HOSTNAME(E)         Linux Programmer's Manual         HOSTNAME(E)



NAME
       hostname - show or set the system's host name
       dnsdomainname - show the system's DNS domain name


SYNOPSIS
       hostname [-v] [-a] [--alias] [-d] [--domain] [-f] [--fqdn]
       [-i] [--ip-address] [--long] [-s]  [--short]  [-y]  [--yp]
       [--nis]


       hostname [-v] [-F filename] [--file filename] [hostname]


       hostname [-v] [-h] [--help] [-V] [--version]


       dnsdomainname [-v]


DESCRIPTION
       Hostname is used to either set or display the current host
       or domain name of the system.  This name is used  by  many
       of  the  networking  programs to identify the machine. The
       domain name is also used by NIS/YP.


   GET NAME
       When called without any arguments,  the  program  displays
       the current names:


       hostname  will print the name of the system as returned by
       the gethostname(e) function.


       dnsdomainname will print  the  domain  part  of  the  FQDN
       (Fully  Qualified  Domain  Name). The complete FQDN of the
       system is returned with hostname --fqdn.


   SET NAME
       When called with one argument or with the  --file  option,
       the  commands set the host name or the NIS/YP domain name.


       Note, that only the super-user can change the names.


       It is not possible to set the FQDN or the DNS domain  name
       with the dnsdomainname command (see THE FQDN below).


       The  host  name  is  usually set once at system startup in
       /etc/rc.d/rc.inet1 or /etc/init.d/boot (normally by  read-
       ing  the  contents of a file which contains the host name,
       e.g.  /etc/hostname).


   THE FQDN
       You can't change the FQDN (as returned by hostname --fqdn)
       or the DNS domain name (as returned by dnsdomainname) with
       this command. The FQDN of the system is the name that  the
       resolver(r) returns for the host name.


       Technically: The FQDN is the name gethostbyname(e) returns
       for the host name returned  by  gethostname(e).   The  DNS
       domain name is the part after the first dot.

       Therefore  it  depends  on  the  configuration (usually in
       /etc/host.conf) how you can change  it.  Usually  (if  the
       hosts  file is parsed before DNS or NIS) you can change it
       in /etc/hosts.



OPTIONS
       -a, --alias
              Display the alias name of the host (if used).

       -d, --domain
              Display the name of the DNS domain.  Don't use  the
              command  domainname  to  get  the  DNS  domain name
              because it will show the NIS domain  name  and  not
              the DNS domain name. Use dnsdomainname instead.

       -F, --file filename
              Read  the  host  name from the specified file. Com-
              ments (lines starting with a `#') are ignored.

       -f, --fqdn, --long
              Display the FQDN (Fully Qualified Domain  Name).  A
              FQDN  consists  of  a  short  host name and the DNS
              domain name. Unless you are using bind or  NIS  for
              host  lookups  you  can change the FQDN and the DNS
              domain name (which is part  of  the  FQDN)  in  the
              /etc/hosts file.

       -h, --help
              Print a usage message and exit.

       -i, --ip-address
              Display the IP address(s) of the host.

       -s, --short
              Display  the short host name. This is the host name
              cut at the first dot.

       -V, --version
              Print version information on  standard  output  and
              exit successfully.

       -v, --verbose
              Be verbose and tell what's going on.

       -y, --yp, --nis
              Display  the  NIS  domain  name.  If a parameter is
              given (or --file name ) then root can  also  set  a
              new NIS domain.

FILES
       /etc/hosts

AUTHORS
       Peter Tobias, <tobias@et-inf.fho-emden.de>
       Bernd  Eckenfels,  <net-tools@lina.inka.de>  (NIS and man-
       page).



net-tools                  28 Jan 1996                HOSTNAME(E)