URL to test host headers

I am trying to implement host headers in a series of web sites on IIS 6.0. I
haven't yet set up DNS entries (I believe I do this by specifying the IP
address and the relevant host header name). But I just wanted to test the
host headers were working.

I have tried using a URL in the format http://hostname:80:hostheadername
from another computer on the network but I get an error of Windows cannot
find 'http://hostname:80:hostheadername'. Check the spelling and try again.

If I try the URL http://localhost:80:hostheadername from the web server I
get the following error: The page cannot be displayed
The page you are looking for might have been removed or had its name changed.

Can I not check the host headers in this way? Do I need to create a DNS
entry or make a manual change to the Hosts file to test the host headers?

Thank you.

Lognoul,
Tue Mar 04 00:04:02 CST 2008


It's a good idea to modify the hosts file in order to test host header but
to test it via the browser, you have to enter the hostheader itself, like:
http://myhost1.dom.net
http://myhost2.dom.net
...
In your host file, all hosts will point to the same IP.

Marc

"Lily Collins" <LilyCollins@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:19C61C6E-C4A8-4A03-9B15-D212DE09E140@microsoft.com...
> I am trying to implement host headers in a series of web sites on IIS 6.0.
> I
> haven't yet set up DNS entries (I believe I do this by specifying the IP
> address and the relevant host header name). But I just wanted to test the
> host headers were working.
>
> I have tried using a URL in the format http://hostname:80:hostheadername
> from another computer on the network but I get an error of Windows cannot
> find 'http://hostname:80:hostheadername'. Check the spelling and try
> again.
>
> If I try the URL http://localhost:80:hostheadername from the web server I
> get the following error: The page cannot be displayed
> The page you are looking for might have been removed or had its name
> changed.
>
> Can I not check the host headers in this way? Do I need to create a DNS
> entry or make a manual change to the Hosts file to test the host headers?
>
> Thank you.
>

Kristofer
Tue Mar 04 00:09:09 CST 2008

Yes, you must configure a DNS server or edit the hosts file. No browser i
know of let you do this. If you use a tool such as WFetch you can manually
add a host header, but i see no reason why you want to do this. After all,
you need DNS working in the end, so why not configure it immediately?

--
Regards,
Kristofer Gafvert
http://www.gafvert.info/iis/ - IIS Related Info


"Lily Collins" <LilyCollins@discussions.microsoft.com> skrev i meddelandet
news:19C61C6E-C4A8-4A03-9B15-D212DE09E140@microsoft.com...
>I am trying to implement host headers in a series of web sites on IIS 6.0.
>I
> haven't yet set up DNS entries (I believe I do this by specifying the IP
> address and the relevant host header name). But I just wanted to test the
> host headers were working.
>
> I have tried using a URL in the format http://hostname:80:hostheadername
> from another computer on the network but I get an error of Windows cannot
> find 'http://hostname:80:hostheadername'. Check the spelling and try
> again.
>
> If I try the URL http://localhost:80:hostheadername from the web server I
> get the following error: The page cannot be displayed
> The page you are looking for might have been removed or had its name
> changed.
>
> Can I not check the host headers in this way? Do I need to create a DNS
> entry or make a manual change to the Hosts file to test the host headers?
>
> Thank you.
>

LilyCollins
Tue Mar 04 10:00:02 CST 2008

To be honest the main reason for trying the host headers before configuring
the DNS is that this entails, quite rightly, a whole change control process
as I am not the person who does the DNS entries.

So I wanted to try to test before initiating the change control just to make
sure I had set everything up correctly.

Thank you for your response and confirming what I need to do.

"Kristofer Gafvert" wrote:

> Yes, you must configure a DNS server or edit the hosts file. No browser i
> know of let you do this. If you use a tool such as WFetch you can manually
> add a host header, but i see no reason why you want to do this. After all,
> you need DNS working in the end, so why not configure it immediately?
>
> --
> Regards,
> Kristofer Gafvert
> http://www.gafvert.info/iis/ - IIS Related Info
>
>
> "Lily Collins" <LilyCollins@discussions.microsoft.com> skrev i meddelandet
> news:19C61C6E-C4A8-4A03-9B15-D212DE09E140@microsoft.com...
> >I am trying to implement host headers in a series of web sites on IIS 6.0.
> >I
> > haven't yet set up DNS entries (I believe I do this by specifying the IP
> > address and the relevant host header name). But I just wanted to test the
> > host headers were working.
> >
> > I have tried using a URL in the format http://hostname:80:hostheadername
> > from another computer on the network but I get an error of Windows cannot
> > find 'http://hostname:80:hostheadername'. Check the spelling and try
> > again.
> >
> > If I try the URL http://localhost:80:hostheadername from the web server I
> > get the following error: The page cannot be displayed
> > The page you are looking for might have been removed or had its name
> > changed.
> >
> > Can I not check the host headers in this way? Do I need to create a DNS
> > entry or make a manual change to the Hosts file to test the host headers?
> >
> > Thank you.
> >
>
>

