# Web address alias

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/web-address-alias/418256>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [September 6, 2007, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/web-address-alias/418256 "2007-09-06T16:15:56Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Baffle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/dec6dc/32.png) [@Baffle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baffle)\
**Post date:** [September 6, 2007, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/web-address-alias/418256/1 "2007-09-06T16:15:56Z")

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I know there’s a way to edit a specific text file on one’s computer to allow a user to set aliases for web addresses so the user can type a short string into the web browser’s address bar and the computer will know to redirect to that URL. Unfortunately I can’t remember which text file it is, or what to write in it. Can anyone help?

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**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\
**Post date:** [September 6, 2007, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/web-address-alias/418256/2 "2007-09-06T16:22:47Z")

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You may be thinking of /etc/hosts (or HOSTS.TXT on Windows) which will allow you to assign arbitrary IPs to any domain name you like.

Note that if the web server in question relies on name-based virtual hosts, this trick will not work, since the web server on the other end won’t know what to do with your made-up name.

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**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\
**Post date:** [September 6, 2007, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/web-address-alias/418256/3 "2007-09-06T16:26:08Z")

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In Windows, the [lmhosts](http://support.microsoft.com/kb/101927/en-us) file will let you map an IP address to a NetBios name, simplifying access.

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**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\
**Post date:** [September 6, 2007, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/web-address-alias/418256/4 "2007-09-06T16:59:29Z")

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You could also (at least in IE) save the website as a favorite, and then rename it to whatever you want to call it up as.

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**Author:** ![Turek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/turek/32/18782_2.png) [@Turek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Turek)\
**Post date:** [September 6, 2007, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/web-address-alias/418256/5 "2007-09-06T17:55:29Z")

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[QUOTE=friedo]  
You may be thinking of /etc/hosts (or HOSTS.TXT on Windows) which will allow you to assign arbitrary IPs to any domain name you like.  
[/QUOTE]

A typical full path: C:\WINDOWS\system32\drivers\etc\hosts

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**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\
**Post date:** [September 6, 2007, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/web-address-alias/418256/6 "2007-09-06T17:57:04Z")

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OpenDNS lets you make aliases: [Setup Guide | OpenDNS](http://www.opendns.com/start/features/shortcuts/)