Free localhost virtual domain on Windows OS To use a virtual domain like www.somedomain.com on a Windows operating system and the application XAMPP or other website server for Windows operating system do the following: In the path of your Windows operating system: C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc there you can find the file called: host Add the following to that file host: # localhost XAMPP virtual domain: 127.0.0.1 domain.com 127.0.0.1 www.domain.com # localhost XAMPP virtual domain: 127.0.0.1 mydomain.com 127.0.0.1 www.mydomain.com In the root path of your XAMPP website C:\xampp\htdocs add the following script inside an new index.php file: <?php // Local host virtual domain script if (!empty($_SERVER['HTTPS']) && ('on' == $_SERVER['HTTPS'])) { $uri = 'https://'; } else { $uri = 'http://'; } $uri .= $_SERVER['HTTP_HOST']; // header('Location: '.$uri.'/dashboard/'); ### See "C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc\hosts" file for the virtual domains like below. # In host file by example: # # localhost XAMPP Virtual Domain # 127.0.0.1 domain.com # 127.0.0.1 www.domain.com # if(isset($_SERVER['HTTP_HOST']) and $_SERVER['HTTP_HOST'] == "domain.com" or $_SERVER['HTTP_HOST'] == "www.domain.com"){ header('Location: '.$uri.'/website1/'); // C:\xampp\htdocs\website1 }elseif(isset($_SERVER['HTTP_HOST']) and $_SERVER['HTTP_HOST'] == "mydomain.com" or $_SERVER['HTTP_HOST'] == "www.mydomain.com") header('Location: '.$uri.'/website2/'); // C:\xampp\htdocs\website2 }else{ header('Location: '.$uri.'/home/'); } exit; ?> Something is wrong with the XAMPP installation :-( Assume /website1/ and /website2/ in the example index.php file above is the directory of your websites. You can use the localhost virtual domain even when you are disconnected from the Internet. Remember the virtual domain may not exists on the Internet when you are connected to the Internet, if it exists on the Internet and want to use your virtual domain, disconnect the Internet connection and load your virtual domain like a normal registered domain on the Internet in your website browser. Enjoy! . . . |