Talk:Localhost

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First person in the paragraph about PHP? Doesn't look right to me!

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Can someone put something about what this is useful for? Thanks! Mark Richards 19:02, 11 May 2004 (UTC)

Suppose you have an HTTP server on your computer. If you want to check up on it you just type http://localhost/ and you'll be there :-) You can also ping 127.0.0.1 if you need to be absolutely sure that your computer exists. --Ihope127 18:40, 13 August 2005 (UTC)

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One use of localhost is in connection scripts where a SQL server may reside on the same system that is trying to connect to it. A PHP connection script example:

$hostname = "localhost";

$database = "DatabaseName";

$username = "root";

$password = "password";

$connectString = mysql_pconnect($hostname, $username, $password) or trigger_error(mysql_error(),E_USER_ERROR);

Rather than specifiying the IP address of the server in the script, using localhost is more dynamic since it will ALWAYS refer to the local machine even if you change the IP.

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Another use the localhost reference is to test a Network Interface Card or NIC or your TCP/IP stack. A command line example:

Ping localhost

The result is pinging yourself. If no response is received there is a problem on the local machine not the network you may be working with. If you were to talk to yourself you would be considered a schizophrenic, with your comptuer on the other hand it may be desirable.

Hope these help!

Cheers,

Michael Andrade 16:46, 20 Aug 2004 (UTC)

Actually it won't test your NIC. 127.0.0.1 is entirely implemented in software.

Also, what's 127.0.0.2 etc. for? Jibjibjib 07:29, 18 January 2006 (UTC)

127.0.0.2-8 are also reserved for loopback, it says so in the article. --Ifrit 09:41, 26 April 2006 (UTC)

Right, but is there a case where you'd want to use 127.0.0.2 (or another loopback IP) instead of 127.0.0.1? What was the logic of reserving a whole /8 block in IPv4, as opposed to the single address in IPv6? (Possible explanation: testing that a server only responds to requests from (a) certain IP(s), without needing WAN requests.)

Not sure about others, but I use it to placate a piece of software with an annoying license manager. It wants a fixed IP address that always points to my computer, but it won't use 127.0.0.1. My real IP address changes when I go from one network to another, so I just use 127.0.0.2. :-) --Reuben 07:04, 5 April 2007 (UTC)

Contents 1 Why 127 2 Humor section 3 SetCookie on Localhost with PHP and Apache 4 Humor again

[edit] Why 127

Does anyone know why specifically 127.0.0.1 is the address of the local machine?

What’s so special about 127?

I would have thought 0.0.0.1 for example would have been the most logical choice or maybe even 1.0.0.0

Note that 127 in binary is 01111111... maybe it's got something vaguely to do with that?

Quite simply, yes. The entire loopback address in binary is 01111111.00000000.00000000.00000001 --Ihope127 18:37, 13 August 2005 (UTC)

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theres no way this is differnt for anyone else right the local host is always that right o.O

just had an argument with a n00b and hes telling me im wrong and his local host always changes >.>;;

message me on <<e-mail address censored>> about this k?

just a word of caution, you might want to delete your email address from here. i would do it for you but i dont know if you arer ok with putting your email out there. this is wikipedia, but i bet there are still sum people out here who would abuse having some random person's email address. Jds10912 03:24, 21 January 2006 (UTC)

As he put his email adress there to be contacted I doubt that he is checking up on this page. Deleted the address... (reverting is possible anyway)

[edit] Humor section

The humor section (or at the very least, the jokes at the top of it) isn't appropriate for a non-humor-related encyclopedia article. Deleting the jokes.

- Matthew0028 05:47, 18 August 2005 (UTC)

• "There's no place like 127.0.0.1"
• "127.0.0.1? Nice FTP site, but I already have that stuff."
• "127.0.0.1, sweet, 127.0.0.1" (as in "Home, sweet home").

I'll stick that in WP:BJAODN. I think it's roaringly funny (but then, does anyone else?)~user:orngjce223how am I typing? 19:08, 8 December 2006 (UTC)

[edit] SetCookie on Localhost with PHP and Apache

Well, it might have to do something with weariness since I just finished proxy configuration for our network (and still do not understand why computers in another domain are fetching OUR wpad.dat) ... but I do not understand, what has the PHP function SetCookie to do with encyclopaedical article about localhost? Does Wikipedia supply PHP-Manual? What will be next, shouldn't we mention that there is no way to capture packets on local loopback in SunOS with Ethereal? --Kavol 20:31, 19 February 2006 (UTC)

SetCookie is obviously a function that writes a cookie to your computer, maybe this person was having trouble with SetCookie on their server.

Also, some people think this is a support talk, so for those of you who need help with any PHP-related queries, please use the the PHP Manual, [www.php.net/manual]. Thanks. Teckie 20:04, 15 April 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Humor again

I am removing the humor section as I do not believe it is relevant encyclopedic content. If you disagree, please discuss it here instead of reverting. --J Morgan^(talk) 21:07, 9 August 2006 (UTC)

Maybe it's time for some real jokes? Like, putting 127.0.0.1 in someones blacklist? - Face 20:09, 25 September 2006 (UTC)

I think they may fit in, under a Cultural References section. One of my favs (likely fake but fun anyway). — RevRagnarok ^{Talk Contrib} 21:43, 25 September 2006 (UTC)

... September 25, 2006 by TrueRock2 Oops - I just finished putting the humor/myth content back into the article. I was so shocked to not see it in the article I assumed it was some type of mistake. Regardless, I think you are going to have trouble divorcing reality from the article. If there is just one piece of info about 127.0.0.1 that is part of our universal knowledge it is this story/prank. My expectation of a Wikipedia article is to see every piece of information on a topic - especially information that would be known by any knowledgeable and educated individual.

127.0.0.1 is maybe the _only_ IP-address with some cultural background so I _demand_ bringing the insider-jokes back. Thats like writing an article about Jerry Lewis and refusing to point out his humor because it is a serious article. Crass Spektakel 21:20, 7 November 2006 (UTC)

• Okay, you all have convinced me that there should be some mention of the cultural meaning of 127.0.0.1. When I removed the humor section, it was a full 41% of the article (by word count, 251 out of 608 in MS Word). I still think that would be excessive. On another note, I don't object to a humorous example, but I also don't think this page should become a list of jokes. My suggestion is now to keep the section (as of edit 85687792), and ensure that the technical description of 127.0.0.1 remains the primary topic --J Morgan^(talk) 18:40, 9 November 2006 (UTC)