How To Use Host Header Names to Configure Multiple Web Sites in Internet Information Services 5.0 (308163)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Windows 2000 Server
  • Microsoft Windows 2000 Advanced Server
  • Microsoft Small Business Server 2000
This article was previously published under Q308163

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SUMMARY

This article provides step-by-step instructions for hosting multiple Web sites by using a single Internet Protocol (IP) address.

Microsoft Internet Information Services (IIS) allows you to map multiple Web sites with the same port number to a single IP address by using a feature called Host Header Names. By assigning a unique host header name to each Web site, this feature allows you to map more than one Web site to an IP address.

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Configure Web Sites by Using Host Header Names

To configure Web sites by using the Host Header Names feature, follow these steps:
  1. Click Start, point to Programs, point to Administrative Tools, and then click Internet Services Manager.
  2. In the Internet Information Services window, expand * server name (where server name is the name of the server).
  3. Right-click the Web site that you want, and then click Properties on the shortcut menu that appears.

    The Web site name Properties dialog box appears (where Web site name is the name of the Web site that you selected).
  4. Under Web Site Identification, select the IP address that you want assigned to this Web site in the IP Address list.
  5. Click the Advanced button.
  6. Under Multiple identities for this Web Site, click the IP address, and then click Edit.

    The Advanced Web Site Identification dialog box appears.
  7. In the Host Header Name box, type the host header that you want. For example, type www.example1.com. Add the port number, select the IP address from the list, and then click OK.

    NOTE: If you want to configure this Web site with additional identities, click Add. Use the same IP address and TCP port, but enter a unique Host Header Name, and then click OK. For example, if you want to access the same Web site from both the Internet and a local intranet, you could configure the Web site identity in the manner shown in the following example:
       IP Address      TCP Port  Host Header Name

   192.168.0.100   80        www.example1.com
   192.168.0.100   80        example1.com
  8. In the Advanced Multiple Web Site Configuration dialog box, click OK.
  9. In the Web site name Properties dialog box, click OK to return to the IIS console.
  10. Right-click the next Web site that you want, and then click Properties on the shortcut menu.
  11. In the IP Address list, select the same IP address that you selected in step 4, and then click Advanced.
  12. Under Multiple identities for this Web Site, click the IP address, and then click Edit.

    The Advanced Web Site Identification dialog box appears.
  13. In the Host Header Name box, type a unique host header for this Web site. For example, type www.example2.com, add the port number, select the IP address from the list, and then click OK.
  14. In the Advanced Multiple Web Site Configuration dialog box, click OK.
  15. In the Web site name Properties dialog box, click OK.

    You return to the IIS window.
  16. Repeat steps 10 through 15 for each Web site that you want hosted on this IP address.
  17. Register the host header names with the appropriate name resolution system -- for example, a Domain Name System (DNS) server or, in the case of a small network, a Hosts file.
The Web sites are now configured to accept incoming Web requests, based on their host header names.

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More Information

Do not assign a host header name to the default Web site. Many programs expect the default Web site to use an IP address of (All Unassigned), TCP Port 80, and no host header name.

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Troubleshooting

For additional information about troubleshooting Web servers, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

297954 How To Troubleshoot the Web Server in Windows 2000

  • Clients are unable to connect to the Web sites by using the IP address:

    Because there is more than one Web site configured to the IP address, you must connect to the Web site by using the host header name. When you attempt to connect to the Web site by using the IP address, you receive the following error message:
    The page cannot be found.

    The page you are looking for might have been removed, had its name changed, or is temporarily unavailable.
  • Clients are unable to connect to the Web sites by using host header names:

    Multiple host names must be mapped to the single IP address by using a DNS server or a Hosts file.For additional information about configuring a DNS server, click the article numbers below to view the articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

    172953 How to Install and Configure Microsoft DNS Server

    238797 Microsoft DNS Server Installation and Configuration Document Available on Windows NT FTP Site

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REFERENCES

Additional information about host header names is available in the IIS 5.0 documentation. If you have IIS installed, start Microsoft Internet Explorer, and then browse to the following Web site:

http://localhost/iisHelp/iis/misc/default.asp

Click the Index tab, and then type host header names in the Type in the keyword to find box. Select the item that you want, and then click Display.

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Modification Type:MinorLast Reviewed:1/27/2006
Keywords:kberrmsg kbhowto kbHOWTOmaster kbinfo KB308163 kbAudITPro
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