RC.CONF(5)

NAME
rc.conf - local configuration information.

DESCRIPTION
The file rc.conf contains descriptive information about the local host name, configuration details for any potential network interfaces and which services should be started up at system initial boot time. In new installations, the rc.conf file is generally initialized by the system installation utility: /stand/sysinstall.

It is the duty of the system administrator to properly maintain this file as changes occur on the local host.

FILES
/etc/rc.conf

DESCRIPTION
The purpose of rc.conf is not to run commands or perform system startup actions directly. Instead, it is included by the various generic startup scripts in /etc which conditionalize their internal actions according to the settings found there.

The following list provides a name and short description for each variable you can set in the rc.conf file:

swapfile
    (str) If set to NO then no swapfile is installed, otherwise the value is used as the full pathname to a file to use for additional swap space.

apm_enable
    (bool) If set to YES, enable support for Automatic Power Management with the apm(8) command.

pccard_enable
    (bool) If set to YES, enable PCCARD support at boot time.

pccard_mem
    (str) Set to PCCARD controller memory address or DEFAULT for the default value.

pccard_ifconfig
    (str) List of ethernet devices (e.g. ed0 ed1 ep0 ...) which should be dynamically ifconfig'd on insertion or boot.

local_startup
    (str) List of directories to search for startup script files.

hostname
    (str) The Fully Qualified Domain Name of your host on the network. This should almost certainly be set to something meaningful, even if you've no network connected.

nisdomainname
    (str) The NIS domainname of your host, or NO if you're not running NIS.

firewall_enable
    (bool) Set to NO if you don't want have firewall rules loaded at startup, or YES if you do. If set to YES, and the kernel was not built with IPFIREWALL, the ipfw kernel module will be loaded.

firewall_type
    (str) Names the firewall type from the selection in /etc/rc.firewall, or the file which contains the local firewall ruleset. Valid selections from /etc/rc.firewall, are ``open'' - unrestricted IP access; ``closed'' - all IP services disabled, except via lo0; ``client'' - basic protection for a workstation; ``simple'' - basic protection for a LAN. If a filename is specified, the full path must be given.

firewall_quiet
    (bool) Set to YES to disable the display of ipfw rules on the console during boot.

natd_enable
    (bool) Set to YES to enable natd. Firewall_enable must also be set to YES, and divert(4) sockets must be enabled in your kernel.

natd_interface
    This is the name of the public interface on which natd should run. It is mandatory if natd_enable is set to YES.

natd_flags
    Additional natd flags should be placed here. The -n flag is automatically added with the above natd_interface as an argument.

tcp_extensions
    (bool) Set to YES by default, this enables certain TCP options as described by Internet RFCs 1323 and 1644. If you have problems with connections randomly hanging or other weird behavior of such nature, you might try setting this to NO and seeing if that helps. Some hardware/software out there is known to be broken with respect to these options.

network_interfaces
    (str) Set to the list of network interfaces to configure on this host. For example, if you had a loopback device (standard) and an SMC Elite Ultra NIC, you might have this set to "lo0 ed0" for the two interfaces. An ifconfig_interface variable is also assumed to exist for each value of interface. It is also possible to add IP alias entries here in cases where you want a single interface to have multiple IP addresses registered against it. Assuming that the interface in question was ed0, it might look something like this:

        ifconfig_ed0_alias0="inet 127.0.0.253 netmask 0xffffffff"
        ifconfig_ed0_alias1="inet 127.0.0.254 netmask 0xffffffff"

    And so on. For each ifconfig_<interface>_alias<n> entry that is found, its contents are passed to ifconfig(8). Execution stops at the first unsuccessful access, so if you had something like:

        ifconfig_ed0_alias0="inet 127.0.0.251 netmask 0xffffffff"
        ifconfig_ed0_alias1="inet 127.0.0.252 netmask 0xffffffff"
        ifconfig_ed0_alias2="inet 127.0.0.253 netmask 0xffffffff"
        ifconfig_ed0_alias4="inet 127.0.0.254 netmask 0xffffffff"

