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You can use your computer's hosts file to block any data being sent to or from your computer, for any domain. This is done by the operating system, and will block data on any browser or other program.

Location of hosts file[]

Unix/Linux/BSD[]

  • /etc/hosts

Windows[]

  • Windows 95/98/Me
c:\windows\hosts
  • Windows NT/2000/XP Pro
c:\winnt\system32\drivers\etc\hosts
  • Windows XP Home, Vista, 7, 8, 10
c:\windows\system32\drivers\etc\hosts

Editing the file[]

You shouldn't need to remove anything from the file so if you don't know what you are doing don't remove or change any of the lines. Simply add the new lines below.

  • Make sure 127.0.0.1 localhost is the first line on the file.
    • It's OK to have blank lines or commented lines before it. Comments are indicated by a '#'
    • Your localhost line may be more complex, and that's OK, as long as it has 127.0.0.1 and localhost on the same line
      • Example: 127.0.0.1 PDP-8.homeland PDP-8 localhost
  • Below all the other lines in the file add the following. This will redirect any request for the domain www.google-analytics.com back to your computer, effectively blocking it.
127.0.0.1 www.google-analytics.com
127.0.0.1 google-analytics.com
127.0.0.1 ssl.google-analytics.com

Example hosts file[]

# Local
127.0.0.1 PDP-8.homeland PDP-8 localhost

# My filters
127.0.0.1 www.google-analytics.com
127.0.0.1 google-analytics.com
127.0.0.1 ssl.google-analytics.com

See Also[]

References[]

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