diff --git a/.env b/.env
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..2ce566356
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.env
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+# Compose supports declaring default environment variables in an environment file named .env placed in the folder docker-compose command is executed from (current working directory).
+# Compose expects each line in an env file to be in VAR=VAL format. Lines beginning with # (i.e. comments) are ignored, as are blank lines.
+# Note: Values present in the environment at runtime will always override those defined inside the .env file. Similarly, values passed via command-line arguments take precedence as well.
+
+ESHOP_EXTERNAL_DNS_NAME_OR_IP=192.168.88.248
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/docker-compose.prod.yml b/docker-compose.prod.yml
index 7132c52d6..de5dba15e 100644
--- a/docker-compose.prod.yml
+++ b/docker-compose.prod.yml
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 version: '2'
 
 # The Production docker-compose file has to have the external/real IPs or DNS names for the services 
+# The ESHOP_EXTERNAL_DNS_NAME_OR_IP environment variable is taken, by default, from the ".env" file defined like ESHOP_EXTERNAL_DNS_NAME_OR_IP=192.168.88.248
+# but values present in the environment vars at runtime will always override those defined inside the .env file
 # This configuration has to be used when testing the Web apps and the Xamarin apps from remote machines/devices using the same WiFi, for instance.
 # ASPNETCORE_ENVIRONMENT=Development just to get errors while testing. Could be set to "Production"
 #
@@ -23,7 +25,7 @@ services:
       - ASPNETCORE_ENVIRONMENT=Development
       - ASPNETCORE_URLS=http://0.0.0.0:5101
       - ConnectionString=Server=sql.data;Database=Microsoft.eShopOnContainers.Services.CatalogDb;User Id=sa;Password=Pass@word
-      - ExternalCatalogBaseUrl=http://${ESHOP_EXTERNAL_IP}:5101    #Local: You need to open your host's firewall at range 5100-5105.  at range 5100-5105.
+      - ExternalCatalogBaseUrl=http://${ESHOP_EXTERNAL_DNS_NAME_OR_IP}:5101    #Local: You need to open your host's firewall at range 5100-5105.  at range 5100-5105.
     ports:
       - "5101:5101"
 
@@ -31,9 +33,9 @@ services:
     environment:
       - ASPNETCORE_ENVIRONMENT=Development
       - ASPNETCORE_URLS=http://0.0.0.0:5105
-      - SpaClient=http://${ESHOP_EXTERNAL_IP}:5104
+      - SpaClient=http://${ESHOP_EXTERNAL_DNS_NAME_OR_IP}:5104
       - ConnectionStrings__DefaultConnection=Server=sql.data;Database=Microsoft.eShopOnContainers.Service.IdentityDb;User Id=sa;Password=Pass@word 
-      - MvcClient=http://${ESHOP_EXTERNAL_IP}:5100              #Local: You need to open your host's firewall at range 5100-5105.  
+      - MvcClient=http://${ESHOP_EXTERNAL_DNS_NAME_OR_IP}:5100              #Local: You need to open your host's firewall at range 5100-5105.  
     ports:
       - "5105:5105"
 
@@ -50,10 +52,10 @@ services:
     environment:
       - ASPNETCORE_ENVIRONMENT=Development
       - ASPNETCORE_URLS=http://0.0.0.0:5104
-      - CatalogUrl=http://${ESHOP_EXTERNAL_IP}:5101
-      - OrderingUrl=http://${ESHOP_EXTERNAL_IP}:5102
-      - IdentityUrl=http://${ESHOP_EXTERNAL_IP}:5105              #Local: You need to open your host's firewall at range 5100-5105.  at range 5100-5105. 
-      - BasketUrl=http://${ESHOP_EXTERNAL_IP}:5103                
+      - CatalogUrl=http://${ESHOP_EXTERNAL_DNS_NAME_OR_IP}:5101
+      - OrderingUrl=http://${ESHOP_EXTERNAL_DNS_NAME_OR_IP}:5102
+      - IdentityUrl=http://${ESHOP_EXTERNAL_DNS_NAME_OR_IP}:5105              #Local: You need to open your host's firewall at range 5100-5105.  at range 5100-5105. 
+      - BasketUrl=http://${ESHOP_EXTERNAL_DNS_NAME_OR_IP}:5103                
     ports:
       - "5104:5104"
 
@@ -63,7 +65,7 @@ services:
       - ASPNETCORE_URLS=http://0.0.0.0:5100
       - CatalogUrl=http://catalog.api:5101
       - OrderingUrl=http://ordering.api:5102
-      - IdentityUrl=http://${ESHOP_EXTERNAL_IP}:5105              #Local: You need to open your host's firewall at range 5100-5105.  at range 5100-5105. 
+      - IdentityUrl=http://${ESHOP_EXTERNAL_DNS_NAME_OR_IP}:5105              #Local: You need to open your host's firewall at range 5100-5105.  at range 5100-5105. 
       - BasketUrl=http://basket.api:5103
     ports:
       - "5100:5100"