    Then note that alias4 would not be added since the search would stop with the missing alias3 entry.

syslogd_enable
    (bool) If set to YES, run the syslogd(8) daemon.

syslogd_flags
    (str) if syslogd_enable is set to YES, these are the flags to pass to syslogd(8).

inetd_enable
    (bool) If set to YES, run the inetd(8) daemon.

inetd_flags
    (str) if inetd_enable is set to YES, these are the flags to pass to inetd(8).

named_enable
    (bool) If set to YES, run the named(8) daemon.

named_program
    (str) path to named(8) (default /usr/sbin/named).

named_flags
    (str) if named_enable is set to YES, these are the flags to pass to named(8).

kerberos_server_enable
    (bool) Set to YES if you want to run a Kerberos authentication server at boot time.

kadmind_server_enable
    YES if you want to run kadmind(8) the Kerberos Administration Daemon); set to NO on a slave server.

kerberos_stash
    (str) If YES, instruct the Kerberos servers to use the stashed master key instead of prompting for it (only if kerberos_server_enable is set to YES, and is used for both kerberos(1) and kadmind(8) ).

rwhod_enable
    (bool) If set to YES, run the rwhod(8) daemon at boot time.

amd_enable
    (bool) If set to YES, run the amd(8) daemon at boot time.

amd_flags
    (str) If amd_enable is set to YES, these are the flags to pass to it. Use the info amd command for more information.

nfs_client_enable
    (bool) If set to YES, run the NFS client daemons at boot time.

nfs_client_flags
    (str) If nfs_client_enable is set to YES, these are the flags to pass to the nfsiod(8) daemon.

nfs_access_cache
    if nfs_client_enable is set to YES, this can be set to 0 to disable NFS ACCESS RPC caching, or to the number of seconds for which NFS ACCESS results should be cached. A value of 2-10 seconds will substantially reduce network traffic for many NFS operations.

nfs_server_enable
    (bool) If set to YES, run the NFS server daemons at boot time.

nfs_server_flags
    (str) If nfs_server_enable is set to YES, these are the flags to pass to the nfsd(8) daemon.

weak_mountd_authentication
    (bool) If set to YES, allow services like PCNFSD to make non-privileged mount requests.

nfs_reserved_port_only
    (bool) If set to YES, provide NFS services only on a secure port.

rcp_lockd_enable
    (bool) If set to YES and also an NFS server, run rpc.lockd(8) at boot time.

rcp_statd_enable
    (bool) If set to YES and also an NFS server, run rpc.statd(8) at boot time.

portmap_enable
    (bool) If set to YES, run the portmap(8) service at boot time.

portmap_flags
    (str) If portmap_enable is set to YES, these are the flags to pass to the portmap(8) daemon.

xtend_enable
    (bool) If set to YES then run the xtend(8) daemon at boot time.

xtend_flags
    (str) If xtend_enable is set to YES, these are the flags to pass to the xtend(8) daemon.

timed_enable
    (boot) if YES then run the timed(8) service at boot time. This command is intended for networks of machines where a consistent "network time" for all hosts must be established. This is often useful in large NFS environments where time stamps on files are expected to be consistent network-wide.

timed_flags
    (str) If timed_enable is set to YES, these are the flags to pass to the timed(8) service.

ntpdate_enable
    (bool) If set to YES, run ntpdate at system startup. This command is intended to synchronize the system clock only once from some standard reference. An option to set this up initially (from a list of known servers) is also provided by the /stand/sysinstall program when the system is first installed.

ntpdate_program
    (str) path to ntpdate(8) (default /usr/sbin/ntpdate).

ntpdate_flags
    (str) If ntpdate_enable is set to YES, these are the flags to pass to the ntpdate(8) command (typically a hostname).

xntpd_enable
    (bool) If set to YES then run the xntpd(8) command at boot time.

