Often Web Agencies need to work on a site that is not yet accessible via the public DNS, a typical case is when you want to redo a website that will replace the old one when it is ready, so you need to work on the site under construction with DNS still pointing to the old site.
There are 2 methods to access a site not configured on DNS, the first method would theoretically be the most convenient but in reality it does not always work and above all it does not work with WordPress sites which are now almost a standard framework for Web Agencies.
The second method, on the other hand, ALWAYS works and with any framework used but requires the download and use of a tool of which we attach the link in the article, the tool can also be sent to customers to allow viewing of the site during processing.
Method 1 (only works with cpanel)
CPANEL allows you to view a development site not yet configured on the public DNS using the direct IP address of the server where it is hosted, this is very useful when you want to show a site to customers when it is still under construction.
To find out which IP address to use, enter the CPANEL and on the right in the general information section, the IP used by that domain will be indicated.
Once you have the IP use the following URL:
http: // IP-SERVER / ~ username
where: IP-SERVER is the IP you got
username is the username of the hosting in question
NB. In order to use this function, the WHM-CPANEL server must be enabled for this function, therefore it may not work with non-Utixo servers.
However, this system does not always work as some sites in particular WORDPRESS use an absolute internal reference so only the home could be correctly displayed. In this case the second system to use illustrated here might be the best.
Method 2 (only works on windows systems)
Utixo has a specific tool to be able to configure access to a site under construction not configured on the DNS, this method is more reliable than the previous one and works with any type of site.
The tool allows you to view a site present at the IP address that you indicate in the IP Address field while the site name must be specified in the Host Name field.
- Download the tool at this address: https://shop.serverweb.net/dl.php?type=d&id=13 -
Run the downloaded tool, it must be run as administrator so confirm the request
This screen will appear:
To view the site, type the relative Host Name and IP of the server where the site under development is hosted in the fields and any comment
The data to be entered are the domain name to be displayed and the IP address obtained from the Utixo cpanel.
Once the domain line has been added by opening the site you will be able to view the site under construction and you will also be able to work on the site for the entire development phase, once you want to publish the site just configure the DNS and delete the lines via the Utixo tool.