LilyCollins
Tue Mar 04 10:05:00 CST 2008

Thank you for your response and clarification, I am going to update the host
file as a first test and then get a DNS entry created.

"Lognoul, Marc (Private)" wrote:

>
> It's a good idea to modify the hosts file in order to test host header but
> to test it via the browser, you have to enter the hostheader itself, like:
> http://myhost1.dom.net
> http://myhost2.dom.net
> ...
> In your host file, all hosts will point to the same IP.
>
> Marc
>
> "Lily Collins" <LilyCollins@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:19C61C6E-C4A8-4A03-9B15-D212DE09E140@microsoft.com...
> > I am trying to implement host headers in a series of web sites on IIS 6.0.
> > I
> > haven't yet set up DNS entries (I believe I do this by specifying the IP
> > address and the relevant host header name). But I just wanted to test the
> > host headers were working.
> >
> > I have tried using a URL in the format http://hostname:80:hostheadername
> > from another computer on the network but I get an error of Windows cannot
> > find 'http://hostname:80:hostheadername'. Check the spelling and try
> > again.
> >
> > If I try the URL http://localhost:80:hostheadername from the web server I
> > get the following error: The page cannot be displayed
> > The page you are looking for might have been removed or had its name
> > changed.
> >
> > Can I not check the host headers in this way? Do I need to create a DNS
> > entry or make a manual change to the Hosts file to test the host headers?
> >
> > Thank you.
> >

Kristofer
Tue Mar 04 11:49:12 CST 2008

This article (and referenced articles) may be interesting to read for a
deeper understanding:

"Test host header configuration with the hosts file"
http://www.gafvert.info/iis/article/hosts_file_host_headers.htm

Good luck!

--
Regards,
Kristofer Gafvert
http://www.gafvert.info/iis/ - IIS Related Info


"Lily Collins" <LilyCollins@discussions.microsoft.com> skrev i meddelandet
news:542EBAD7-BBD7-4E67-A66F-841DAA7ACAFB@microsoft.com...
> To be honest the main reason for trying the host headers before
> configuring
> the DNS is that this entails, quite rightly, a whole change control
> process
> as I am not the person who does the DNS entries.
>
> So I wanted to try to test before initiating the change control just to
> make
> sure I had set everything up correctly.
>
> Thank you for your response and confirming what I need to do.
>
> "Kristofer Gafvert" wrote:
>
>> Yes, you must configure a DNS server or edit the hosts file. No browser i
>> know of let you do this. If you use a tool such as WFetch you can
>> manually
>> add a host header, but i see no reason why you want to do this. After
>> all,
>> you need DNS working in the end, so why not configure it immediately?
>>
>> --
>> Regards,
>> Kristofer Gafvert
>> http://www.gafvert.info/iis/ - IIS Related Info
>>
>>
>> "Lily Collins" <LilyCollins@discussions.microsoft.com> skrev i
>> meddelandet
>> news:19C61C6E-C4A8-4A03-9B15-D212DE09E140@microsoft.com...
>> >I am trying to implement host headers in a series of web sites on IIS
>> >6.0.
>> >I
>> > haven't yet set up DNS entries (I believe I do this by specifying the
>> > IP
>> > address and the relevant host header name). But I just wanted to test
>> > the
>> > host headers were working.
>> >
>> > I have tried using a URL in the format
>> > http://hostname:80:hostheadername
>> > from another computer on the network but I get an error of Windows
>> > cannot
>> > find 'http://hostname:80:hostheadername'. Check the spelling and try
>> > again.
>> >
>> > If I try the URL http://localhost:80:hostheadername from the web server
>> > I
>> > get the following error: The page cannot be displayed
>> > The page you are looking for might have been removed or had its name
>> > changed.
>> >
>> > Can I not check the host headers in this way? Do I need to create a
>> > DNS
>> > entry or make a manual change to the Hosts file to test the host
>> > headers?
>> >
>> > Thank you.
>> >
>>
>>