How to preview a website that is not yet pointed to the server?

You will probably be told about the fancy URL's that you could try, but the best/easiest/fastest/cleanest way that I've found is:

1) edit your C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\DRIVERS\ETC\HOSTS file

2) add the following lines to the bottom

111.222.333.444 server.example.com webmail.example.com smtp.example.com
111.222.333.444 pop3.example.com imap.example.com mail.example.com
111.222.333.444 ftp.example.com www.example.com
111.222.333.444 example.com

3) then, without needing to reboot, you will be able to "test" the example.com domain

4) ONCE YOU'VE FINISHED TESTING, BE SURE TO COMMENT OUT THOSE LINES TO USE DNS PROPERLY!!!

#111.222.333.444 server.example.com webmail.example.com smtp.example.com
#111.222.333.444 pop3.example.com imap.example.com mail.example.com
#111.222.333.444 ftp.example.com www.example.com
#111.222.333.444 example.com

Howdy,

Another alternative -- do you have any domains currently pointed to your server?

If so, you could setup an alias for the domain which doesn't currently work, using the one that does.

For example, if you go into Create Virtual Server, and click "Alias of example.com" -- there you could setup an alias of your domain that's not currently working, and you could make a name like "preview_website.example2.com", where example2.com is another domain on your server that is currently working.

-Eric

There is a built-in feature for previewing virtual servers. You can find it under Virtualmin ->Services -> Preview Website. It works pretty well. Last time I used it I installed Wordpress on my new server before the DNS change could take effect. Don't have to fiddle with your hosts file as well.

Howdy,

What happens when trying to use the Preview Website feature? What about that doesn't work properly?

-Eric