Benefits and Usages of Hosts File

The domain name system (DNS) allows people to connect with websites using domain names instead of numerical IP addresses. Requests sent by your computer are first routed via the Hosts file on your computer. If the IP address of the website you want to access is saved in the Hosts file, it sends your browser directly to it. If the name is not in your local Hosts file, the computer then goes to a Domain Name Service (DNS) to find it. In this article, we’re going to explain the hosts file, and what uses and benefits it can offer.

What are Hosts files?

Both Mac and Windows computers have Hosts files. An operating system uses a host file to map the connection between an IP address and a domain name. The Hosts file is a simple text file with the IP address and the domain name in a single line separated by a tab or space.

Editing the Hosts file

In order to edit the Hosts file the process will be different on Mac and Windows computers.

Editing the Hosts file in MacOS

MacOS is based on the Unix system which gives you a greater level of control than closed systems like Windows. If you want to edit Hosts file Mac, you need to find out the location of the Hosts file and how to use Terminal to configure it. You can configure it to block unwanted sites, redirect traffic, and speed up browsing securely. Not everything has to be done through the Mac Hosts file. If you want to edit the Hosts file on Mac to get rid of unwanted adware or spyware, you can do it more easily by using third-party software to detect and remove it.

Editing the Hosts file in Windows 8 and 10

• Open Windows search and type Notepad into the search bar.
• Right-click on Notepad and select the Run as Administrator (You can’t edit the Hosts file unless you run it as an administrator).
• Select File and the Open option.
• Browse to the Hosts file location at C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc\
• From the dropdown menu next to File Name choose the All Files option.
• Select the Hosts file and the Open button.
• Now you can make your edits to the Hosts file and save your changes. 

Benefits and usages of the hosts file

By editing the Hosts file you can bypass the DNS and make any domain resolve to any IP address while using your browser. This can give you a better browsing experience, help you to eliminate intrusive advertising, and block harmful websites.

Block spyware/adware networks

You can use the host file to act as a firewall and block ads, banners, advertisers, trackers, and third-party websites. To block unwanted ads on your computer you may be able to use a host file example online to help you do it. You can add the list of spyware and adware domains to the Hosts file and map them to an incorrect IP address in the hosts file to stop your computer from connecting to them. This helps to improve your privacy.

Enhance security

You can block risky websites and ones you don’t want your children to visit using the Hosts file. Making a list of all the domain names and adding them to the Hosts file is necessary. Routing a specific website’s request to your local host IP address (normally 127.0.0.1) will ensure that your kids can’t access these sites from your computer and it will be more secure. By configuring the host file server settings you can also improve the network’s access speed.

Facilitate local website testing and development

If you’re a WordPress developer you may be making changes to the local version of the website that is currently live under a specific domain name. Any reference in the code to the domain will take you to the live version of the site. This means you can’t test the changes you have made. In this case, you can temporarily point the domain name to a different IP address locally. You can replicate the behavior of the live website without making the website publically available or changing DNS records.

Troubleshoot network problems

A website could be unavailable due to DNS issues. You could temporarily map the domain name to an IP address you know functions in the Hosts file. By skipping DNS resolution you could find out whether the problem is with external DNS servers.

Conclusion

Knowing more about the Hosts file and how to edit it offers you a number of uses and benefits. You can use edit the Hosts file to customize your browsing experience, eliminate intrusive ads, and block malicious websites. This helps to protect your privacy and increase security on your computer.