Transferring a domain without email downtime

[evilsatan]

So are you saying if I change the nameservers away from the host nameservers but have the A records set to the same IP as now then the host will know I am looking for mydomain.com and direct me accordingly? I haven't altered anything yet so the IP address is the same as it has always been AFAIK, the nameservers are still set to hostgator.

[tric]

So are you saying if I change the nameservers away from the host nameservers but have the A records set to the same IP as now then the host will know I am looking for mydomain.com and direct me accordingly?

Yes.

It's totally normal for you not to be able to reach your site by IP because as stated there's probably thousands of sites with that same IP. What your browser does is connect to the IP (given by the DNS) and state which site it wants (i.e. mydomain.com)

Another way you can confirm the IP is by using http://web-sniffer.net/

[evilsatan]

I have now added the mx records for the email, cname for auto discover and the two a records pointing to that IP. I will wait until Friday to change the name servers so it can go live this weekend. I assume this will not affect my google rankings?

[tric]

There's no change from Google's point of view as the IP will be the same.

[evilsatan]

Great, lucky I asked all of this for me as I now have to do the same for another client so will do them the same time I do my own transfers.