irix - networks (4)

     networks -	network	name database

     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:

	o official network name

	o network number

	o 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.

     /etc/networks

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

     getnetent(3N)

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