NETWORKS(4)                                                        NETWORKS(4)


NAME
     networks - network name database

DESCRIPTION
     The /etc/networks file contains information regarding the known networks
     which comprise the Internet.  For each network a single line should be
     present with the following information:

        + official network name

        + network number

        + aliases (optional)

     Items are separated by any number of blanks and/or tab characters.  A
     ``#'' indicates the beginning of a comment; characters up to the end of
     the line are not interpreted by routines which search the file.

     Network number may be specified in the conventional ``.'' notation using
     the inet_network() routine from the Internet address manipulation
     library, inet(3N).  Network names may contain any printable character
     other than a field delimiter, newline, or comment character.  For
     example,

          loopback    127    loopback-net


     For hosts connected to the Internet, this file can be 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.

FILES
     /etc/networks

     If the NFS option is installed and NIS is running, the getnetent(3N)
     library routines do not access this file.

SEE ALSO
     getnetent(3N)

BUGS
     The Internet name server should be used instead of a static file.  A
     binary indexed file format should be available for fast access.


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