It is a default name that enables you to test programs and even close access to websites. Now you understand that localhost is not merely a technical term for your computer. If there are any problems, you can immediately fix any that occur. The localhost test will show how well everything performs, from the number of data packets received, sent, or lost, to how long the data transmission takes. You can do this with a connection test and by sending a ping request to the localhost.įor example, you can easily open the command prompt or the terminal and enter “ ping localhost” or “ ping 127.0.0.1”. Speed TestĪs a network administrator, you will want to make sure that all equipment and the TCP/IP are in top condition. You can change the IP address into 127.0.0.1 and the site which hosts file you modified redirects you to the localhost instead.Īn example could be a company’s computer admin blocking access to a website. This file contains the IP address and the domain names of websites. Your computer helps improve this process by storing a hosts file for every site you have visited. You can enter a website because the DNS or Domain Name System searches for the appropriate IP address under which the site is registered. As you already know, all domains have IP addresses. Loopback is useful for preventing your browser from entering harmful sites, like ones containing viruses.īefore learning how this works, however, you need to know what “ hosts file” is and its role in this context. Site BlockingĪnother interesting trick is blocking websites that you do not wish to access. You can load the necessary files of a program into the web servers and check its functionality. Since your OS becomes a simulated web server once a loopback is triggered. By using a loopback to test them, developers can create a connection to the localhost, to be tested inside the computer and system they are currently using. During development, tests are run to see if the applications actually work. Using localhost is one of the main uses for developers especially if they are creating web apps or programs that require an internet connection. Generally, there are three advantages that loopback offers: Program or Web Application Test What Is Localhost Used For?ĭespite its simple meaning, localhost is useful if you are a developer, network administrator, and for testing. If initiated, this action will create a loopback device which is a virtual interface inside your computer’s operating system ( OS).
![ip loopback ip loopback](https://thefutureofthings.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/ipaddress.jpg)
That is why no websites can have IP addresses that begin with 127. For that reason, Transmission Control Protocol and Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) immediately recognize that you want to contact your computer after entering any address that starts with these numbers. You can also start a loopback back to your own server with an IPv6 connection by entering :1.įun fact: the first section of the address – 127 – is reserved only for loopbacks. Trying to open the address 127.0.0.1 in an IPv4 connection will trigger a loopback, referring you back to your own web server.
![ip loopback ip loopback](https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Avsar-Asan/publication/263543154/figure/fig7/AS:669403691642891@1536609685268/Creating-Loopback-Adapter.jpg)
Like any other domain name, localhost also has an IP (Internet Protocol) address. This situation is also known as a loopback address. So where will localhost take you? It will take you to your computer.
![ip loopback ip loopback](http://sh-run.com/wordpressSHRUN/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/t1-crossover.gif)
Like an IP address, when typing in a web browser it directs you to its local hosting website, Google’s main page. Subscribe What is 127.0.0.1 and a Loopback Address?