantastico to install wordpress.

What if I create an Add-on domain in Cpanel for http://256.256.256.256/~whateverishere/?

I appreciate any advice you can provide
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- mojojuju 13 years ago
  
  Just install the unfinished site on a subdomain of the real domain. When it's ready to go live, just change any mention of the subdomain in the configuration with the real domain.
  
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clickingfrenzy 13 years ago

Thanks mojojuju for your response,

The problem with that is that we will be hosting the site on my server once it is completed...so the subdomain isnt an option.
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- mojojuju 13 years ago
  
  Originally Posted by clickingfrenzy
  
  The problem with that is that we will be hosting the site on my server once it is completed...
  
  That's not really a problem.
  
  Originally Posted by clickingfrenzy
  
  so the subdomain isnt an option.
  
  Why wouldn't it be an option?
  
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clickingfrenzy 13 years ago

mojojuju,

currently the existing site is hosted with a different company which they are not happy with. After I complete the new website I will be pointing the domain to my server. Why would I build the site on a subdomain that is hosted by a company that they plan on leaving. Please let me know if I am not following you correctly.... thanks!
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- mojojuju 13 years ago
  
  Originally Posted by clickingfrenzy
  
  mojojuju,
  Why would I build the site on a subdomain that is hosted by a company that they plan on leaving.
  
  You wouldn't.
  
  Build the site on a subdomain of the main domain, but do not host the subdomain at the company that they plan on leaving.
  
  Let's say that your client's domain is called Example.com and their hosting company is called Crappy Hosting Company. You are developing your client's new web site which will be hosted with Awesome Hosting Company.
  
  You can develop the new web site on a subdomain of your client's domain and you can call it development.example.com. This subdomain does not have to be hosted by the Crappy Hosting Company that your client uses. In other words, development.example.com and example.com can simultaneously be hosted on different servers by different companies.
  
  Setting this up takes a little technical knowledge, but it's actually quite simple. If Crappy Hosting Company has cPanel, it's really simple. I'll post some instructions if you need them.
  
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clickingfrenzy

13 years ago

yes, please post instructions.

I didnt realize you could host development.example.com and example.com simultaneously on different servers by different companies.

I dont know if the old hosting company has Cpanel. I will try to find out.

Is there anyway to make all of this happen without getting the old hosting company involved? I just dont want the client to drag their feet getting me the old hosting account info from their old web design company that they plan on leaving.

Thanks
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mojojuju

13 years ago

Originally Posted by clickingfrenzy

yes, please post instructions.

I didnt realize you could host development.example.com and example.com simultaneously on different servers by different companies.

It looks like you might already have found another solution, but here goes.
Here's how you would go about hosting a subdomain on a server other than where the main domain is hosted.

If there is a domain owned by a client called [b]example.com[b] that is hosted by Clients hosting company and you would like to create a subdomain of the clients domain called development.example.com and you would like to have it hosted by Your hosting company, it can be easily done.

First, you would need to create an A record DNS entry corresponding to the subdomain that you want to create. This is setup wherever the domains DNS is hosted, usually at the company where the domain was registered and/or where the web site is hosted.

For instance, I can log in to cPanel and create this A record which simply states the name of the new subdomain and the IP address of the server shall be hosted on.

Here's how I do it with cPanel.

Log in to the cPanel for the hosting account for example.com (your client's hosting provider). Look for and click on Simple DNS Zone Editor

Once you're in the DNS Zone Editor, you can specify the name of the new subdomain. You'll also enter the IP address of the server that the new subdomain will be hosted on..

After clicking the "Add a Record" button, your new subdomain will be created. now, all browser requests for development.example.com will now be sent to a different server than the server that hosts example.com - those browser requests will be sent to the server with IP address 55.55.55.55, your server.

I've found that not all cPanel installations have the Simple DNS Zone editor enabled. If that's the case with where your client is hosted, don't worry. Your client's host will most likely offer some means of adding DNS entries. If not, this is an easy task for most hosting tech support.

Whatever way you do it, you just need to create an "A record" on example.com which points to 55.55.55.55 (the IP address of your server).

On your server

Once the A record for development.example.com is set up on the client's server, you need to set up the subdomain on your own server.

Do this by logging in to cPanel on your server and create an "Addon Domain" (or a parked domain if you desire).

(instructions continued in next post)

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mojojuju 13 years ago

Name the new addon domain that you create on your server example.com. Realize that although you are not hosting example.com on your server (yet), it is a prerequisite for creating a subdomain of example.com

Once that addon domain is added, you can create the subdomain by clicking on "Subdomains" from the main cPanel page..

And then, entering the same name as the subdomain whose "A record" DNS entry you created on the client's server (development.example.com)..

Once you've save that, you're done.

Now, any time a visitor goes to development.example.com web pages will come from your server, while pages from example.com will still come from the client's server.
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phpbbxpert 13 years ago

Save you self a ton of head aches and avoid fantastico...

Setup the database in the Database management in cPanel.
Then upload WP the actual download to your server.
Then open the site in your browser and follow the instructions.
You will be able to set the domain as the IP this way.
It's a peace of cake.
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- clickingfrenzy 13 years ago
  
  Thanks for the tip. I did exactly what you said and it worked like a charm!!
  
  Thanks
  
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christopher jon 13 years ago

As a developer, why don't you have your own test domain?

With the wordpress multiuser features it's a snap to setup and allows me to create a subdomain for every project I'm working on. When a client is happy with and paid for the project it's a fairly simple process of backing-up and transferring the site to the clients hosting.

I don't see the point of jumping through hoops or mucking around just to get a clients demo online.
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