---
name: "ypbind"
section: "8"
platform: "openbsd"
package: "man"
version: "8.0-current-20261101"
release: "OpenBSD 8.0-current (2026-11-01)"
platforms: ["linux", "freebsd", "openbsd"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/ypbind"
---

# ypbind(8)

create and maintain a binding to a YP server

## NAME

**ypbind** – create and maintain a binding to a YP server

## SYNOPSIS

**ypbind** \[**-insecure**\] \[**-ypset**\] \[**-ypsetme**\]

## DESCRIPTION

**ypbind** finds the server for a particular YP domain and stores information about it in a “binding file”. This binding information includes the IP address of the server associated with that particular domain and which port the server is using. This information is stored in the directory */var/yp/binding* in a file named with the convention *DOMAINNAME.version*. (The YP system only supplies information on version 2.)

When **ypbind** starts the primary domain (or gets the first request for a new domain), it checks if a file for the domain in question exists in the directory */etc/yp/* (i.e., */etc/yp/DOMAINNAME*). If such a file exists, it will list the hosts which **ypbind** should restrict its server search to. Otherwise, **ypbind** assumes it will need to use broadcasts to find a valid server. Using either of these techniques, **ypbind** will search for a server willing to serve maps for the client's domain. Once a binding is established, **ypbind** maintains this binding by periodically communicating with the server to which it is bound. If the binding is somehow lost, e.g by server reboot, **ypbind** marks the domain as unbound and attempts to re-establish the binding. When the binding is once again successful, **ypbind** marks the domain as bound and resumes its periodic check.

The options are as follows:

- **-insecure**

  Permit binding to a [ypserv(8)](/ypserv/8.md) on a non-reserved port. This is needed if receiving maps from SunOS 3.x or Ultrix.

- **-ypset**

  [ypset(8)](/ypset/8.md) may be used to change the server to which a domain is bound.

- **-ypsetme**

  [ypset(8)](/ypset/8.md) may be used only from this machine to change the server to which a domain is bound.

The **-ypset** and **-ypsetme** options are dangerous and should be avoided. For greatest security, the use of a server list in */etc/yp/DOMAINNAME* is recommended. The file should contain a list of valid YP server hostnames, with one hostname per line. The comment character is #.

## FILES

*/var/yp/binding/DOMAINNAME.version* - binding file for domainname */etc/yp/DOMAINNAME* - server list for this particular domain

## SEE ALSO

[domainname(1)](/domainname/1.md), [ypcat(1)](/ypcat/1.md), [ypmatch(1)](/ypmatch/1.md), [ypwhich(1)](/ypwhich/1.md), [yp(8)](/yp/8.md), [yppoll(8)](/yppoll/8.md), [ypserv(8)](/ypserv/8.md), [ypset(8)](/ypset/8.md)

Once **ypbind** is running, the following pages should be reviewed in order to see how to enable YP support for each of the following maps: [ethers(5)](/ethers/5.md), [group(5)](/group/5.md), [hosts(5)](/hosts/5.md), [passwd(5)](/passwd/5.md), [resolv.conf(5)](/resolv.conf/5.md)

## AUTHORS

Theo de Raadt