How to Filter Websites Using Hosts

Gain control over Internet activity with the hosts file.

The hosts file is part of the Windows operating system. The file provides mapping between IP addresses and domain names. There is a multitude of uses for the hosts file. With proper modification, the hosts file can become the first line of defense against overly intrusive adware and spyware. You can also use the hosts file as a rudimentary method to block website access.

Things You'll Need

• Windows administrator access

Instructions

How to Filter Websites Using Hosts File

1. Open Windows Notepad from the Windows "Start" menu in the "Accessories" folder. For Windows Vista and later, you need to launch Notepad as an administrator. Right-click the Notepad icon and choose "Run as administrator." If you do not run Notepad as administrator, you will be unable to save changes to the hosts file.

2. Open the hosts file in Notepad. The file is located in the "Windows\System32\Drivers\Etc\" directory.

3. Move the cursor to the end of the file. Press "Enter" to insert a new line. You will create one new entry per line.

4. Type "127.0.0.1" on the new line. Insert a space and then the name of the website to block.. It is sufficient to use the top-level domain only, such as "blockeddomain.com." This will block access to all parts of the website by redirecting browser requests back to your local computer.

5. Save the file, exit Notepad and restart the computer. Windows will load the hosts file with the new changes.

References

• MVPS: Blocking Unwanted Parasites with a Hosts File
• City College of San Francisco: Block Google Analytics