discussion Guide Windows Windows Hosts File: Route a Website to a Different IP (Safe Testing)

[CL4Y]

Windows Hosts File: Route a Website to a Different IP (Safe Testing)​

Need to preview a site on a new server before DNS goes live? The Windows hosts file lets you override DNS on a single machine and resolve a domain to any IP you choose. Below is a precise, reversible workflow using Notepad++ and admin privileges. 🧪

Prerequisites​

• Windows 10/11 with local administrator rights
• Notepad++ installed (recommended)
• Target server IPv4 (and optionally IPv6) address

https://www.jetto.net/resources/notepad-download.13/

Where is the hosts file?​

The hosts file is here:

C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc\hosts

Step-by-step: Map a domain to a custom IP​

1. Run Notepad++ as Administrator. Right-click Notepad++ → Run as administrator. This is required to save changes under System32.
2. Open the hosts file. In Notepad++: File → Open → paste the path C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc\hosts. If you don’t see it, set file type to All types (.).
3. Add your overrides at the end of the file. Use one entry per line in the format: {IP_address} {domain}

78.XXX.XXX.7 www.jetto.net
78.XXX.XXX.7 jetto.net

Replace 78.XXX.XXX.7 with your server’s IP. Tabs or single spaces both work; keep one delimiter.

• Save without changing the filename or extension. Ensure it remains exactly hosts (no .txt).
• Flush the DNS cache. Open an elevated Command Prompt and run:
  

  ipconfig /flushdns

• Restart your browser. Browsers keep their own DNS/connection caches; a quick restart avoids stale routes.

Verify the override​

• Ping or curl the domain (these honor hosts overrides):
  

  ping jetto.net
  curl -I https://jetto.net

• nslookup won’t reflect hosts entries. It queries DNS directly. Prefer ping/curl for verification on Windows.

Real-world example (Jetto.net)​

To preview jetto.net on a staging server bound to 78.XXX.XXX.7 only on your device, add:

78.XXX.XXX.7 www.jetto.net
78.XXX.XXX.7 jetto.net

After flushing DNS and restarting the browser, your PC will load Jetto.net from 78.XXX.XXX.7 while everyone else continues using public DNS. 🎯

Reverting the change​

• Open the hosts file as admin again
• Delete or comment the lines (prefix with #):
  

  #78.XXX.XXX.7 www.jetto.net
  #78.XXX.XXX.7 jetto.net

• Save → ipconfig /flushdns → restart the browser

Troubleshooting​

• “Access denied” when saving: Notepad++ wasn’t started as Administrator. Close and reopen with elevated rights.
• Changes have no effect: Run ipconfig /flushdns, restart the browser, and ensure there’s no typo in the domain. Try ping jetto.net and confirm it resolves to your custom IP.
• Still seeing old server: Clear browser cache or try a private window. Some CDNs/proxies cache aggressively; verify with curl -I to check response headers.
• File not visible in “etc” folder: Switch the file dialog filter to All files (.).

FAQ​

• Does this affect other users? No. The override is local to your device only.
• Can I keep this for staging permanently? Yes, but remember it bypasses live DNS; remove or comment lines when done.
• Will VPN or custom DNS resolvers interfere? Hosts has higher priority on the local machine; it still wins for name resolution on that device.

 

[CL4Y]

Editing the Windows hosts file is the fastest, safest way to preview a site on an alternate server without touching DNS. Add the IP-domain pairs, flush DNS, restart the browser, validate with ping/curl, then revert when finished. Simple, targeted, and production-safe. ✅