xntpd_program
    (str) path to xntpd(8) (default /usr/sbin/xntpd).

xntpd_flags
    (str) If xntpd_enable is set to YES, these are the flags to pass to the xntpd(8) daemon.

tickadj_enable
    (bool) If set to YES then run the tickadj(8) command at system boot time.

tickadj_flags
    (str) If tickadj_enable is set to YES, these are the flags to pass to the tickadj(8) command.

nis_client_enable
    (bool) If set to YES then run the ypbind(8) service at system boot time.

nis_client_flags
    (str) If nis_client_enable is set to YES, these are the flags to pass to the ypbind(8) service.

nis_ypset_enable
    (bool) If set to YES then run the ypset(8) daemon at system boot time.

nis_ypset_flags
    (str) If nis_ypset_enable is set to YES, these are the flags to pass to the ypset(8) daemon.

nis_server_enable
    (bool) If set to YES then run the ypserv(8) daemon at system boot time.

nis_server_flags
    (str) If nis_server_enable is set to YES, these are the flags to pass to the ypserv(8) daemon.

nis_ypxfrd_enable
    (bool) If set to YES then run the ypxfrd(8) daemon at system boot time.

nis_ypxfrd_flags
    (str) If nis_ypxfrd_enable is set to YES, these are the flags to pass to the ypxfrd(8) daemon.

nis_yppasswdd_enable
    (bool) If set to YES then run the yppasswdd(8) daemon at system boot time.

nis_yppasswdd_flags
    (str) If nis_yppasswdd_enable is set to YES, these are the flags to pass to the yppasswdd(8) daemon.

defaultrouter
    (str) If not set to NO then create a default route to this host name or IP address (use IP address value if you also require this router to get to a name server!)

static_routes
    (str) Set to the list of static routes you would like to add at system boot time. If not set to NO then for each whitespace separated element in the value, a route_em element variable is assumed to exist for each instance of element, and will later be passed to a ``route add'' operation.

gateway_enable
    (bool) If set to YES, then configure host to at as an IP router, e.g. to forward packets between interfaces.

router_enable
    (bool) If set to YES then run a routing daemon of some sort, based on the settings of router and router_flags.

router
    (str) If router_enable is set to YES, this is the name of the routing daemon to use.

router_flags
    (str) If router_enable is set to YES, these are the flags to pass to the routing daemon.

mrouted_enable
    (bool) If set to YES then run the multicast routing daemon, mrouted(8).

mrouted_flags
    (str) If mrouted_enable is set to YES, these are the flags to pass to the multicast routing daemon.

ipxgateway_enable
    (bool) If set to YES then enable the routing of IPX traffic.

ipxrouted_enable
    (bool) If set to YES then run the ipxrouted(8) daemon at system boot time.

ipxrouted_flags
    (str) If ipxrouted_enable is set to YES, these are the flags to pass to the ipxrouted(8) daemon.

arpproxy_all
    If set to YES then enable global proxy ARP.

forward_sourceroute
    If set to YES then when gateway_enable is also set to YES, source routed packets are forwarded.

accept_sourceroute
    If set to YES then the system will accept source routed packets directed at it.

rarpd_enable
    (bool) If set to YES then run the rarpd(8) daemon at system boot time.

rarpd_flags
    (str) If rarpd_enable is set to YES, these are the flags to pass to the rarpd(8) daemon.

keymap
    (str) If set to NO then no keymap is installed, otherwise the value is used to install the keymap file in /usr/share/syscons/keymaps/<value>.kbd

keyrate
    (str) The keyboard repeat speed. Set to slow, normal, fast or NO if the default behavior is desired.

keychange
    (str) If not set to NO, attempt to program the function keys with the value. The value should be a single string of the form: "<funkey_number> <new_value> [<funkey_number> <new_value>]..."

cursor
    (str) Can be set to the value of normal, blink, destructive or NO to set the cursor behavior explicitly or choose the default behavior.

