---
name: "mknetid"
section: "8"
platform: "freebsd"
package: "base"
version: "16.0-CURRENT-20261027-61c70dc16a79"
release: "FreeBSD 16.0-CURRENT (2026-10-27)"
platforms: ["linux", "freebsd", "openbsd"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/mknetid"
---

# mknetid(8)

generate netid map data

## NAME

**mknetid** – generate netid map data

## SYNOPSIS

**mknetid** \[**-q**\] \[**-g** *group\_file*\] \[**-p** *passwd\_file*\] \[**-h** *hosts\_file*\] \[**-n** *netid\_file*\] \[**-d** *domain*\]

## DESCRIPTION

The **mknetid** utility processes the contents of the [group(5)](/group/5.md), [passwd(5)](/passwd/5.md), [hosts(5)](/hosts/5.md) and [netid(5)](/netid/5.md) files into the format used to generate the *netid.byname* NIS map. This map is used to hold credential information for both users and hosts in an operating system independent format.

The **mknetid** utility checks for duplicate occurrences of netids and filters them out.

The **mknetid** utility prints its results on the standard output. It is usually called only by */var/yp/Makefile* when rebuilding the NIS maps.

## OPTIONS

The **mknetid** utility supports the following options:

- **-q**

  Normally, **mknetid** prints a warning message when it encounters a duplicate netid. This flag turns on 'quiet' mode, allowing the warnings to be suppressed. Other error messages may still be generated.

- **-g** *group\_file*

  Specify the location of the group information file. The compiled-in default is */etc/group*.

- **-p** *passwd\_file*

  Specify the location of the passwd information file. The compiled-in default is */etc/passwd*.

- **-h** *hosts\_file*

  Specify the location of the hosts database file. The compiled-in default is */etc/hosts*.

- **-n** *netid\_file*

  Specify the location of the netid information file. The compiled-in default is */etc/netid*. Note that no error is generated if the netid database cannot be found. The netid database is not likely to be present on most systems until Secure RPC support is added to FreeBSD.

- **-d** *domain*

  By default, the **mknetid** utility uses the system domainname when generating netid records. If the system domainname is not set, the domain must be specified on the command line with the **-d** flag. If the domainname is set, the **-d** flag may be used to override it.

## FILES

- */var/yp/Makefile*

  the Makefile that calls **yp\_mkdb** and **mknetid** to build the NIS databases

- */etc/group*

  the default group database file

- */etc/passwd*

  the default passwd database file

- */etc/hosts*

  the default hosts database file

- */etc/netid*

  the default netid database file

## SEE ALSO

[yp(8)](/yp/8.md), [yp\_mkdb(8)](/yp_mkdb/8.md)

## AUTHORS

Bill Paul ⟨*wpaul@ctr.columbia.edu*⟩