How to: Block URL (websites) you don’t want to visit

You can easily block list of URLs (websites) with out using any software. I have tried this in windows XP and it works fine.

Why you should block any websites?

1. Even it is your personal computer there is great chance of going to these nasty website that install adwares, spywares and all these unwated stuff in your computer. Some websites are using banner advertisements from different websites. These websites should be blocked.

2.You might be managing couple of uses or computers and you don’t want them to go to certain URLs.

Cool if any of these are your requirement then you can follow this. Secret is in the C:\Windows\system32\drivers\etc\. Path might be different from windows version or the way you install your windows.

You will find couple of files there; protocol, service, network and host. File you will be required is host (there is no extension for that file). If you don’t find it you can create it (Right click > new > create a text document and remove the extension).

Sample host file will look like this.

# 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
127.0.0.1 www.myspace.com
127.0.0.1 www.youtube.com


Create exact file and add any number of URL in the same format (127.0.0.1) and save it. Sometimes you might have to restart the machine but it worked for me without restarting.

Cool all the URLs listed there will be blocked.