Modify windows network hosts entries with pshosts

Most of us know how to workaround dns issues by editing the C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc\hosts file.

The problem, if one can consider it as such, is that you need to

1. Start notepad or any editor in administrator mode
2. Browse to C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc if you remember it
3. Change the file filter to all files to show files without extensions
4. Chose the file hosts
5. Add the line
6. Save

For most people that is fine but there is an alternative especially if you do this often.

Lets see how you can quickly solve a dns host e.g dns.example.com that is not resolving with an ip 10.10.10.10 that you know already. This is a temporary requirement and can be required because of DNS synch issues but the example is as equally good if you want to override the IP resolution of any dns entry.

Local execution

First install Powershell module PsHosts

Install-Module PSHosts -Scope CurrentUser -Force

For every line you would add above in the hosts file execute 

#With comment
Set-HostEntry -Name dns.example.com -Address 10.10.10.10 -Comment "Workaround for DNS synch issues" -Enabled $true
#Without a comment
Set-HostEntry -Name dns.example.com -Address 10.10.10.10 -Enabled $true

To get a list of modified host entries

Get-HostEntry

In my case the above entry is work around so I need to remove it or disable it soon.

Disable-HostEntry -Name dns.example.com

or 

Remove-HostEntry -Name dns.example.com

Remote execution

If you want to do this on a couple of computers e.g. Server1 to Server10 then this is how you do it

Make sure the module is installed on all servers. This is a one time action.

$computers=@(
    "Server1"
#   "ServerX"
    "Server10"
)

Invoke-Command -ComputerName $computers -ScriptBlock {Install-Module PSHosts -Scope CurrentUser -Force}

And then depending on each step execute

# Add the entry with a comment
Invoke-Command -ComputerName $computers -ScriptBlock {Install-Module PSHosts -Scope CurrentUser -Force}

# Disable the entry
Invoke-Command -ComputerName $computers -ScriptBlock {Disable-HostEntry -Name dns.example.com}# Remove the entry

# Remove the entry
Invoke-Command -ComputerName $computers -ScriptBlock {Remove-HostEntry -Name dns.example.com}# Remove the entry

Advanced

There is more into the powershell module where you can mark entries with special values. You can query them and potential pipe them to a disable/enable or remove. You can use such a trick as a toggle on/off script.