Your MX records shouldn't change from google. Leave them alone as you aren't changing that IP address.
When ready to flip the switch, swap your A records from 74.117.210.243 to your new IP address and make sure you've configured your new web server to not send * to any site but configure on your web server the URL's to send to the particular folders.
Right now, all MX info is on my current server. Moving it to the new server later involves an IP address somehow?
Like I said, I don't really understand it all so I am probably not explaining the issue in a way that makes sense to someone that would understand the problem if it were explained correctly. A solution would be to have my domain registrar host the MX records instead of doing that on my server. However, that would involve an upgrade to the current package I have with them, for each domain I own (three of them). So basically an additional $75/yr to have them do that instead of hosting it on my own server. Not the end of the world, but I'd rather not spend it if I don't have too.
Don't forget to test said configuration with your hosts file on your local desktop before you move the live DNS.
This is what I have been doing. It is a bit of a pain, but it works. I had originally thought that the people who would help me test the new software before going live could do the same thing. Apparently... not. Again, I don't really understand the specifics.
Also, 4-8 hours before you flip the switch, set your TTL to something small and then after a few hours set it back to the current 4 hours. That'll reduce downtime of folks going to two different IP's as the TTL expires quicker.
Woodbutcher mentioned something like this. So far as I know, that is part of the plan.
The really frustrating thing about all this for me is my level of general ignorance. I know next to nothing about server configuration and administration. Since starting TWT, I have had other folks that have been able to do most of that for me on a volunteer basis. So all I have had to learn is how to use the forum software and herd cats. Right now, it kind of feels like walking into a surgery room and being handed a scalpel and being told I'm expected to do brain surgery. I get that I am going to have to open the person up, but I have no clue what to do once I get in there. I've been reading and watching videos trying to get a better understanding, but it seems like so much of the material I can find assumes a certain level of base knowledge (which I lack) and that makes it REALLY hard to understand how it all fits together. I either find stuff that is so incredibly basic that it is useless or so technical I can't wrap my head around it. Finding anything in between has been almost impossible.
For the curious, I have three domains,
twtex.com
sfriday.com
backroadmotorcycletours.com
The latter two are just static html pages, but I do have numerous email accounts associated with them that all end up at the same place as the twtex.com emails via Gsuite. I log into one account there and the emails for ALL of the various accounts and domains are in one place.
My current hosting plan with the server that I actually own has provided me with 29 usable dedicated IP addresses. So each domain name has its own IP address. All three use the same name servers, ns1.twtex.com and ns2.twtex.com. So my understanding is that this means my current server was setup with its own DNS server.
My VPS, which is where the new site is going to be located, has two IP addresses. I was asking about how I could give people access to the test site, here is what I've been told,
.227 is being used for one of the dns entries and the shared web server, .226 appears to be used for the other dns and LOOKED like it was also being used to point to the virtual server.
You are supposed to have two nameservers, ns1 and ns2 are common names. These should be on different IP addresses, this means that there is no way your domain [twtex.com] can be on an non-shared IP address since you only have two. Without doing something weird that isn’t going to work. A third IP would solve the issues and allow you to hand out an IP address for people to test.
So the issue was that if you simply put the IP address into the browser, it did not go to the right directory. It went to /var/www/html/. I need it to go to /home/twtexco/, which is where the TWT related stuff will be sitting. So we were talking about having an IP dedicated just to the /home/twtexco/ account and letting the other IP be shared for the other domains. This would let me hand out the dedicated IP to testers. It will also be required for me to attach an SSL to the IP address so visitors would see the https when coming to the forum. But, that would screw up the nameserver/MX stuff because that requires IP addresses. So it was thought we'd move the MX stuff off the server and free up an IP. This is the upgrade option with my current registrar that I mentioned earlier. That will cost me money. If I can justify getting a third IP address from the hosting company, then this would solve everything. But they are tight with them apparently. However, if they did give me one, it would only cost me $2/mo. The annoying thing is that before I can get the IP, part of the requirement is that I already have an SSL...
I just got off a LONG chat session with my new hosting provider. Hopefully, they will approve a new IP address and SSL so I can move forward.
So I just keep pounding my head on my keyboard and hopefully it will all work out in the end