ResolveHost - Website Preview Tool

jetchirag

This is a small project I've always wanted to host publicly but never got around.

What is it?

ResolveHost allows you to preview a site without having to configure DNS. It's a specially convenient tool when you are migrating a site and want to see if it's working fine on the new host but there are several other uses too like a demo to client.

Concept is pretty straightforward. It acts as a proxy and requests specific domain from provided host. It also "tries" to rewrite links to preview url and keep rest as-it-is. Though it's still a WIP so I'd really appreciate any feedbacks/suggestions; technical or abuse prevention. It's a bit slow currently but I am working on performance.

Why?

I used to use hosts .cx heavily and since its shutdown I've been looking for a reliable alternative.

And I promised, though tiny bit late (just a year).

@jetchirag said:

@Ympker said:
I am missing hosts.cx (don't open it now; seems to redirect wherever) for website preview on different IP. Was way more convenient than editing Hosts file. Anyway, was good while it lasted.

I'm working on similar tool. Hopefully beta release in a week!

Plus I got a free domain so why not?

Disclaimer: Site not optimized for mobile. Some functions/links are WIP. You may sometimes experience 5xx errors when I'm pushing updates.

Again, feedbacks appreciated. Thanks!

AllHost_Rep

Sir, your IP is blacklisted.

https://www.abuseipdb.com/check/65.108.151.218

jetchirag

@AllHost_Rep said:
Sir, your IP is blacklisted.

Thanks I didn't notice. It's a new server on Hetzner, perhaps I'll change ip and/or put cloudflare in front.

JasonM

@jetchirag
nice concept.
what IP should I use in the "target" field. my host's/server ip or my proxy ip or anything else?

Ympker

@jetchirag thanks for the tag, mate!
Like you, I was really growing used to using hosts cx and I've never really "recovered" from its loss.
It's just been way too convenient.
Considering this, it's awesome news, that there's not only a project now that aims to do the same, but also a trustworthy and capable (community) dev behind it

Fwiw, I don't get a blacklist warning on mobile, which means you may be blacklisted by Malwarebytes (who tend to blacklist lots of false-postives iirc), however, you're not blacklisted on AdGuard malicious sites list or similar, since I'm using that.

Good luck with the project!
Once exams are over, I'll give it a spin!

@JasonM said:
@jetchirag
nice concept.
what IP should I use in the "target" field. my host's/server ip or my proxy ip or anything else?

I believe you'd put your server ip (where the files you wanna test currently are; may differ from the official live site) there
Not sure about how this works if you have a proxy setup.

Levi

Does not work (https selected). https://xsetkp.resolvehost.link/ throws 403 error.

jetchirag

@Ympker Thank you! Hopefully you'll find it useful! There might be bugs but will iron out as I encounter them.

@LTniger you used 1.1.1.1 as target. It's just a placeholder value and CloudFlare will return error if you try to access it with a domain that doesn't belong there.

HTTP status code are returned as it is so it's CF which is throwing 403.

Xor

I tried testing this with a site I have on an IPv6 only server and it refused to work (stating Invalid IPv4 address). Is IPv6 on the roadmap?

rcy026

@Xor said:
I tried testing this with a site I have on an IPv6 only server and it refused to work (stating Invalid IPv4 address).

Same problem here, my entire dev env is ipv6 only.
Great tool but unfortunately useless for me.

MannDude

This is what I use my /etc/hosts file for.

Ympker

@MannDude said:
This is what I use my /etc/hosts file for.

Of course, this works perfectly fine, just like editing Windows hosts file. Still, hosts cx was just something special in its own way.
I remember many people loved it (including me, @jetchirag and others). A shame it vanished.

jetchirag

@rcy026 said:

@Xor said:
I tried testing this with a site I have on an IPv6 only server and it refused to work (stating Invalid IPv4 address).

Same problem here, my entire dev env is ipv6 only.
Great tool but unfortunately useless for me.

I'll look into adding it. Thanks for suggestion!

Thundas

Install powertoys, host file editor profit.

Ympker

@Thundas said:
Install powertoys, host file editor profit.

Hosts cx was not exactly the same as simply editing the hosts file. You could also use hoste cw to quickly pitch a webdesign to a client/friend without them needing to tinker with their hosts file, or quickly create a mock-up page on a freshly installed vps without touching the hosts file or virtualhost.

But yeah, a lot can be accomplished by editing the hosts file too

Strikerr

Internal Server Error for any website

jetchirag

@Strikerr said:
Internal Server Error for any website

I was pushing an update. Should be fine now.

ehhthing

Feelslike you could just do the same with cloudflared temporary tunnels or ngrok instead.

jetchirag

@ehhthing said:
Feelslike you could just do the same with cloudflared temporary tunnels or ngrok instead.

You could but they are not the target users of this tool.