hosts : Java Glossary

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hosts
A file used in Windows to provide shortcuts for DNS (Domain Name Service) to IP (Internet Protocol) lookup. In Windows 95/98/ME it lives in C:\Windows\hosts.. In Windows NT/W2K/XP/W2K3, it is in C:\WINNT\system32\drivers\etc\hosts. The hosts. file needs to contain at least one entry: 127.0.0.1 localhost to let you access server apps on the local machine. You can maintain the file with a text editor, or for more automated error-free maintenance use TweakDun.

There are two reason to put an entry into the hosts. file.

  1. Because the name is not known to the DNS lookup system. It is a local name, or an IP without an official domain name.
    127.0.0.1 localhost
    192.168.2.1 router
  2. For speed. Hosts. lookup is faster than asking a DNS server on the net, e.g.
    65.110.21.43 mindprod.com
    The problem is, if the IP changes, the hosts file will not be automatically updated. You have manually update it with a text editor or semi-automatically update it with a hosts file manager.
Hosts. File Managers
Program Cost Notes
TweakDUN free Unfortunately no longer available. It let you mark your domains in your hosts. file as either #SKIP or plain. You would each day ask it to look up the latest IPs of the plain domains and replace the values. I may have to write one myself.
Abelhadigital HostsMan free Complicated. Takes over entire DNS system. I could see no way to get it to to simply refresh the IPs in your host file. However, it would at least look up an individual IP if you typed the domain name. It’s main function is to download large lists of rude domains so that you can deflect DNS look up.
Funkytoad HostsXpert free Lets you merge and sort, but nothing to update the IPs on your list of domains. No install. You must create a directory, unzip and create a shortcut to the exe.
Mike Meyer HostsToggle free Open source. Written in VB. All it does is toggle two different hosts. files. Last revised: 2002 Verified: 2007-05-20
DNS
IP
localhost
TweakDUN
TweakDUN clone project
CMP homejump to top You can get the freshest copy of this page from: or possibly from your local J: drive (Java virtual drive/mindprod.com website mirror)
http://mindprod.com/jgloss/hosts.html J:\mindprod\jgloss\hosts.html
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