Converting an Addon Domain into a Standalone cPanel Account

An addon domain can be converted into the primary domain of a new cPanel account by following the steps outlined below. This process is commonly used when you want to separate an addon domain into its own standalone hosting account while keeping the same server and IP address.

Prerequisites
Access to cPanel for the existing account
Access to WHM (VPS / Dedicated Server or Reseller Hosting)
FTP client (such as FileZilla)

Accessing cPanel
Before starting the conversion process, log in to the relevant cPanel account based on your hosting type.
On Reseller Hosting

1. Log in to the BigRock Customer Control Panel: https://myorders.bigrock.in/
   
    
   
   
2. Search for the domain name and click on the associated hosting product.
3. Under the hosting product, click Go To WHM to access WHM.
   
    
   
   
4. Once logged in to WHM, navigate to the cPanel account that contains the addon domain you want to convert.
   
    
   
   

On VPS / Dedicated Hosting (Root Server)

1. Access WHM using one of the following URLs:
   http://ipaddressofserver:2086
   https://ipaddressofserver:2087
2. Log in using your root credentials.
3. Once logged in to WHM, navigate to the cPanel account that contains the addon domain you want to convert.
   
   

Note:If you are using Reseller Hosting, there is no direct option in WHM to convert an addon domain into a standalone cPanel account. In this case, the addon domain must be removed and recreated manually as a new cPanel account by following the steps below.

Step 1: Take a Full Backup
Before making any changes, ensure that all website data and databases are backed up.

1. Log in to cPanel of the original account.
2. Open Backup Wizard.
   
    
   
   
3. Create a backup of:
   Website files
   MySQL databases
   
    
   
    
   
   

This ensures that your web content, databases, and email data can be restored if needed.

Step 2: Remove the Addon Domain

1. Log in to the original cPanel account.
2. Navigate to Addon Domains.
   
3. Remove the addon domain.
   
    
   
    
   

Note: It is not necessary to delete the original website files or databases at this stage.

Step 3: Create a New cPanel Account in WHM

1. Log in to WHM.
2. Create a new cPanel account.
   
    
   
   
3. Set the old addon domain as the primary domain for this new account.
   
    
   

This converts the addon domain into a standalone primary domain under its own cPanel account.

Step 4: Upload Website Files

1. Connect to the new cPanel account using FTP.
2. Upload the website files to:
   /home/username/public_html
   
   

Step 5: Restore Backup Data (Optional / If Required)
If you are restoring data from a backup, extract the backup file on your local machine and locate the following directories:
Backup Directory Structure

• Web directory – Contains website files
• Mail directory – Contains email accounts and mail data
  Path: /homedir/username/mail/addondomain.com/
• Mail configuration directory – Contains mail configuration files
  Path: /homedir/username/etc/addondomain.com/

Restore Using FTP
Replace the contents on the server as follows:

• Upload web directory contents to:
  /home/username/public_html
• Upload mail directory contents to:
  /home/username/mail
• Upload mail configuration directory contents to:
  /home/username/etc

This restores the website files and email accounts associated with the domain.

Step 7: Restore MySQL Databases

1. Log in to the new cPanel account.
2. Navigate to Backup Wizard.
   
    
   
   
3. Select Restore a MySQL Database.
   
    
   
   
4. Browse and upload the database backup file.

Recreate Database User

1. Go to MySQL Databases in cPanel.
   
    
   
   
2. Create a database user.
   
    
   
   
3. Assign the user to the database.
   
    
   
   
4. Use the same database username and password as specified in your application’s configuration file (for example, in WordPress, this is defined in wp-config.php).

VPS / Dedicated Hosting: Direct Conversion Method
For VPS or Dedicated Servers, WHM provides a built-in option to directly convert an addon domain into a standalone cPanel account. The backup process remains the same as reseller hosting, as outlined above.

Steps to Convert Addon Domain to Account via WHM

1. Log in to WHM using the steps shared above.
2. From the left-hand navigation menu, search for and click Convert Addon Domain to Account.
   
    
   
   
3. Locate the addon domain you want to convert.
   
4. Click the Convert button next to the domain.
   
    
   
   
5. Select your desired configuration options for the new cPanel account (username, package, settings, etc.).
6. Scroll to the bottom of the page and click the blue Start Conversion button.
    
   

WHM will automatically create a new standalone cPanel account using the addon domain as the primary domain and migrate the associated data.

Final Notes

• Once the conversion is completed, the website should begin resolving normally.
• No name server changes are required, as the IP address remains the same.
• DNS propagation is not expected if the domain remains on the same server.