How to block unwanted sites on your PC

There are hundreds if not thousands of software programs that are available to block unwanted sites on your PC. some simple commands and a text editing program like notepad ( on every windows PC since windows3.1) and you not only stop someoneone(kids, husbands, brother in-laws) from visiting sites that might put computer at risk, or expose them to thing you don't want them to know about.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Notepad (on every windows PC since Windows 3.1)
• DOS

1. Know the list of sites you want to block
   
   make sure your computer has an internet connection.
2. Standard look of DOS Window Open a command window (DOS), and type in nslookup
3. Jot down this IP address for future reference type in the name of the site you want to send them to when they visit one of the sites you don't want them to go to.
   
   Ie. www.google.com , www.eHow.com etc...
4. Found on XP Find the "HOSTS" file on your PC.
   
   HINT: on Windows(Pre XP ) it will be located under
   
   C:\WINNT\System32\Drivers\etc
   
   On WindowXP machines it will be located under
   
   C:\WINDOWS\System32\Drivers\etc
5. Double Click on the file named "HOSTS", there is no extension for this file.
6. Select NOTEPAD to open and edit this file with Your PC should ask what program you want to open this file with.
   
   Select "Browse" and the select Notepad as the program you want to use.
7. basic HOST file setup There are some basic instructions on how to enter things in here.
   
   127.0.0.1 is the universal IP address for the "loopback address" on every windows PC in the world.
   
   By using this entry, any request to a certain address will send the request back to your PC.
8. Don't just block them, send them somewhere useful Start by entering the IP address you jotted down earlier. Followed by the name of the site you want to block
9. One drawback to this is that you will need to enter the domain name twice
   
   Once as the domain name, and once with WWW in it.
10. Save the file.
11. Open browser and try to visit the site, you should be redirected back to where you wanted them to go.
    
    if you use 127.0.0.1 and are not running a web server on your computer then your browser should return the standard ( 404 page not found error )

Tips & Warnings

• Some programs use the HOSTS file (like spybot search and destroy), just add your entries to the bottom of the list.
• Entries like this can be sued to block advertising sites, spyware sites, etc.. Anysite that has a name can be blocked this way.
• Remember not to block yourself out of any site and forget that you created this file.