NETCONFIG(8N) COMMAND REFERENCE NETCONFIG(8N)
NAME
netconfig - configure workstation for network operation
SYNOPSIS
/etc/netconfig [ -q ]
[ -h hostname ]
[ -i interfacename -a address -b broadcast address -m
subnet mask ]
[ -e net ]
[ -d net ]
[ -P ]
DESCRIPTION
netconfig is used to configure a workstation for operation
on a local area network. netconfig allows the user to
change the following network attributes on the workstation:
Hostname
Host ID
Standard Network Utilities (enabled or disabled)
Internet address, broadcast address and subnet mask for each network interface.
After changing any of these attributes the workstation must
be rebooted. This is so the nameserver(8n) daemon is
restarted with the proper new hostname and addresses;
otherwise the network utilities will not work correctly.
netconfig writes these changes into the network.conf(5n)
file. When rebooted, rc.net(8n) is executed which invokes
netconfig with the -q switch. When netconfig is invoked
with this switch, it looks at the network.conf(5n) file to
set up the host ID and hostname. rc.net(8n) then to decide
which of the daemons to start up.
Typically netconfig is invoked with no options. The program
will then prompt the user with questions to set the
attributes mentioned above. When it asks for a hostname,
the user should enter no more than 31 characters taken from
the following set:
a-z, A-Z, 0-9, -, _
The first character must not be a number. Remember that the
name assigned to your workstation should be unique
throughout the network.
The first time netconfig is run on the workstation, the
Internet address will not be set (actually it is set to the
invalid address 0.0.0.0). Accordingly, the user must supply
a valid address so that the workstation may be used on the
local network.
Printed 4/6/89 1
NETCONFIG(8N) COMMAND REFERENCE NETCONFIG(8N)
The Internet address is a 32-bit number (expressed as four
8-bit bytes) which is comprised of a network component and
local host component. Further, the Internet address may be
in one of three classes, namely, A, B, or C. The
distinction between the classes is in how many of the 32
bits are used to express the network and local host
components, respectively. In a Class A Internet address,
one byte is used for the network component; in Class B, two
bytes; and in Class C, three bytes. Consequently, in a
Class A network with three bytes (24 bits) remaining for the
local host component, there are up to 16,777,216 separate
node addresses available (Class B - 65,536, and Class C -
256).
When netconfig prompts for a network number the user selects
which class to use by entering the data as follows:
User enters: Class assumed: Where x, y, and z =
x A 0 < x <= 127
x.y B 128 <= x <= 191,
0 <= y <= 255
x.y.z C 192 <= x <= 223,
0 <= y <= 255,
0 <= z <= 255
In the above, x, y, and z are decimal integers.
NOTE: The class A network number 127 is reserved for the
local loopback interface and should not be assigned
for other purposes.
Once the network number has been entered (and assuming that
an Internet address has not already been assigned to this
workstation) netconfig will suggest an Internet address.
This suggested address is based on the network number
already supplied plus a host number derived from the LAN
interface's physical address. Since the physical address is
guaranteed to be unique, and the host number of the Internet
address must be unique on the local network, by basing the
Internet address on the physical address we increase the
likelihood that the suggested address is unique. If you
have selected class A or B addressing, and have only 6130,
4132, or 4300 series workstations on your network, then the
user can feel confident that the suggested address is
unique. If other vendors' equipment also appears on the
network, then before using the suggested Internet address,
verify that no other equipment uses that address.
If the suggested address is not appropriate, enter the host
number component of the Internet address as follows:
Printed 4/6/89 2
NETCONFIG(8N) COMMAND REFERENCE NETCONFIG(8N)
Class User enters: Where x, y, and z =
A x.y.z 0 <= x,y,z <= 255
B x.y 0 <= x,y <= 255
C x 0 < x <= 254
In the above, x, y, and z are decimal integers, and at least
one of them is non-zero and is less than 255 (i.e., the
aggregate host number must not be 0 nor may all of the bits
of the host number be 1).
After the internet address has been determined, netconfig
will ask for the subnet mask and broadcast address. If
subnetting is not being used on the network being connected
to, the subnet mask should be set to have one's exactly
corresponding to the net portion of the internet address.
