Blocking websites on your personal computer

[tomdbomb61_djtj]

is there any free and easy way I can block certain websites being accessed on my laptop and home pc??

I am pretty rubbish with security so help would be great :approve:

 

[Longy]

edit your hosts file or depending on your router use that.

 

[JackoR26]

hosts file FTW

I use this to block most of my adverts in a similar way

http://someonewhocares.org/hosts/

 

[KDF]

aslong as the people that are trying to view the banned sites arent tech savvy then ye.. edit the hosts file and point the DNS entries to your local loopback address.

 

[tomdbomb61_djtj]

aslong as the people that are trying to view the banned sites arent tech savvy then ye.. edit the hosts file and point the DNS entries to your local loopback address.

How do I do this, in very straight forward speak

 

[JackoR26]

Go into c:\windows\system32\drivers\etc and open the hosts file with notepad

Add a new entry like so

127.0.0.1 google.co.uk

 

[rctempire]

Do a search on the pc for host*.* make sure you search system folders, subfolders and hidden files in the search.

Right click on HOSTs (should be C:\Windows\System32\drives\etc) and say Open With.., open with Notepad.
Edit file
When it shows this:
127.0.0.1 localhost

Edit underneath it and say
127.0.0.1 cliosport.net

Then save the file as usual, then if you go to cliosport.net you wont get to it now.

 

[-Leigh-]

don't worry has been answered!

 

[tomdbomb61_djtj]

Do a search on the pc for host*.* make sure you search system folders, subfolders and hidden files in the search.

Right click on HOSTs (should be C:\Windows\System32\drives\etc) and say Open With.., open with Notepad.
Edit file
When it shows this:
127.0.0.1 localhost

Edit underneath it and say
127.0.0.1 cliosport.net

Then save the file as usual, then if you go to cliosport.net you wont get to it now.

I have done that, but it doesnt stop me from accessing Cliosport ???

Sorry for sounding dumb

 

[rctempire]

What operating system are you using?

Did you just click save when you opened it, or did you click SAVE as, as this option would have inserted .txt after it, if you used SAVE As

Try using www.cliosport.net also.

Example is here http://www.mvps.org/winhelp2002/hosts.txt

 

[tomdbomb61_djtj]

see screen shot below of what I have done, I didnt press save as, just save. But it still lets this computer access facebook:

help......

 

[Longy]

The file should just be called hosts not hosts1 also you've made it a bak file.

Go to Tools -> Folder options then view tab and clear the tick box for hide extensions for know file types. Rename your hosts1.bak to hosts

 

[tomdbomb61_djtj]

should it not be a bak file then ? should it be a txt file??

 

[Longy]

no extension

 

[tomdbomb61_djtj]

done the above but it says cannot rename to "hosts" as file with the name you have specified already exisits.....

 

[Longy]

In that case make sure 'Show hidden files and folders is on! The original host file is there you just can't see it. delete hosts1 completely.

 

[tomdbomb61_djtj]

yes got all hidden files showing, i have done a search for the file name hosts, and I seem to have 2 different directories with similar files in them:

C:\WINDOWS\system32\drivers\etc

^^^ that one where hosts1 was

C:\$WINDOWS.~BT\Windows\System32\drivers\etc

^^^^ that one where the actual hosts file is.............

I am confused

 

[Longy]

just try this for me:

Start menu - run - type: C:\WINDOWS\system32\drivers\etc\hosts and then click ok - use notepad - tell me if hosts opens up

 

[tomdbomb61_djtj]

yes it does....seemingly having different text in it to the other ones.....

# Copyright (c) 1993-1999 Microsoft Corp.
#
# This is a sample HOSTS file used by Microsoft TCP/IP for Windows.
#
# This file contains the mappings of IP addresses to host names. Each
# entry should be kept on an individual line. The IP address should
# be placed in the first column followed by the corresponding host name.
# The IP address and the host name should be separated by at least one
# space.
#
# Additionally, comments (such as these) may be inserted on individual
# lines or following the machine name denoted by a '#' symbol.
#
# For example:
#
# 102.54.94.97 rhino.acme.com # source server
# 38.25.63.10 x.acme.com # x client host

127.0.0.1 localhost

#block wga
127.0.0.1 mpa.one.microsoft.com

 

[Longy]

try your entries in that then just click save

Your PC seems abit mental!!

That file is there you just can't see it also you got 2 copies of windows on your PC?

 

[tomdbomb61_djtj]

cheers, I wouldnt know TBH, some dude built it for me a while ago