Hosts File
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A hosts file resides on many computer platforms (Mac, Windows, Linux) and can be used by the computer to resolve a web address.
A hosts file will block IP calls on any port, whether
it is HTTP, FTP, or any other
Internet Protocol.
A hosts file will work as a Internet filtering system because web addresses like
amazon.com, microsoft.com etc. need to be resolved to their respective IP
numbers (207.171.182.16 and 207.46.230.220).
If the IP number is found in your hosts file, your computer stops looking and goes to the site listed in your hosts file.
If it isn't in the hosts file a DNS (Domain Name Server) computer is queried and your request is sent to that IP address.
Since the hosts file is checked first, it provides a method that can be used to block sites that have objectionable content, are used for advertisements, or any other site that you choose to block.
Hosts file is normally found in the C:\Windows subdirectory if you are using Windows 95 or 98. It can be opened and edited with a text editor such as Notepad.
It doesn't have a file extension. It appears simply as hosts. In the same
subdirectory you could find another file called hosts.sam. The hosts.sam file is a sample of
the layout of a hosts file. It is not the hosts file.
Your computer has a host address of its own called "localhost".
Its IP address is 127.0.0.1. You block access to other web site host
addresses by associating their web address (microsoft.com, amazon.com) with your localhost address. In effect any request to the associated web address will be referred to
your computer (localhost). Your computer will think it has found the associated
web site and display nothing.
You can find complete information on using a hosts file at Gorilla Design Studio. This
site has information on Linux hosts files and they have a version that can be used for Macintosh
users and directions on installing the file.
Ray Marron's Hostess Page is a free program for maintaining a hosts file.
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