Hosts File is basically the file used by Microsoft Windows to map hostnames to IP addresses. In simple words, IP addresses can be given names like web addresses. For example, if you’ve hosted a local website for accounts management, billing or etc. you can change its address to a name, you can keep it anything for example, http://www.anythinghere.com or you can simply create a name like http://something. This feature is really very useful but sometimes it can be hijacked and misused.
SysMate Hosts File Walker for Windows
SysMate Hosts File Walker is a freeware to edit the Hosts file in Windows. With Host File Walker you can add as many records to the system hosts file. It even lets you back up and restore the Hosts File.
If you want to add a record to the Hosts file, you simply need to enter the IP address that you want to convert into a URL. Then you need to enter any name for it.
For example, I am working on my Router’s admin page which has a network address of “192.168.2.1”. So, I’ve entered this IP address in the first text box and in the other I am going to give it a name. I’ve decided that I’ll name it as ‘www.networkadmin.com’ and that even sounds like a proper URL.
These features in Windows are really very useful. Once you’ve added the records to the Hosts file you can easily make a backup of the file and save it at any other safer place so that whenever you need the same settings again you can restore the file.
No worries if you have messed up with the Hosts file, or someone has hijacked it. You can click on ‘Restore Default’ button anytime to load the default Windows Hosts File and if you want to delete the Hosts file so that there are no such DNS records you can click on ‘Delete Hosts File’ button.
This tiny utility is very useful and handy. It makes editing of Hosts file convenient and easier. Visit sourceforge.net to download SysMate Hosts File Walker.
