redhat man page for hostname

HOSTNAME(1)						     Linux Programmer's Manual						       HOSTNAME(1)

NAME
       hostname - show or set the system's host name
       domainname - show or set the system's NIS/YP domain name
       dnsdomainname - show the system's DNS domain name
       nisdomainname - show or set system's NIS/YP domain name
       ypdomainname - show or set the system's NIS/YP domain name
       nodename - show or set the system's DECnet node name

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

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

       domainname [-v] [-F filename] [--file filename] [name]

       nodename [-v] [-F filename] [--file filename] [name]

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

       dnsdomainname [-v]
       nisdomainname [-v]
       ypdomainname [-v]

DESCRIPTION
       Hostname is the program that is used to either set or display the current host, domain or node name of the system.  These names are 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(2) function.

       domainname, nisdomainname, ypdomainname will print the name of the system as returned by the getdomainname(2) function. This is also  known
       as the YP/NIS domain name of the system.

       nodename will print the DECnet node name of the system as returned by the getnodename(2) function.

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

   SET NAME
       When called with one argument or with the --file option, the commands set the host name, the NIS/YP domain name or the node 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 reading 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(3) returns for the host name.

       Technically: The FQDN is the name gethostbyname(2) returns for the host name returned by gethostname(2).  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. Comments (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(es) of the host.

       -n, --node
	      Display the DECnet node name. If a parameter is given (or --file name ) the root can also set a new node name.

       -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

AUTHOR
       Peter Tobias, <tobias@et-inf.fho-emden.de>
       Bernd Eckenfels, <net-tools@lina.inka.de> (NIS and manpage).
       Steve Whitehouse, <SteveW@ACM.org> (DECnet support and manpage).

net-tools							    28 Jan 1996 						       HOSTNAME(1)