work on site before domain name resolves

[Steen]

Hi,

I would like to create a new site on my ISPConfig server and set it entirely up with content (html & database etc.) before moving the domain name over to the new IP address.

How can I access and work the site on the ISPConfig server, before the domain resolves? I believe there is a way using the server IP address?

i.e. http://xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx:8080/mysite.com or something to that extent?

Thanks in advance!

[edge]

Originally Posted by Steen

Hi,

I would like to create a new site on my ISPConfig server and set it entirely up with content (html & database etc.) before moving the domain name over to the new IP address.

How can I access and work the site on the ISPConfig server, before the domain resolves? I believe there is a way using the server IP address?

i.e. http://xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx:8080/mysite.com or something to that extent?

Thanks in advance!

This will not work.

What does work is to add the domain in question to your hosts file pointing to the server.

If you are using Windows, open c:\windows\system32\drivers\etc\hosts
In it add:

IP_OF_ISPconfig_SERVER      www.domainname.com
IP_OF_ISPconfig_SERVER      domainname.com

Now save the file, and restart your browser to reload the hosts file.
You should now be able to access the www.domainname.com

[Steen]

Thanks edge! That worked beautifully

I had a problem editing the hosts file but found the solution;
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/923947

You cannot modify the Hosts file or the Lmhosts file in Windows Vista

SYMPTOMS
When you try to change the Hosts file or the Lmhosts file in Microsoft Windows Vista, you may receive an error message that resembles either of the following.

Error message 1
Access to C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc\ hosts was denied

Error message 2
Cannot create the C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc\hosts file.
Make sure that the path and file name are correct.
This issue occurs even though you log on by using an account that has administrative credentials.

WORKAROUND
To work around this issue, follow these steps:
1. Click Start Start button , click All Programs, click Accessories, right-click Notepad, and then click Run as administrator.

User Account Control permission If you are prompted for an administrator password or for a confirmation, type the password, or click Allow.
2. Open the Hosts file or the Lmhosts file, make the necessary changes, and then click Save on the Edit menu.

[rasputin2008]

Hello,

I have the same problem but I have remote access to my server. So I work through WinSCP and Putty to make changes in its configuration.
The distribution on which it is running is CentOS 5.2

I am pretty new both to ISPC and to Linux.
For the moment I just need to make some trial websites so I cannot afford to use domains for every website.

Could anybody explain to me step by step what I have to do?

Thanks in advance.

[gdaddy]

This is how I do it for all my sites.

Alpha sites and experimentation I run on a local wamp server.
Beta/Test sites I setup in ISPConfig, and auto refresh to the main site via backup about weekly.

I use a domain name I already own, but you could theoretically use any currently unavailable name.
Then for every site I just create a new site e.g. example1.example.com, example2.example.com and set the IP address to the internal IP Address of the server for DNS records and create the records.

Voila!! As many test sites as you want.

You will need to be using your DNS server obviously, I just changed the DHCP settings on my router, but if you don't want the change network wide you could just change your IP Config in Windows.