NAME

networks − network name data base

DESCRIPTION

This file associates internet addresses with official network names and aliases.  This allows the user to refer to a network by a symbolic name instead of an internet address. For each network, a single line should be present with the following information:

<official network name> <network number> <aliases>

Aliases are other names under which a network is known. For example:

loop  192.46.4   testlan

The network “loop” is also called “testlan”. 

A line cannot start with a space.  Items are separated by any number of blanks and/or tab characters.  A ‘#’ indicates the beginning of a comment. Characters from the ‘#’ up to the end of the line are not interpreted by routines which search the file.  Trailing blanks or tabs are allowed at the end of a line.  For the DARPA Internet network this file is normally created from the official network data base 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 number can be specified in the conventional internet dot notation using the inet_network() routine from the internet address manipulation library, inet(3N). Network names can contain any printable character other than a white space, newline, or comment character.

EXAMPLES

See /etc/networks. 

AUTHOR

UCB (University of California at Berkeley)

SEE ALSO

getnetent(3N). 

Hewlett-Packard Company  —  May 11, 2021