> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://kb.hosting.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Accessing your web site before DNS propagation is complete

> DNS propagation must complete before starting to use your domain name. Read this article to learn methods for viewing your site before it completes.

After you update your domain's name server settings, DNS propagation can take 24 hours to complete. During this time, you cannot use your domain name. However, you can bypass DNS and view your web site by using a shared URL or the *hosts* file.

<Warning>
  **Important**

  Some content management systems (CMS) and web applications may not display correctly when you use a shared URL. This is because they are configured to use your domain name, which is different from the shared URL. For example, you must update two database settings every time you [use a different domain name with WordPress](/docs/changing-the-website-url-in-wordpress).
</Warning>

## Method #1: Use the hosts file

Another method for bypassing DNS is to use the *hosts* file on your local computer. The *hosts* file contains domain name to IP address mappings. These mappings mimic the function of a DNS server, and allow you to "trick" your computer into associating a domain name with a particular IP address.

To use the *hosts* file to bypass DNS for your domain, follow these steps:

1. Open the  *hosts* file in a text editor. The location of the *hosts* file depends on your computer's operating system:

   * On Microsoft Windows computers, the *hosts* file is located at *%SystemRoot%\system32\drivers\etc\hosts*.
     > 📘 Note
     >
     > * On Windows Vista, Windows 7, and Windows 8, click **Start**, search for Notepad, right-click the icon, and select **Run as Administrator**.
     >
     > * On Windows 10, click **Start**, type `notepad`, right-click **Notepad**, and then click **Run as administrator**.\
     >   This starts Notepad with the elevated privileges necessary to open, modify, and save the *hosts* file. Note that in Notepad's **Open** dialog, you must use the **All Files** filter to see the  *hosts* file.

   * On Apple Macintosh computers, the *hosts* file is located at */etc/hosts*. For example, in a terminal window\
     type `sudo nano /etc/hosts` to open the file in a text editor with the correct permissions.

   * On Linux computers, the *hosts* file is located at */etc/hosts*.

   > 🚧 Important
   >
   > The *hosts* file is a plain text file, so you should use a plain text editor like Notepad or nano to edit it. Do **not** use a word processor like Microsoft Word, which can add additional formatting and cause more problems than it solves!

2. When you open the  *hosts* file, you should see an entry that resembles the following line:

   ```
   127.0.0.1    localhost
   ```

3. To create a new mapping for your domain, add the following line to the file:

   ```
   192.0.43.10    example.com www.example.com
   ```

Replace the IP address with your hosting.com server's IP address, and replace *example.com* with your web site's domain name. You can obtain your account's IP address by logging in to [https://my.hosting.com](https://my.hosting.com).

4. Save the *hosts* file and exit the text editor. For example, if you are using the nano text editor, press **Ctrl+O**, press **Enter**, and then press **Ctrl+X**.

   > 🚧 Important
   >
   > If you are using macOS, you should also clear the DNS cache. For information about how to do this, please see  [this article](/docs/clearing-the-dns-cache-on-your-computer).

5. To test the configuration, restart your web browser and go to *[http://example.com](http://example.com)* or *[http://www.example.com](http://www.example.com)*, where\_example.com\_ represents your domain name. You should see your web site's main page (assuming you have created some content).

   > 🚧 Important
   >
   > After DNS propagation is complete, make sure you go back and remove the relevant entries from the *hosts* file!

## SSL certificates before propagation

Modern browsers increasingly expect SSL connections and generate error messages when SSL is not used. To get the best preview of your site before DNS updates, use one of the following methods. These methods only work with the *hosts* file method described above.

### Copying an existing SSL certificate

If your site currently has an SSL certificate, you can move it to your new location. To move the SSL certificate, make a copy of the certificate and the private key. It is not necessary to move files; you can simply copy the certificate and key to your computer's clipboard and then paste it in place. For information about how to enter the certificate and key into your hosting control panel, please see [this article](/docs/installing-a-third-party-ssl-certificate).

### Using a self-signed certificate

If you do not already have an SSL certificate, you can create one and use it temporarily to view your site with SSL. When your site is ready to go live, you should replace the self-signed certificate with a certificate from a recognized certificate authority (CA). For information about how to install a self-signed certificate, please see [this article](/docs/installing-a-self-signed-ssl-certificate).

## More information

For more information about the *hosts* file, please visit [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hosts\_(file)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hosts_\(file\)).

## Related articles

* [Introduction to domains](/docs/introduction-to-domains)

* [Transferring a domain to hosting.com](/docs/transferring-a-domain-to-hosting-com)

* [Setting the name servers for a domain](/docs/setting-the-name-servers-dns-for-a-domain)