NAME
     networks - network name database


     /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
     networks sources, including the NIS maps networks.byname and
     networks.byaddr and the NIS+ table networks.   Programs  use
     the getnetbyname(3N) routines to access this information.

     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(7).   Network
     names may contain any printable character other than a field
     delimiter, NEWLINE, or comment character.

SEE ALSO
     getnetbyname(3N), inet(3N), nsswitch.conf(4), inet(7)

NOTES
     /etc/inet/networks is the official SVR4 name of the networks
     file.  The symbolic link /etc/networks exists for BSD compa-
     tibility.