Testing Your Web Site Before Changing DNS - Revision history

Daniellem: /* Introduction */

2019-05-13T15:58:13Z

‎Introduction

Seanc: /* Windows PC (Windows 95 / 98 / Me / NT / 2000 / XP / 2003 / Vista / 7/ 8 /10 ) */

2017-02-06T17:39:13Z

‎Windows PC (Windows 95 / 98 / Me / NT / 2000 / XP / 2003 / Vista / 7/ 8 /10 )

KalanA at 03:19, 16 December 2016

2016-12-16T03:19:05Z

Seanc at 20:09, 7 April 2016

2016-04-07T20:09:50Z

Chrisw: /* Linux */

2015-04-13T05:14:53Z

‎Linux

Chrisw: /* Linux */

2015-04-13T05:14:23Z

‎Linux

Chrisw: /* Windows PC (Windows 95 / 98 / Me / NT / 2000 / XP / 2003 / Vista / 7) */

2013-09-14T06:00:08Z

‎Windows PC (Windows 95 / 98 / Me / NT / 2000 / XP / 2003 / Vista / 7)

Jakeh: /* Linux */

2013-03-24T18:49:22Z

‎Linux

Briana: Briana moved page Testing Your Web Site to Testing Your Web Site Before Changing DNS without leaving a redirect

2013-03-04T16:33:44Z

Briana moved page Testing Your Web Site to Testing Your Web Site Before Changing DNS without leaving a redirect

Jakeh: /* Mac OS */

2013-03-04T00:15:03Z

‎Mac OS

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 When migrating your site to a new server, you want to test your site before updating the DNS to point to the new server. To do this you can use your computer's '''hosts''' file to force your computer to visit the new server when visiting your domain name.
 ===Introduction===
-Your computer's '''hosts''' file is a local repository for resolving a domain name to an IP, and this method predates modern DNS systems. The computer checks its hosts file before making any DNS requests to resolve a domain. This allows you to adjust your hosts file to force your computer to visit a different IP address when visiting your domain name.
+Your computer's '''hosts''' file is a local repository for resolving a domain name to an IP. The '''hosts''' file essentially acts as a custom configuration for you only. After we help you configure it, it will sit between your computer and the Internet and override what is currently set up on the Internet with the custom configuration you have in said file. This is why you can access your website before DNS has propagated, or even before DNS has been changed at all.
 ===Example===
 Below is example from a Windows hosts file that shows ''google.com'' and ''www.google.com'' pointing to a different IP address than what is reported by a DNS lookup.

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 ##Click the Start menu, open All Programs --> Accessories
 ##Right-click Notepad and click '''Run as Administrator'''
 #In Notepad click File --> Open and find the hosts file at the appropriate location:
 #*'''Windows NT / 2000 / XP / 2003 / Vista / 7/ 8 /10''':<pre>C:\windows\system32\drivers\etc\hosts</pre>
@@ Line 40: / Line 41: @@
 #*'''''Please note that the file type drop-down menu needs to be changed to "All Files" to see the hosts file:''''' [[Image:edit_hosts_file2.jpg]]<br><br>
 #On the last line add your entry as shown below then save and close Notepad. This example assumes we want to point '''domainname.com''' to '''0.0.0.0'''.
 #*Where you will replace "'''0.0.0.0'''" with the IP Address of your site in our system. The IP Address that you need to use can be found in your cPanel, WCP, or New Account Information email.
 <pre>0.0.0.0 domainname.com</pre>

@@ Line 31: / Line 31: @@
 </pre>
 ===How to Edit the Hosts File===
-====Windows PC (Windows 95 / 98 / Me / NT / 2000 / XP / 2003 / Vista / 7)====
+====Windows PC (Windows 95 / 98 / Me / NT / 2000 / XP / 2003 / Vista / 7/ 8 /10 )====
 #Open Notepad as Administrator:
 ##Click the Start menu, open All Programs --> Accessories
 ##Right-click Notepad and click '''Run as Administrator'''
 #In Notepad click File --> Open and find the hosts file at the appropriate location:
-#*'''Windows NT / 2000 / XP / 2003 / Vista / 7''':<pre>C:\windows\system32\drivers\etc\hosts</pre>
+#*'''Windows NT / 2000 / XP / 2003 / Vista / 7/ 8 /10''':<pre>C:\windows\system32\drivers\etc\hosts</pre>
 #*'''Windows 95 / 98 / Me''':<pre>C:\windows\hosts</pre>
 #*'''''Please note that the file type drop-down menu needs to be changed to "All Files" to see the hosts file:''''' [[Image:edit_hosts_file2.jpg]]<br><br>

@@ Line 39: / Line 39: @@
 #*'''Windows 95 / 98 / Me''':<pre>C:\windows\hosts</pre>
 #*'''''Please note that the file type drop-down menu needs to be changed to "All Files" to see the hosts file:''''' [[Image:edit_hosts_file2.jpg]]<br><br>
-#On the last line add your entry as shown below then save and close Notepad. This example assumes we want to point '''domainname.com''' to '''132.232.249.198'''. <pre>132.232.249.198 domainname.com</pre>
+#On the last line add your entry as shown below then save and close Notepad. This example assumes we want to point '''domainname.com''' to '''0.0.0.0'''.
 ====Mac OS====
@@ Line 49: / Line 51: @@
 #*'''Mac OS 10.5 and below''':<pre>sudo nano /private/etc/hosts</pre>
 #Enter your Mac user's password when prompted
-#On the last line add your entry as shown below. This example assumes we want to point '''domainname.com''' to '''132.232.249.198'''. <pre>132.232.249.198 domainname.com</pre>
+#On the last line add your entry as shown below. This example assumes we want to point '''domainname.com''' to '''0.0.0.0'''.
 #Press '''''ctrl'''''-'''''x''''', then press '''''y''''' when prompted to save your changes
@@ Line 56: / Line 60: @@
 #Enter this command: <pre>sudo nano /etc/hosts</pre>
 #Enter your ''root'' password when prompted
-#On the last line add your entry as shown below. This example assumes we want to point '''domainname.com''' to '''132.232.249.198'''. <pre>132.232.249.198 domainname.com</pre>
+#On the last line add your entry as shown below. This example assumes we want to point '''domainname.com''' to '''0.0.0.0'''.
 #Press '''''ctrl'''''-'''''x''''', then press '''''y''''' when prompted to save your changes
 '''''Note''': If you plan to test with the '''www''' version of your domain name, you must add an entry for the '''www''' version of your domain to the hosts file.<br />You may also need to '''[[Flush_DNS_Resolver_Cache|flush your computer's DNS resolver cache]]''' after making these changes too.''

@@ Line 54: / Line 54: @@
 ====Linux====
 #SSH into your console or open your terminal if you run a GUI on your Linux machine.
-#Enter this command:
+#Enter this command: <pre>sudo nano /etc/hosts</pre>
 <pre>sudo nano /etc/hosts</pre>
 #Enter your ''root'' password when prompted
 #On the last line add your entry as shown below. This example assumes we want to point '''domainname.com''' to '''132.232.249.198'''. <pre>132.232.249.198 domainname.com</pre>

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