My development server is Server.app. After having to reinstall macOS in recovery mode, browsers can no longer connect to my local sites. I can't select the text of the error that Safari gves so here's a screenshot…
Other browsers give errors of the same substance.
Update: Looking elsewhere I found mention of Stealth Mode. On checking I found that was switched on during the reinstall. Turning it off now allows me to ping 127.0.0.1 & my local host names in Terminal, but I still can't reach my local hosts in a browser.
The Server.app webserver is on, & all my sites are still there. I've checked the configuration of the ones that matter most right now & they're still correct. My hosts file is still as it should be.
Update 2: Expanding as a result of answer by Tom E, what I get when running the command suggested is…
Europa:~ pedro$ host volhq.mmf.yii.dev
volhq.mmf.yii.dev has address 127.0.53.53
volhq.mmf.yii.dev mail is handled by 10 your-dns-needs-immediate-attention.dev.
I have always used a hosts file rather than DNS, taking the former to be simpler & sufficient for my needs, & that has worked until now. However if setting up a DNS is the medicine, I shall take it.
Update 3: I think the question now becomes, how do I get the IP address on my host names from 127.0.53.53 back to 127.0.0.1? For more than 10 years I have used a hosts file with entries like 127.0.0.1 volhq.mmf.yii.dev & it has worked.
Best Answer
Stealth Mode is a feature of the built-in firewall. If enabled, it simply keeps the firewall from responding to ”ICMP echo requests“ (aka Pings). It doesn’t keep browsers from connecting to a web server.
In your case, the reason could be a problem with your DNS configuration. Please check both the client’s and the server’s DNS setup. Try to resolve volhq.mmf.yii.dev from the client’s command line:
and see what reply the command gives you. Get back here if you don’t receive an error…