How to Configure Hosts for Network Client Mode

Do the following on each host to be configured in network client mode:

1. Become superuser.

2. Check the directory for the existence of an /etc/nodename file. If one exists, delete it.

   Eliminating /etc/nodename causes the system to use the hostconfig program to obtain the host name, domain name, and router addresses from the network configuration server. See "Network Configuration Procedures".

3. Create the file /etc/hostname.interface, if it does not exist.

   Make sure that the file is empty. An empty /etc/hostname.interface file causes the system to acquire the IP address from the network configuration server.

4. Ensure that the /etc/inet/hosts file contains only the host name and IP address of the loopback network interface.

   (See "Loopback Address".) The file should not contain the IP address and host name for the local machine (primary network interface).

   EXCEPTION: For a diskless client (a machine with an NFS-mounted root file system), type the name and IP address of the server that provides the client's root file system (usually, but not always, the network configuration server).

5. Check for the existence of an /etc/defaultdomain file. If one exists, delete it.

   The hostconfig program sets the domain name automatically. If you want to override the domain name set by hostconfig, type the substitute domain name in the file /etc/defaultdomain.

6. Ensure that the search paths in the client's /etc/nsswitch.conf reflects the name service requirements for your network.