However, your computer (in this case, a Mac) can use the hosts file to resolve your site to a different or specific IP address. The DNS translates your URL (such as ) into an IP address that the server can interpret. Typically, your website is found using the DNS in the nameservers your domain is pointed to. What the Mac Hosts File Is (and Why It’s Important)

The terminal will display the computer’s hostname.In the Terminal window, type hostname and press Enter.This opens the Terminal application, which will produce a white box as shown below.In the search box that appears, type terminal and press Enter.To find a computer’s hostname, click on the magnifying glass in the top right corner of the screen to open the spotlight search.Ĭlick the magnifying glass to open a spotlight search.

The advantage of using this is that even if the IP changes, POSIM will still connect normally. The hostname is an identifier like the IP address, but it does not change. Click Advanced to display additional network information.Īnother method of connecting to your POSIM database is to use what’s called the “hostname” in place of the IP address. Highlight Wi-fi section to display the IP address. Beneath the Turn Wi-Fi Off button will be the computer’s wi-fi IP address. If connected by wi-fi, this will be indicated in the Wifi section with a green dot and the word “Connected” as well.The IP Address will be listed on the right. If the computer is connected by Ethernet, as indicated by the green dot and the word “Connected,” click to highlight that entry. The Network Preferences pane will display the various network options.It will appear similar in prior versions of OSX. Shown below is the icon as it appears in El Capitan. With System Preferences open, click Network to open the Network Preferences pane.Open the MacOS System Preferences Window by clicking the Apple icon in the top left corner of the screen and selecting System Preferences, as seen in the screenshot below.

Outlined below are the steps to find your computer’s IP address and hostname in MacOS. When connecting POSIM clients over a local network it can often be necessary to verify the IP address and/or hostname of a computer.

Macos ip address terminal