1*61609Sbostic.\" Copyright (c) 1983, 1991, 1993 2*61609Sbostic.\" The Regents of the University of California. All rights reserved. 320821Smckusick.\" 449644Scael.\" %sccs.include.redist.roff% 520821Smckusick.\" 6*61609Sbostic.\" @(#)hosts.5 8.1 (Berkeley) 06/05/93 736757Sbostic.\" 849644Scael.Dd 949644Scael.Dt HOSTS 5 1049644Scael.Os BSD 4.2 1149644Scael.Sh NAME 1249644Scael.Nm hosts 1349644Scael.Nd host name data base 1449644Scael.Sh DESCRIPTION 1520821SmckusickThe 1649644Scael.Nm hosts 1720821Smckusickfile contains information regarding 1828183Sbloomthe known hosts on the network. 1920821SmckusickFor each host a single line should be present 2020821Smckusickwith the following information: 2149644Scael.Bd -unfilled -offset indent 2220821Smckusickofficial host name 2320821SmckusickInternet address 2420821Smckusickaliases 2549644Scael.Ed 2649644Scael.Pp 2720821SmckusickItems are separated by any number of blanks and/or 2820821Smckusicktab characters. A ``#'' indicates the beginning of 2920821Smckusicka comment; characters up to the end of the line are 3020821Smckusicknot interpreted by routines which search the file. 3149644Scael.Pp 3228183SbloomWhen using the name server 3349644Scael.Xr named 8 , 3428183Sbloomthis file provides a backup when the name server 3528183Sbloomis not running. 3628183SbloomFor the name server, it is suggested that only a few addresses 3728183Sbloombe included in this file. 3828183SbloomThese include address for the local interfaces that 3949644Scael.Xr ifconfig 8 4028183Sbloomneeds at boot time and a few machines on the local network. 4149644Scael.Pp 4228183SbloomThis file may be created from the official host 4320821Smckusickdata base maintained at the Network Information Control 4449644ScaelCenter 4549644Scael.Pq Tn NIC , 4649644Scaelthough local changes may be required 4720821Smckusickto bring it up to date regarding unofficial aliases 4849644Scaeland/or unknown hosts. As the data base maintained at 4949644Scael.Tn NIC 5028183Sbloomis incomplete, use of the name server is recommend for 5149644Scaelsites on the 5249644Scael.Tn DARPA 5349644ScaelInternet. 5449644Scael.Pp 5520821SmckusickNetwork addresses are specified in the conventional 5649644Scael``.'' (dot) notation using the 5749644Scael.Xr inet_addr 3 5849644Scaelroutine 5920821Smckusickfrom the Internet address manipulation library, 6049644Scael.Xr inet 3 . 6120821SmckusickHost names may contain any printable 6220821Smckusickcharacter other than a field delimiter, newline, 6320821Smckusickor comment character. 6449644Scael.Sh FILES 6549644Scael.Bl -tag -width /etc/hosts -compact 6649644Scael.It Pa /etc/hosts 6749644ScaelThe 6849644Scael.Nm hosts 6949644Scaelfile resides in 7049644Scael.Pa /etc . 7149644Scael.El 7249644Scael.Sh SEE ALSO 7349644Scael.Xr gethostbyname 3 , 7449644Scael.Xr ifconfig 8 , 7549644Scael.Xr named 8 7649644Scael.Rs 7749644Scael.%T "Name Server Operations Guide for BIND" 7849644Scael.Re 7949644Scael.Sh HISTORY 8049644ScaelThe 8149644Scael.Nm 8249644Scaelfile format appeared in 8349644Scael.Bx 4.2 . 84