If I were to mess with the host file on the OS..

Oh man! Ad-blocking software has been detected! :'(

This website is run by the community, for the community... and it needs advertisements in order to keep running. Blocking our ads means your killing our stats!
Please disable your ad-block, or become a premium member to hide all advertisements and this notice.

Currently learning networking and looking to do the MTA I am wondering if I were to add google.com to the host file of my mates system but set the IP address to another website would this result in anytime he were to type google.com in his browser it would send him to the site of the IP I specified? this would be absolutely hilarious if this can be done..I have a website in mind.

 

You could easily test it on yours...

Some malware messes up with hosts file, some pirated software can prevent calling home with this method. I do recall a few support calls that boiled down to some ancient settings in hosts files. Obscure a bit but definitely good to know.

 

Yep, I often edit my local hosts file when troubleshooting or testing websites.

 

I must admit, I do love the How To Geek website

Ed

 

wouldn't want to, or know how to do it on Mac OS as I dont use Windows PCs outside the work environment so will be testing on my mates PC when he leaves his PC unprotected next time I'm round his.

 

http://www.imore.com/how-edit-your-macs-hosts-file-and-why-you-would-want

5 minute job on Linux, Mac or Windows. Common task when developing websites.