HostsMan Editor's Review

Take control of your PC's networking needs with this free Windows utility.

Computing today is getting complicated. Having a secure, unhackable machine is something that everyone wants and needs; but isn't likely realistic. However, you can take control of your computer and its networking needs with the right utilities and a little bit of knowledge. Since most PC's are connected to some kind of LAN or WAN, it's important to have some idea of where your PC goes for policy and naming directions. Utilities like HostsMan for Windows can be a help in areas like this.

Most laptop or desktop computers using a "modern" operating system have a hosts file.  In most cases, end users won't know what this is, or why it's important to control.  The hosts file is one of several system objects that assist the user in addressing network nodes on a computer network. When things are working the way they should, most users won't even think about their computer's hosts file, though it is a common part of your PC's operating system Internet Protocol (IP) implementation.  A hosts file translates human-friendly hostnames into IP addresses that identify and locate a host in an IP network. Simply put, it tells your computer where to go and what to do when it comes to networking.

In many cases, users that are aware of this type of need are often used to Domain Name System (DNS) protocols handling this need.  However, many systems customize this provision and implement name service switches. What's important here is that unlike remote DNS servers that resolve names into IP numbers, the hosts file is located on the PC you're using, and under your direct control, provided you have administrator rights to it.  This is where HostsMan comes in.

HostsMan is a freeware application that lets you manage your PC's hosts file with ease. With it, you can update your hosts file.  You can enable/disable usage of the hosts file, or open it for editing with one click.  In many cases, it's possible to have more than one hosts file on a single computer.  HostsMan allows you to merge two hosts files with its built-in hosts editor. 

You can prevent other programs of writing to the file, scan it for errors, duplicates and possible hijacks; determine what host names you're using and how many there are.  Before making modifications, you can easily create encrypted backups of your hosts file, resolve host names before they're implemented, keep a log of the latest blocked sites, create an exclusions list and more.

App Pro’s: Free, Easy to use, simplifies HOSTS file management

App Con’s: Some networking knowledge would be helpful

Conclusion: Working with your computer's hosts file isn't always easy, and it's not recommended unless you REALLY know what you're doing and what your changes will do to your computer's ability to connect to another computer, server or even to the internet.  The best rule here is that if you don't know what you're doing, don't do it. PERIOD.

HOWEVER, provided you have some basic networking knowledge and have a real need to find, and update the hosts file that your computer is actually using (and not just the one you found in a directory you were running through, looking for your hosts file...), HostsMan is probably one of the best utilities you can use to make proper and appropriate edits to the file. Its error checking functions are probably something that you'll make a lot of use of if you run the app.  Having an encrypted backup that you can fall back on just in case you make a mistake and cut your PC off the internet is also something that you'll find valuable.