How to block / redirect websites using the Windows host file - Printable Version +- howtothings.co.uk (https://www.howtothings.co.uk) +-- Forum: Computing (https://www.howtothings.co.uk/forumdisplay.php?fid=4) +--- Forum: Operating System and Software Support (https://www.howtothings.co.uk/forumdisplay.php?fid=17) +--- Thread: How to block / redirect websites using the Windows host file (/showthread.php?tid=975)

How to block / redirect websites using the Windows host file - Mark - 28-08-2011 How to block / redirect websites using the Windows host file Really quick one liner of what a host file is. The hosts file is a computer file used in an operating system to map hostnames to IP addresses. The hosts file is a plain-text file and is traditionally named hosts. Steps 1) The file we're looking for is located in C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc 2) Open the hosts file in Notepad. 3) Your hosts file will look similar to below, (except I have a few other entries in mine that I've blurred out...) simply add the desired website at the bottom, eg. 127.0.0.1 websitehere.com That will redirect websitehere.com to 127.0.0.1 (localhost) 4) File > Save As > hosts Make sure All Files is selected (*.*) 5) Try to get to the website... 6) And if we try a ping... Simple. Remember this only works on the machine that you do it on. RE: How to block / redirect websites using the Windows host file - Drumm - 30-08-2011 This can be used for blocking ads as a System-Wide thing.