Solved Block website instructions with HOST file no good?

sdowney717 · Oct 21, 2023

I used the modify HOSTS file method
Followed this to try a test block of reddit, but it never worked. ideas why? Does it work for you?

FIOS also disabled all website blocking in their router config page and on my Verizon website. You can go thru the motions and nothing gets blocked. All you can do now is block all internet access with them, AFAIK. I tried and does not function. When talking to tech support she mentioned they charge a fee with 'my home' service to do it, but I wont pursue that.

Berton · Oct 21, 2023

Guess they have a higher interest in making money from selling ads than an individual has in saving money.

dacrone · Oct 21, 2023

sordum has an easy-to-use application to do it for you

glasskuter · Oct 21, 2023

Would you please explain your circumstance for blocking reddit. Like, what exactly are you trying to block? Search results that include reddit, web access to the reddit site, etc

sdowney717 · Oct 21, 2023

glasskuter said:
Would you please explain your circumstance for blocking reddit. Like, what exactly are you trying to block? Search results that include reddit, web access to the reddit site, etc

Picked it for a test block. As in block if someone types in reddit.com, no reddit pages appear.

Digital Life · Oct 21, 2023

What url are you adding to your hosts file, Hosts file only deals with domain names any else will not work

Code:

EG: this will not work
0.0.0.0 http://exampe.com/somethig
0.0.0.0 example.com/something
0.0.0.0 www.example.com:8080

EG: this will work
0.0.0.0 example.com
0.0.0.0 www.example.com

I did not actually read the link you posted but if it said to use 127.0.0.1 don't it takes longer for your computer to search 127....1 use 0.0.0.0

Edit:
I should add that Microsoft kinda broke using the hosts file in win 8 or win10 when you try to add a lot of domains, Back in the day I think my hosts file had close to 60000 domains now if you want to do that you have to disable (I think it's called) "IP helper". It's OK if you add (maybe in the 100's or even 1000's ?) ten or less

EDIT:fixed typo

antspants · Oct 21, 2023

Digital Life said:
What url are you adding to your hosts file, Hosts file only deals with domain names any else will not work

Code:

EG: this will not work 0.0.0.0 http://exampe.com/somethig 0.0.0.0 example.com/something EG: this will work 0.0.0.0 example.com 0.0.0.0 www.example.com

I did not actually read the link you posted but if it said to use 127.0.0.1 don't it takes longer for your computer to search 127....1 use 0.0.0.0

Edit:
I should add that microsft kinda broke using the hosts file in win 8 or win10 when you try to add a lot of domains, Back in the day I think my hosts file had close to 60000 domains now if you want to do that you have to disable (I think it's called) "IP helper". It's OK if you add (maybe in the 100's) ten or less

I also use 0.0.0.0
Yes, the webpage instructs to use 127.

antspants · Oct 21, 2023

sdowney717 said:
When talking to tech support she mentioned they charge a fee with 'my home' service to do it, but I wont pursue that.

Not a chance in hell I’d stay with service provider that did this, or that forced me to use one of their routers. Unless of course it was simply the only ISP available

Digital Life · Oct 21, 2023

The only things I can think of is did you add a port at the end (0.0.0.0 www.example.com:8080) because that will not work either or you did not save it with admin privilege's .
Or maybe Microsoft broke it for good this time, one of these day's I will probably test myself.

If you could post your hosts file we can take a look at it, Just remove any personal identifiers, You don't have to remove local IP's if there are any (EG: any IP with 127.x or 192.168.x.x or 10.x or even 172.x)

antspants · Oct 21, 2023

Digital Life said:
Or maybe Microsoft broke it for good this time, one of these day's I will probably test myself.

Nope, I can still block sites. Not that I have checked in the past 7 days though.

Digital Life · Oct 21, 2023

Also if you just saved your hosts file changes and try to go to the site your browser may have cached the IP if that's the case just mash on the keyboard a bunch of times pressing ctrl+r or you could wait for the TTL to expire in which most cases nowadays is probably 5 min max.

Another thing I always use notepad++ because if it needs admin privilege to save you have the option to ask for admin rights and it saves it

antspants · Oct 21, 2023

Digital Life said:
Another thing I always use notepad++ because if it needs admin privilege to save you have the option to ask for admin rights and it saves it

Opening Notepad as Admin also works, as long as the file isn’t marked as read only of course.

sdowney717 · Oct 21, 2023

basically a line of

127.0.0.1 (tab) reddit.com (space) reddit

and variations of the url added to end of HOSTS file

TairikuOkami · Oct 21, 2023

HOSTS is a bit outdated, just use NextDNS or ControlID.

Digital Life · Oct 21, 2023

sdowney717 said:
basically a line of

127.0.0.1 (tab) reddit.com (space) reddit

and variations of the url added to end of HOSTS file

That should work, Have you tried using one space instead of tab

Edit: not sure if the hosts file understands the second entry without a TLD (.com .org or similar)
yes I know you can add more than one domain I think it;s around 8 if memory serves me right

sdowney717 · Oct 21, 2023

0.0.0.0 reddit.com
0.0.0.0 www.reddit.com

The above works!

flush DNS
Then without restarting EDGE, it is blocked

Digital Life · Oct 21, 2023

Had a feeling it might be cached, Maybe reddit has long TTL

antspants · Oct 21, 2023

I also just tested it

Code:

0.0.0.0 reddit.com
0.0.0.0 www.reddit.com

Simply works. I also opened 4 tabs of reddit before entering it in to the host file. It diddn’t prevent the site from being blocked instantly after the fact. using Firefox.

sdowney717 · Oct 21, 2023

TairikuOkami said:
HOSTS is a bit outdated, just use NextDNS or ControlID.
View attachment 74999

I looked at it and installed it. Put in diychatroom.com, flush DNS, restart browser
But it is not blocked.
What else does it need?

Digital Life · Oct 21, 2023

I just looked up Redit's ttl it;s set to 3 hours using

Code:

nslookup -debug www.reddit.com

Code:

ANSWERS:
    ->  www.reddit.com
        canonical name = reddit.map.fastly.net
        ttl = 10794 (2 hours 59 mins 54 secs)
    ->  reddit.map.fastly.net
        internet address = 151.101.1.140
        ttl = 24 (24 secs)
    ->  reddit.map.fastly.net
        internet address = 151.101.193.140
        ttl = 24 (24 secs)
    ->  reddit.map.fastly.net
        internet address = 151.101.129.140
        ttl = 24 (24 secs)
    ->  reddit.map.fastly.net
        internet address = 151.101.65.140
        ttl = 24 (24 secs)

Solved Block website instructions with HOST file no good?

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