WordPress: Redirecting to wrong URL!!

Problem:

While trying to browse to http://www.example.com, it keeps redirecting to http://example.azurewebsites.net!!  

Redirection Scenarios

There are a couple situations where one may face the WordPress Redirection issue:

• Migrated from another host
• Changed your custom domain name and it’s going to your old domain!

 

Understanding The Issue

This redirection can occur for two reasons:

1. URL settings on the database. There are two fields named SITEURL and HOME within the wp_options table that control the URL redirects.
2. Defined constants in wp-config.php

MySQL Workbench showing URL settings from wp_options table

Wp-config.php showing defined constants affecting URL Redirection. To update these URLs, follow (C).

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Stopping The Redirection (and taking control of the site)

Not everyone is comfortable with making updates on a database so there are several _options given below.   Here are a _few methods to fix this issue:

A) Recommended Method Through WordPress Admin

1. Login to WordPress Admin

2. Click on Settings -> General

1. Find the WordPress Address (URL) and Site Address (URL) fields:

1. Update it to your new URL as shown:

1. Save Changes

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B) If you no longer have access to WordPress admin, set the site in “Relocate” mode within wp-config.php

1. Edit wp-config.php

2. Before the comment line “That’s all, stop editing!”, insert a new line: define(‘RELOCATE’, true);

1. Save wp-config.php file

2. In your browser, open wp-login.php on  your new site. Example: For the domain, http://www.mysite.com, the URL would be: http://www.mysite.com/wp-login.php

3. Login

4. Verify the address bar is correct

5. In WordPress Admin, go to Settings -> General

1. Verify WordPress Address (URL) and Site Address (URL) are correct

1. Save changes

2. Go back to wp-config.php

3. Remove the define from step #2.

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C) If you are unable to log into WordPress Admin, define new settings within wp-config.php

Note: This will hardcode the URLs and they will be disabled through the WordPress Admin -> Settings -> General Area. Because of this reason, it is not recommended.

define(‘WP_HOME’,’http://example.com’); define(‘WP_SITEURL’,’http://example.com’);

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D) Manually update the HOME and SITEURL through a client like MySQL Workbench or PHPMyAdmin

Apply the following two queries to your WP_OPTIONS table:

__________________________________________________________________

UPDATE wp_options

SET option_value=’http://www.newaddress.com’

WHERE option_name = ‘home’

LIMIT 1;

__________________________________________________________________

UPDATE wp_options

SET option_value=’http://www.newaddress.com’

WHERE option_name = ‘siteurl’

LIMIT 1;

__________________________________________________________________

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Reference: https://codex.wordpress.org/Changing_The_Site_URL