KB166299603: Windows Host File: Is there a host file on a Windows system

Question

Is there a host file on a Windows system?

Can I force a workstation to go to a specific server by entering it's name?

How to associate a host name to an IP address without doing it via the Domain Name System (DNS)?

Answer

There is a hosts file available on Windows.

It is located here:

C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc

It can be edited to associate server names with IP addresses in case there are connection problems by server name.

We strongly advise against using hosts file to make network communication work. You need to configure your DNS correctly. Please contact your company's IT department to achieve this. Do not edit the hosts file without contacting your IT department.

Article information
Applies to	Esko all software products
Created	04-Mar-15
Last revised
Author	JAHI
CW Number

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