How to access my site while waiting for the domain transfer?

When you have just subscribed to a web hosting plan with domain name transfer, it is normal that your domain name is not yet configured to point to your server, as it still points to your previous host. Additionally, our shared hosting plans use shared IP addresses among multiple users. This means that you cannot access your site by simply typing the server's IP address in your browser.

But don't worry! Here are two methods to access your site before your domain name is transferred:

Solution 1: Add a temporary preprod.hodi.cloud domain

We provide you with a temporary subdomain in the form yoursite.preprod.hodi.cloud that you can use to view and test your site immediately.

• Log in to your cPanel.
• In the "Domains" section, choose "Domains".
• Click the "Create a New Domain" button.
• Choose a name ending with preprod.hodi.cloud.
• Check the "Share document root" box.
• Confirm.

Warning: CMS platforms like WordPress or PrestaShop may store the site URL in their database. If you access your site via this temporary URL, some resources may not display correctly, or you may be automatically redirected to the original domain name. Refer to your CMS's official documentation to temporarily change the site URL, then switch back to your main domain name once DNS propagation is complete.

Solution 2: Edit your computer's hosts file

This method allows you to manually associate your domain name with the server's IP address, only on your computer.

Example entry to add to your hosts file:

123.123.123.123 mybusiness.re www.mybusiness.re(replace 123.123.123.123 with your server's IP address and mybusiness.re with your domain name)

On Windows

• Click the Start button and type Notepad in the search bar.
• Right-click on "Notepad" and choose "Run as administrator" (required to save the file).
• In Notepad, click File > Open.
• Navigate to the folder: `C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc`
• In the bottom right of the open dialog, change "Text Documents (*.txt)" to "All Files".
• Select the hosts file and open it.
• Add the line containing the IP and your domain name at the end of the file.
• Save and close Notepad.
• To flush the DNS cache, open a command prompt as administrator and type: ipconfig /flushdns

If this does not work, or if you have trouble following the procedure, we invite you to contact your usual IT support, or try the first solution. Hodi's technical support cannot provide support for your operating system.

On macOS

• Open the Terminal (via Spotlight or in Applications > Utilities).
• Type the following command to edit the hosts file: sudo nano /etc/hosts (you will need to enter your administrator password - nothing will appear on screen, not even asterisks, this is normal - then press Enter).
• Use the arrow keys to scroll down to the end of the file, then add the line containing the IP and your domain name.
• Press Ctrl + O to save, then Enter to confirm. Then, Ctrl + X to exit.
• To flush the DNS cache, type: sudo dscacheutil -flushcache; sudo killall -HUP mDNSResponder

If this does not work, or if you have trouble following the procedure, we invite you to contact your usual IT support, or try the first solution. Hodi's technical support cannot provide support for your operating system.

Updated on: 14/02/2026