Converting instructions from PC to Mac
December 7, 2010 12:37 PM   Subscribe

I just received instructions from my software vendor for modifying the host file on a Windows PC so I can view a test site we're working on. I'm wondering if I can do this on a Mac too.

The instructions I received from my software vendor are as follows...
To view the test site, navigate to this folder on your PC
C:\WINDOWS\system32\drivers\etc

Using Notepad, open the file named "hosts" and add the following line

00.00.00.00 test.yoursite.com

Save and close the file, then restart your browser. You should then be able to access the site via http://test.yoursite.com
This works great for my PC and I'm able to view the test site. (Obviously, I changed the IP address and URL in the above example.) I would like to be able to do the same thing on my Mac. I asked the software vendor, and they don't support Mac. I tried searching Mac help, but don't really know what I'm looking for. How can I view this test site from my Mac?
posted by slogger to Computers & Internet (5 answers total)
 
Best answer: As long as you're reasonable comfortable in the terminal, it's not too bad:

http://decoding.wordpress.com/2009/04/06/how-to-edit-the-hosts-file-in-mac-os-x-leopard/

posted by Oktober at 12:42 PM on December 7, 2010


Best answer: /private/etc/hosts
posted by djb at 12:42 PM on December 7, 2010


Also, in case you didn't know, you can point your web browser directly to the ip address. For instance, Google:

http://72.14.204.147/

May avoid some time spend modifying host files (if all you need it to be able to see the site).
posted by meandthebean at 12:54 PM on December 7, 2010


Also, in case you didn't know, you can point your web browser directly to the ip address.

That depends on the system. It's very common to use host headers for virtual hosts on the same IP. If that's the case, the IP itself won't get to the data the OP is looking for.

Try it OP, and if it works there's no need for the hosts file to be modified.


I asked the software vendor, and they don't support Mac.

They might not support safari or something, but hosts files are in any IP based system I've ever seen. Even Macs.
posted by anti social order at 1:28 PM on December 7, 2010


Response by poster: Wow, that was fast. Thanks, team! A few follow-ups...
meandthebean: Just using the IP address didn't work; it took me to a server error page for this particular site.
anti social order: Yeah, I (now) realize the general nature of the question is not platform dependent, but this particular vendor won't even answer a question if the sentence includes the word Mac. (Yeah, I know, get a new vendor...It wasn't my choice...)
posted by slogger at 1:33 PM on December 7, 2010


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