Hosts file

[Sam]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.newusers (More info?)

Hello,

Could anyone explain to me what a hosts file is, please?

Also, I've noticed that in my firewall, Zone Alarm free, 'Run a dll as an
app" is allowed - is this correct?

Many thanks.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.newusers (More info?)

Sam wrote:

> Could anyone explain to me what a hosts file is, please?


Most people think that the URL, such as http://www.microsoft.com, is the
address of a web site, but it actually isn't. The real address is an IP
address, four three-digit numbers separated by dots, in a form like
123.456.321.443. For each URL, there's a corresponding IP address. We use
the URL instead of the real IP address because it's easier to remember.

When you enter a URL, behind the scenes your browser goes to a DNS (Domain
Name System) server (usually one supplied by your ISP) to look up and find
the corresponding IP address for the URL you entered. It then gets the web
page for the IP address it found.

That process takes time--not a lot, but some. One way to speed up that
process is to store on your computer a table of URLs and corresponding IP
address for sites you frequently visit.

That's the hosts file--sort of a local DNS server customized for you. The
browser searches the hosts file first and only goes to the dns server if
there's no entry in the hosts file.

The other use of the hosts file is to render some URLs inaccessible by
giving them the IP address 127.0.0.1, the localhost. It's a way to block
access to porn sites, dangerous sites, etc.

--
Ken Blake
Please Reply to the Newsgroup

 

[Sam]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.newusers (More info?)

"Ken Blake" <kblake@this.is.an.invalid.domain> wrote in message
news:eAwyH6zqFHA.3444@TK2MSFTNGP12.phx.gbl...
> Sam wrote:
>
> > Could anyone explain to me what a hosts file is, please?
>
>
> Most people think that the URL, such as http://www.microsoft.com, is the
> address of a web site, but it actually isn't. The real address is an IP
> address, four three-digit numbers separated by dots, in a form like
> 123.456.321.443. For each URL, there's a corresponding IP address. We use
> the URL instead of the real IP address because it's easier to remember.
>
> When you enter a URL, behind the scenes your browser goes to a DNS (Domain
> Name System) server (usually one supplied by your ISP) to look up and find
> the corresponding IP address for the URL you entered. It then gets the
web
> page for the IP address it found.
>
> That process takes time--not a lot, but some. One way to speed up that
> process is to store on your computer a table of URLs and corresponding IP
> address for sites you frequently visit.
>
> That's the hosts file--sort of a local DNS server customized for you. The
> browser searches the hosts file first and only goes to the dns server if
> there's no entry in the hosts file.
>
> The other use of the hosts file is to render some URLs inaccessible by
> giving them the IP address 127.0.0.1, the localhost. It's a way to block
> access to porn sites, dangerous sites, etc.
>
> --
> Ken Blake
> Please Reply to the Newsgroup
>
>
Thank you very, very much, Ken - much appreciated. Now I understand more.
Just one other query, please - are these listed as 'SVCHost.exe" in the task
manager? I see I have five instances of this running at the moment.

Kind regards,
Sam

 

[Malke]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.newusers (More info?)

Sam wrote:

> Thank you very, very much, Ken - much appreciated. Now I understand
> more. Just one other query, please - are these listed as 'SVCHost.exe"
> in the task
> manager? I see I have five instances of this running at the moment.
>
I'm not Ken, but I don't think he'd mind me answering you. The
SVCHost.exe has nothing to do with your Hosts file. It is normal to
have multiple instances of it running. Here are links explaining
SVCHost.exe:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/314056/EN-US/ and
http://windowsxp.mvps.org/svchost.htm

Malke
--
MS-MVP Windows User/Shell
Elephant Boy Computers
www.elephantboycomputers.com
"Don't Panic"

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.newusers (More info?)

Malke wrote:

> Sam wrote:
>
>> Thank you very, very much, Ken - much appreciated. Now I understand
>> more. Just one other query, please - are these listed as
>> 'SVCHost.exe" in the task
>> manager? I see I have five instances of this running at the moment.
>>
> I'm not Ken, but I don't think he'd mind me answering you.


Of course I don't mind. And Sam, first of all, you're welcome, and second, I
concur with what Malke says below.

--
Ken Blake
Please Reply to the Newsgroup


> The
> SVCHost.exe has nothing to do with your Hosts file. It is normal to
> have multiple instances of it running. Here are links explaining
> SVCHost.exe:
>
> http://support.microsoft.com/kb/314056/EN-US/ and
> http://windowsxp.mvps.org/svchost.htm
>
> Malke

 

[RobertM]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.newusers (More info?)

"pcbutts1" <pcbutts1@seedsv.com> wrote in message
news:d9mQe.56$sF6.21@newssvr24.news.prodigy.net...
> Then don't listen to the MVP's
>
> --
>
>
Just thought there might be someone who could explain things in layman's
terminology.

Bob

 

[Sam]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.newusers (More info?)

"Malke" <notreally@invalid.com> wrote in message
news:umTGXC9qFHA.2604@TK2MSFTNGP14.phx.gbl...
> Sam wrote:
>
> > Thank you very, very much, Ken - much appreciated. Now I understand
> > more. Just one other query, please - are these listed as 'SVCHost.exe"
> > in the task
> > manager? I see I have five instances of this running at the moment.
> >
> I'm not Ken, but I don't think he'd mind me answering you. The
> SVCHost.exe has nothing to do with your Hosts file. It is normal to
> have multiple instances of it running. Here are links explaining
> SVCHost.exe:
>
> http://support.microsoft.com/kb/314056/EN-US/ and
> http://windowsxp.mvps.org/svchost.htm
>
> Malke
> --
> MS-MVP Windows User/Shell
> Elephant Boy Computers
> www.elephantboycomputers.com
> "Don't Panic"

Thank you, Malke, I'm learning something everyday

Regards,
Sam