---
name: "dvmrpd.conf"
section: "5"
platform: "openbsd"
package: "man"
version: "8.0-current-20261101"
release: "OpenBSD 8.0-current (2026-11-01)"
platforms: ["openbsd"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/dvmrpd.conf"
---

# dvmrpd.conf(5)

DVMRP routing daemon configuration file

## NAME

**dvmrpd.conf** – DVMRP routing daemon configuration file

## DESCRIPTION

The [dvmrpd(8)](/dvmrpd/8.md) daemon implements the Distance Vector Multicast Routing Protocol as described in draft-ietf-idmr-dvmrp-v3-11 DVMRP Version 3.

The **dvmrpd.conf** config file is divided into the following main sections:

- Macros

  Definitions of variables that can be used later, simplifying the configuration file.

- Global configuration

  Global settings for [dvmrpd(8)](/dvmrpd/8.md). A number of global settings can be overruled in specific areas or interfaces.

- Groups

  Groups are used to group similar interfaces, simplifying configuration.

### Macros

A macro is defined with a command of the form *name*=*value*. The macro *name* can contain letters, digits, and underscores and cannot be a reserved word (for example, **area**, **interface**, or **hello-interval**). Within unquoted arguments, the string $*name* is later expanded to *value*.

For example:

```
hi="60"
group {
	interface em0 {
		query-interval $hi
	}
}
```

The same can be accomplished by specifying the query-interval globally or within the group declaration.

### Global configuration

All interface related settings can be configured globally, per group and per interface. The only settings that can be set globally and not overruled are listed below.

-

  **mfc-update** (**yes**\|**no**) If set to **yes**, the kernel Multicast Forwarding Cache is updated with information from the daemon. The default is **yes**.

### Groups

Groups can be used to easily configure similar interfaces. All interface-specific parameters can be configured per group, overruling the global settings.

- **group**

  Specify a group section, grouping one or more interfaces.

  ```
  group {
  	robustness 4
  	interface em0
  	interface em1
  }
  ```

### Interfaces

Each interface can have several parameters configured individually, otherwise they are inherited.

```
interface em0 {
}
```

Interface-specific parameters are listed below.

- **igmp-version** *number*

  Do not use a newer version than specified. Valid range 1–2. The default version used is 2.

- **last-member-query-count** *count*

  The default value is equal to the default robustness variable; valid range is 1–255.

- **last-member-query-interval** *seconds*

  The default value is 10; valid range is 1–65535.

- **metric** *cost*

  Set the interface metric a.k.a. cost. The default value is 1; valid range is 1–31.

- **passive**

  Prevent transmission and reception of IGMP and DVMRP packets on this interface.

- **query-interval** *seconds*

  Set the query interval. The default value is 125 seconds; valid range is 1–65535 seconds.

- **query-response-interval** *seconds*

  Set the query-response-interval; note that this must be less than the query-interval. The default value is 100 seconds; valid range is 1–65535 seconds.

- **robustness** *factor*

  Set the robustness factor; note that this value might have an impact on other variables. The default value is 2; valid range is 1–4.

- **startup-query-count** *count*

  Set the startup-query-interval, used during startup to speed up the process of building the IGMP table for an interface. The default value is equal to the default robustness variable; valid range is the same as the robustness variable.

- **startup-query-interval** *seconds*

  Used during startup, see the startup-query-interval. The default value is query-interval / 4; valid range is the same as the query-interval.

## FILES

- */etc/dvmrpd.conf*

  [dvmrpd(8)](/dvmrpd/8.md) configuration file.

- */etc/examples/dvmrpd.conf*

  Example configuration file.

## SEE ALSO

[dvmrpctl(8)](/dvmrpctl/8.md), [dvmrpd(8)](/dvmrpd/8.md), rc.conf.local(8) *DVMRP Version 3*, draft-ietf-idmr-dvmrp-v3-11, August 2000.

## HISTORY

The **dvmrpd.conf** file format first appeared in OpenBSD 4.0.