networks

 

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 File Formats                                          networks(4)
 
 
 


NAME
      networks - network name database
 


SYNOPSIS
      /etc/inet/networks
 
      /etc/networks
 


DESCRIPTION
      The networks file is a local source of information regarding
      the networks which comprise the Internet. The networks  file
      can be used in conjunction with, or instead of,  other  net-
      works  sources,  including the NIS maps  networks.byname and
      networks.byaddr and the NIS+ table  networks.  Programs  use
      the  getnetbyname(3SOCKET)  routines to access this informa-
      tion.
 
      The network file has a single line for  each  network,  with
      the following information:
 
      official-network-name network-number aliases
 
      Items are separated by any number of  SPACE and/or TAB char-
      acters.  A `#' indicates the beginning of a comment; charac-
      ters up to the end of the line are not interpreted  by  rou-
      tines  which  search the file. This file is normally created
      from the official network database maintained at the Network
      Information  Control  Center (NIC), though local changes may
      be required to bring it  up  to  date  regarding  unofficial
      aliases and/or unknown networks.
 
      Network numbers may be specified  in  the  conventional  dot
      (`.')  notation  using  the  inet_network  routine  from the
      Internet address  manipulation  library,  inet(7P).  Network
      names may contain any printable character other than a field
      delimiter, NEWLINE, or comment character.
 


SEE ALSO
      getnetbyaddr(3SOCKET), getnetbyname(3SOCKET), inet(3SOCKET),
      nsswitch.conf(4), inet(7P)
 


NOTES
      The  official  SVR4   name   of   the   networks   file   is
      /etc/inet/networks.  The  symbolic link /etc/networks exists
      for BSD compatibility.
 
      The network database does not support subnet masks  in  gen-
      eral, so  getnetbyaddr(3SOCKET) cannot differentiate between
      networks        of        11.128.0.0/255.192.0.0         and
      11.128.0.0/255.240.0.0.
 
 
 
 
 
 SunOS 5.8            Last change: 2 Jun 1997                    1
 
 
 

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