Windows Host File
By Kate Botello


Have you ever wondered how your browser finds the address of the URL you 
type into the window?  Your computer uses DNS, Domain Name Service, to 
look up ("resolve") an address for a domain name.

Your computer's name resolver first looks in its HOSTS file, usually directed 
to your own internal Web server (if you're running one). Then it asks your ISP's 
root server for information.


Kate shows how to speed up your browser:

We've discovered that adding the IP addresses and domain name of the sites you 
visit the most often can dramatically reduce your page loading time. There's no 
need to ask the root server to resolve an IP address for the domain name-- it's 
already right there, in your hosts file.

The hosts file is located in your C:\WINDOWS\ directory. 
If you're doing this in Windows NT, look for the LMHOSTS file 
(which handles NETBIOS over TCP/IP). In Linux, HOSTS is in 
the /etc folder.


So how do you edit it? Very simple:

Search for the file C:\WINDOWS\HOSTS.SAM. This is a sample hosts file, showing 
you the format your IP addresses and domain names need to be in. You'll notice 
the first address in the sample file is for your localhost, your local 
Web server, 127.0.0.1.

Hold down the SHIFT key, and right-click to bring up the "Open With" menu.

Open the file in NOTEPAD.


Let's take a look at my hosts file:

127.0.0.1 - localhost
167.160.193.84 - leoville.com - #leo's site
206.132.166.63 - snap.com
192.41.52.91 - subbrilliant.com
209.185.108.220 - google.com
128.11.45.104 - thescreensavers.com


Editing this file is easy, the only slightly difficult part is finding the 
IP addresses (those funny numbers) that go with the domain names.

Open an MS-DOS window (Start, Run, then type COMMAND). Resize till it fits 
on the same screen next to NOTEPAD.

Ping the URL: type PING www.google.com (or whatever domain you're looking for). 
It'll show you the IP address you're looking for.

Type in the IP address to the left.

Separate the URL and its domain name by at least one space 
(I generally just use the TAB key)

If desired, tab over again, and include a comment, precluded by the pound (#) key

Save the file as HOSTS with no extension.

Bada-boom! On my machine, Google loads in about one second. A caveat from our 
friend Jeremy Randall, be careful with the HOSTS file. If, for some reason, the 
destination IP addresses change, you can slow yourself down by trying to speed up. 
If you do experience slowdowns, try running PING for the domain name again and see 
if the entry's changed.



Whoosh! Have fun!

Kate Botello