Retiring a site - How?

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Anonymous
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I've rebuilt my site in Kajabi and all Name Servers for my domain now point there.  But my Wordpress site that is hosted at InMotion is still there.  I'm sure that plugins are updating and updates are stacking up.  How do I de-activate the site and yet keep all the files in tact in case I need to access some parts of it?  Also, even though nothing its pointing to it any longer, is it still susceptible to spam bots?  I'll be needing my subscription with a spam blocker service and I am wondering if my pages are still able to be spammed.

What's the best protocol for retiring the site and getting it off the web but still have access for future use?

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anonymous
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Hello! There are a few different ways to go about putting your site 'on hold' in case you need it later. 

First, it's unlikely that spam bots will continue to attack your WordPress site once your DNS is pointed to your new site, as any attempts to access your WordPress dashboard or the equivalent will end up directed to the site your DNS points to. That said, in case one or two lingering spambots are tied to an IP address instead of a domain, it can't hurt to go ahead and disable WordPress Comments, user account registration (the tutorial is for enable it, I'm just posting it as a reference for how to get to the right spot), and deactivating any forms on your page. 

You can always use a WordPress under construction plugin as an extra layer of blocking off what's on your site. This probably won't be necessary in general, but it does mean that if your DNS ever accidentally or temporarily gets pointed to your old site, it won't be accessible by anyone who accidentally stumbles on it. 

With your domain pointed to your new site, you can always make use of a hosts file modification if you want to access your old WordPress site without making DNS changes. 

Lastly, you can always just make a WordPress backup of your site, taking care to also make a database backup, and save those in a secure location in case you ever need them. Hope that helps!

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anonymous
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  • Answered

Hello! There are a few different ways to go about putting your site 'on hold' in case you need it later. 

First, it's unlikely that spam bots will continue to attack your WordPress site once your DNS is pointed to your new site, as any attempts to access your WordPress dashboard or the equivalent will end up directed to the site your DNS points to. That said, in case one or two lingering spambots are tied to an IP address instead of a domain, it can't hurt to go ahead and disable WordPress Comments, user account registration (the tutorial is for enable it, I'm just posting it as a reference for how to get to the right spot), and deactivating any forms on your page. 

You can always use a WordPress under construction plugin as an extra layer of blocking off what's on your site. This probably won't be necessary in general, but it does mean that if your DNS ever accidentally or temporarily gets pointed to your old site, it won't be accessible by anyone who accidentally stumbles on it. 

With your domain pointed to your new site, you can always make use of a hosts file modification if you want to access your old WordPress site without making DNS changes. 

Lastly, you can always just make a WordPress backup of your site, taking care to also make a database backup, and save those in a secure location in case you ever need them. Hope that helps!