Asp.net host website on local machine with custom url instead of http://localhost/ in IIS

Introduction: 

In this article I will explain how to create or setup or host new site in IIS with custom URL(http://yoursitename.com) instead of http://localhost/ in asp.net.

Description:   I got requirement like setup separate new site in IIS with custom url (ex: http://travel-world.com ) in system not under Default website.

Before setup new site in IIS first create one sample application in asp.net using visual studio. Once new application is ready Open Run command and type “inetmgr” and click enter button then IIS will open if not IIS is not installed in your machine. To install IIS in your system

START ---> Control Panel ---> Programs ---> Turn Windows Features on or off ---> Internet Information Services ---> Web Management Tools ---> Check or select IIS Management Console ---> Click OK

After that follow below steps to setup or host new application in your system.

Open RUN Command window and type “inetmgr” 

Once opened IIS now select sites ---> Right click on it and select Add Website  

Whenever we select Add Web Site option new window will open in that we need to enter Site Name, Physical Path and Host name that would be like this

If you observe in above image here I given Host name as aspdotnet-suresh.com after completion of my setup if I type http://travel-world.com in my browser automatically it display my custom local setup application instead of my website. After enter all the details click OK. Now our site add in IIS that would be like this

Now our application is ready Right click on your site ---> Select Manage Web Site ---> Click Browse

After click Browse our application will open with our custom url (Here I given as http://travel-world.com ) that would be like this

Why this error is coming? 

We are getting this error because of we didn’t set host file with this url

To set url in host file you need to open this path 

C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc

In this folder select hosts file and open with notepad (if you’re using Windows7 open that file like Run as Administrator) and set the url path will be like this 

127.0.0.1       travel-world.com

(Note: Don’t include # symbol before IP and url because if you add # it will ignore our site path)

After set the url path now run your application that will show output of your application will be like this

I hope it helps you to set new site in system with custom url.