Modifying Your Hosts File
Written by Brad Markle
Click here to watch a video tutorial
While reviewing this article, if you are not sure exactly what you need to do, we recommend reviewing the following flash tutorial:
http://support.inmotionhosting.com/userguides/hostfile_flash/fp_hostfile.htm
The following information is for Windows users. If you are using a Mac, please see our article on How to edit your hosts file on a Mac
A hosts file modification is a simple Windows tweak that is used to trick your computer into resolving to a specific IP. This is especially useful when developing your site on our server when your nameservers are not pointed to us yet, and you are working with domain-name-dependent software (like FrontPage or a php content management system such as Joomla or Wordpress).
First, find where your hosts file is located:
- Windows 95/98/Me c:\windows\hosts
- Windows NT/2000/XP Pro c:\winnt\system32\drivers\etc\hosts
- Windows XP Home/Vista/Windows 7 c:\windows\system32\drivers\etc\hosts
Please note:
Hosts is the name of the hosts file and not another directory name. It does not have an extension (extensions are the .exe, .txt, .doc, etc. endings to filenames) and so appears to be another directory in the example above.
Caution!
We recommend that you back it up onto a usb drive or into another directory on your hard drive so that you may restore it if you do not like the results, or in case something else goes wrong while you are trying to set this up. It is always better to be safe than sorry in the event of an unforeseen mishap. Please make a backup copy.
Open your hosts file in Notepad. If you receive any permissions related errors during this process, please review the following link for further assistance:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/923947
It should look something like this when you open it:
#
# This is a sample HOSTS file used by Microsoft TCP/IP for Windows.
#
# This file contains the mappings of IP addresses to host names. Each
# entry should be kept on an individual line. The IP address should
# be placed in the first column followed by the corresponding host name.
# The IP address and the host name should be separated by at least one
# space.
#
# Additionally, comments (such as these) may be inserted on individual
# lines or following the machine name denoted by a '#' symbol.
#
# For example:
#
# 102.54.94.97 rhino.acme.com # source server
# 38.25.63.10 x.acme.com # x client host
127.0.0.1 localhost
You can now add addresses to your Hosts file. For example:
67.199.146.25 www.domain.com
Once you make your changes, save the hosts file and restart your web browser. This should force those sites to resolve to the given IPs.
Unfortunately, you have given very little information by which to go by. I pulled up your account, but I have no context as to your conversation or previous support question - I have no way of seeing your previous support session in chat. Can you please provide us some information? Explain what you're trying to do and the problem you're experiencing. Using a HOSTS file change is done for the purpose of "tricking" your computer into thinking it's looking at a website differently from what it would normally do (you're basically changing the IP address it would normally resolve the website to). It's a technique often used by programmers to look at a website that is still "live" at another location. This change is ONLY for the computer where the HOSTS file change has occurred. You could also modify multiple computers, but this is only supposed to be a temporary matter to let you work on a website while leaving the live one up and running.
If you want immediate help on the issue, you are also welcome to utilize technical support via phone or chat.
If you have any further comments or questions, please leave a comment at the bottom of the page.
Regards,
Arnel C.
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