Browsers ignoring hosts file

Until recently my browsers started to ignore my hosts file. I have Windows 7 operating system installed.

192.168.0.5 livesite.com

I have tried:

Clearing browser cache
Issued "ipconfig /flushdns" from the command line
Issued "ping livesite.com" from the command line (response was "Reply from 192.168.0.5: bytes=32 time=1ms TTL=128")
Restarting unit
Backing up original hosts file and making a new one
Checking lmhosts.sam (everything is commented out)
Connecting directly to modem using cable
Checked \HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Tcpip\Parameters\DataBasePath
Tried it on another laptop with exactly the specs as I have

Then I tried

Changing entry to "127.0.0.1 livesite.com" (ping ok, browser ok)
Changing entry to "192.168.0.5 livesite.com" (ping ok, browser ok but only for a sec)
Issued "ipconfig /flushdns" from the command line (ping ok, browser not ok)
Changing entry to "127.0.0.1 livesite.com" (ping ok, browser ok)
Changing entry to "192.168.0.5 livesite.com" (ping ok, browser not ok)
Issued "ipconfig /flushdns" from the command line (ping ok, browser not ok)

Any idea why it worked for a moment? Or better yet anything I havent tried or some error I may have overlooked?

madkris24

Posted 2011-03-02T14:03:56.330

Reputation: 161

Answers

Sounds like the connection is being proxied. Go to Control Panel->Internet Options->Connections and then click on the "Lan Settings" button at the bottom. Make sure the "use proxy server" button isn't checked.

Lot of time that will only affect the browser, which is why you're getting different results from pinging and visiting the site.

This can be a sign that you've gotten a virus. I'd try doing a full scan.

Satanicpuppy

Posted 2011-03-02T14:03:56.330

Reputation: 6 169

It is set to "Automatically detect settings", also tried doing a full scan using AVG couldn't find anything. – None – 2011-03-02T15:44:48.427

Uncheck "Automatically detect settings", it just looks in special default places for proxy setting information. If you don't need a proxy, it's a good idea to uncheck everything in the LAN settings window.

– Bavi_H – 2011-03-03T03:37:52.833

Done. Still nothing. – madkris24 – 2011-03-03T09:28:16.307

You can try to add www

192.168.0.5 www.livesite.com
192.168.0.5 livesite.com

This could be the problem.

user301441

Posted 2011-03-02T14:03:56.330

Reputation: 141

If it pings correctly then hosts is working. This is a browser issue. I know Chrome does its own DNS prefetching and there's always the issue of you being directed through a proxy you don't know about. Is it your network? If not discuss with your network admins.

Also, it can be AV or some security setting. Hosts is often compromised by malware for phishing attacks.

DrZaiusApeLord

Posted 2011-03-02T14:03:56.330

Reputation: 141

Tried it on Firefox, Chrome and IE. Im sorry what does AV stand for? – None – 2011-03-02T16:16:12.723

So after doing a full scan with AVG AV, I downloaded AdAware, Spybot S&D and did a full system scan on each. All that was detected were some browser cookies. However I have noticed twice now that whenever my unit turns back on, one of my AVG AV components, the Identity Protection is disabled and im quite sure I did not do it. Also Id just like to ask whether it is possible to fix this problem if I reformat my unit and delete the backup of the previous windows 7? – madkris24 – 2011-03-03T09:31:56.723

I had this problem and it was caused by an Apache web server running locally in my computer. After I stopped it, the hosts files started to work as it should.

Daniel Amaral

Posted 2011-03-02T14:03:56.330

Reputation: 1