Interface lines

key  mode  [address[/bits]]  [gw router]  [name host]

key

which interface the line is for: an interface name such as aen0, zen0 or hya0; a station (MAC) address such as 00:80:51:01:02:04, which matches whatever interface has that card, so one disk image can serve several machines; or *, any interface no other line names. For an interface the line with its MAC address counts first, then the line with its name, then *. An interface no line matches is left down.

mode

static sets the address given. dhcp asks a DHCP server for the address; an address given on the line is used if no server answers. off leaves the interface down; anything after it is ignored.

address[/bits]

the interface's address, with the length of the network prefix in bits (1 to 30). Without bits, the old class of the address decides (8, 16 or 24).

gw router

the default router, which must be on the interface's network.

name host

the machine's name, written to /etc/nodename and to this host's line in /etc/inet/hosts. Letters, digits and -, at most 63.

Global lines

dns address ...

name servers to use. Several dns lines add up. Name servers a DHCP server gives are added to these unless a dns line also says static.

domain name

the domain of this host, used only for the full name in /etc/inet/hosts; it is never given to the resolver, which would append it to every lookup.

hostname dhcp

take the machine's name from the DHCP server. Without this line a DHCP server never changes the name.