That is
Class User enters
A 255.0.0.0
B 255.255.0.0
C 255.255.255.0
If subnetting is being used, the user should consult with
the local network administrator as to the proper subnet
mask.
The broadcast address is the address used to send internet
broadcast messages. Originally, the broadcast address was
determined by using the same net portion of the internet
address and setting the host portion to zeros. This is the
broadcast address used by previous releases of UTek and
version of Unix based of Berkeley 4.2 BSD release. Newer
versions of the internet protocols specify that the
broadcast addreses should use ones instaed of zeros.
The user must determine whether the network being connected
to is using zeros or ones in the broadcast addresses and set
the broadcast address appropriately. The broadcast address
should be specified in the standard "dot" notation used for
internet addresses, e.g., if the internet address is
241.45.1.23, and ones are being used for broadcast
addresses, the user should enter 241.45.255.255.
If subnetting is being used, the choice of broadcast address
can become more complicated. The user should consult with
the local network administrator for the proper choice of
broadcast address.
Next netconfig asks whether to enable the regular network
daemons. These daemons include those that handle remote
logins (rlogind(8n)) and remote command execution
(rshd(8n)). See the file /etc/rc.net for what daemons will
Printed 4/6/89 3
NETCONFIG(8N) COMMAND REFERENCE NETCONFIG(8N)
be started. Also see inetd(8n).
OPTIONS
Typically the user would invoke netconfig without any
switches or with the -P switch. The full list of
capabilities follows.
-a address
Specifies the internet address when setting the
internet address parameters from the command line.
This option must be used in conjunction with the -i ,
-b and -m options. All three address parameters
(internet address, broadcast address and subnet mask)
must be specified along with the interface name. If
one or more of the paramters are not specified,
netconfig will prompt for all the parameters.
-b broadcast address
Specifies the broadcast address when setting the
internet address parameters from the command line.
This option must be used in conjunction with the -i ,
-a and -m options. All three address parameters
(internet address, broadcast address and subnet mask)
must be specified along with the interface name. If
one or more of the paramters are not specified,
netconfig will prompt for all the parameters.
-d net netconfig writes the net_disabled string into the
network.conf(5n) file. No prompting occurs.
-e net This option causes the net_enabled string to be
written into the network.conf(5n) file. Prompting may
occur if the Internet address is not set for the
interface(s).
-h hostname
Set the hostname; no prompting is provided.
-i interfacename
Indicates the interface name to act upon using the -a
option.
-m subnet mask
Specifies the subnet mask when setting the internet
address parameters from the command line. This
option must be used in conjunction with the -i , -a
and -b options. All three address parameters
(internet address, broadcast address and subnet mask)
must be specified along with the interface name. If
one or more of the paramters are not specified,
netconfig will prompt for all the parameters.
Printed 4/6/89 4
NETCONFIG(8N) COMMAND REFERENCE NETCONFIG(8N)
-q This option is used when netconfig is invoked from
rc.net(8n) at boot time. It causes netconfig to
prompt only for attributes for which we have no known
previous value.
-P Print out the Internet and physical address for the
interface on the workstation.
RETURN VALUE
[NO_ERRS] Command completed without error.
[USAGE] Incorrect command line syntax. Execution
terminated.
[P_ERR] A system error occurred. Execution
terminated. See intro(2) for more
information on system errors.
[NP_WARN] An error warranting a warning message
occurred. Execution continues.
[0] Indicates to rc.net(8n) not to enable
networking.
[1] Indicates to rc.net(8n) to enable networking.
CAVEATS
Input validation for command line invocation is minimal.
SEE ALSO
hostid(1n), hostname(1n), gethostname(2), inet(3n),
hosts(5n), and network.conf(5n).
Printed 4/6/89 5
%%index%%
na:384,107;
sy:491,700;
de:1191,2848;4495,2901;7852,3155;11463,53;
op:11516,3816;15788,559;
rv:16347,741;
ca:17088,141;
se:17229,305;
%%index%%000000000167