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.

It's a good idea to modify the hosts file in order to test host header but to

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

Yes, you must configure a DNS server or edit the hosts file.

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

To be honest the main reason for trying the host headers before configuring

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.

Thank you for your response and clarification, I am going to update the host

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.

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

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

http://www.gafvert.info/iis/article/hosts_file_host_headers.htm

Good luck!

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