The Windows operating system has a very important file called the Host File. This file is hidden away deep in the Windows directory. The file acts more like an internal DNS with manual entries which are used to locate computers in the internal network or on the internet. Ideally, when a computer needs to resolve a name, it first searches through the host file before looking at external DNS servers to resolve the name to the right IP address.
The default path for host file is C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc\hosts but it takes too much time to find it. You can use this utility for a faster access of this file.
However, a user may have the need to edit the host file which is almost impossible for the average user. With the Hostman application, the process of managing entries in the host file is quite easy. The application offers the following features.
- It updates the host file using the built-in updater. You can easily change your host file to a preferred version
- Add your own custom entry to the host file
- You can quickly fix errors and remove duplicates
- It can troubleshoot to identify issues with the file
- It has an inbuilt backup manager so you can restore previous versions.
HostsMan is licensed as freeware for PC or laptop with Windows 32 bit and 64 bit operating system. It is in maintenance category and is available to all software users as a free download.