Windows Mobile Devices - Creating a HOSTS File

If you want to use a different IP address internally to the public IP address, for example for testing an internal web site on your network, then you need to use a Hosts file. The Hosts file overrides what is returned by any internal or external DNS server, so needs to be used with some care, particularly if you are going to use the device outside of the office on the internet.

A Hosts file is like a personal address book of IP addresses and the Windows Mobile devices supports it.

To create a Hosts file you will need a third party tool such as Zimmerman Pocket Hosts. Download the software from the site and follow the readme file to install it on to your machine.

Once installed on your handheld, you need to enter the information about your host PC.

1. Get Your Host PC IP Address
   1. Click "Start", "Programs", "Accessories" and choose "Command Prompt"
      or
      Click, "Start", "Run" and type "cmd (minus the quotes) and press enter.
   2. In the command prompt, enter "ipconfig" (minus quotes) and press enter.
   3. The line you are looking for is "Ethernet Adapter Local Area Connection". Under that you will find a some numbers. You want "IP Address", probably starting with "192.168...". Make a note of it.
2. Get Your Host PC Name
   1. Right Click on My Computer.
   2. Choose Network Configuration (Windows 2000) or Computer Name (Windows XP).
   3. Read the name and make a note of.
      If your computer is part of a domain, you only want the computer name minus the domain name. For example, if your computer name is "workstation.domain.com" then you only want "workstation".
3. Enter This Information in Pocket Hosts
   1. Start Pocket Hosts.
   2. In the box marked "Host Name" enter the name of your machine as recorded above.
   3. In the box marked "IP Address" enter the IP address of your machine as recorded above.
   4. Press "Add" to add it to the list.
   5. Press OK.
   6. Close the application.

   

Follow this same procedure to add any other machines that you have on your network that the Windows Mobile device could connect to.

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Last Page Update: 19/02/2011

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