scrnmap
    (str) If set to NO then no screen map is installed, otherwise the value is used to install the screen map file in /usr/share/syscons/scrnmaps/<value>.

font8x16
    (str) If set to NO then the default 8x16 font value is used for screen size requests, otherwise the value in /usr/share/syscons/fonts/<value> is used.

font8x14
    (str) If set to NO then the default 8x14 font value is used for screen size requests, otherwise the value in /usr/share/syscons/fonts/<value> is used.

font8x8
    (str) If set to NO then the default 8x8 font value is used for screen size requests, otherwise the value in /usr/share/syscons/fonts/<value> is used.

blanktime
    (int) If set to NO then the default screen blanking interval is used, otherwise it is set to value seconds.

saver
    (str) If not set to NO, this is the actual screen saver to use (blank, snake, daemon, etc).

moused_enable
    (str) If set to YES, the moused(8) daemon is started for doing cut/paste selection on the console.

moused_type
    (str) This is the protocol type of mouse you would like to use. This variable must be set if moused_enable is set to YES. The moused(8) daemon is able to detect the appropriate mouse type automatically in many cases. You can set this variable to auto to let the daemon detect it, or select one from the following list if the automatic detection fails.

        microsoft        Microsoft mouse
        intellimouse     Microsoft IntelliMouse
        mousesystems     Mouse systems Corp mouse
        mmseries         MM Series mouse
        logitech         Logitech mouse
        busmouse         A bus mouse
        mouseman         Logitech MouseMan and TrackMan
        glidepoint       ALPS GlidePoint
        thinkingmouse    Kensignton ThinkingMouse
        ps/2             PS/2 mouse
        mmhittab         MM HitTablet

    Even if your mouse is not in the above list, it may be compatible with one in the list. Refer to the man page for moused(8) for compatibility information.

    It should also be noted that while this is enabled, any other client of the mouse (such as an X server) should access the mouse through the virtual mouse device: /dev/sysmouse and configure it as a sysmouse type mouse, since all mouse data is converted to this single canonical format when using moused(8). If the client program does not support the sysmouse type, specify the mousesystems type. It is the second prefered type.

moused_port
    (str) If moused_enable is set to YES, this is the actual port the mouse is on. It might be /dev/cuaa0 for a COM1 serial mouse, /dev/psm0 for a PS/2 mouse or /dev/mse0 for a bus mouse, for example.

moused_flags
    (str) If moused_type is set, these are the additional flags to pass to the moused(8) daemon.

cron_enable
    (bool) If set to YES then run the cron(8) daemon at system boot time.

lpd_enable
    (bool) If set to YES then run the lpd(8) daemon at system boot time.

lpd_flags
    (str) If lpd_enable is set to YES, these are the flags to pass to the lpd(8) daemon.

sendmail_enable
    (bool) If set to YES then run the sendmail(8) daemon at system boot time.

sendmail_flags
    (str) If sendmail_enable is set to YES, these are the flags to pass to the sendmail(8) daemon.

savecore_enable
    (bool) If set to YES then save kernel crashdumps for debugging purposes when the system comes back up after a crash. Crash images are typically stored in the /var/crash directory.

dumpdev
    (str) If not set to NO then point kernel crash-dumps at the swap device specified as value.

check_quotas
    (bool) Set to YES if you want to enable user disk quota checking via the quotacheck(8) command.

accounting_enable
    (bool) Set to YES if you wish to enable system accounting through the accton(8) facility.

ibcs2_enable
    (bool) Set to YES if you wish to enable iBCS2 (SCO) binary emulation at system initial boot time.

linux_enable
    (bool) Set to YES if you wish to enable Linux/ELF binary emulation at system initial boot time.

rand_irqs
    (str) Set to the list of IRQs to monitor for random number creation (see the man page for rndcontrol(8) ).

clear_tmp_enable
    (bool) Set to YES if you want /tmp to be cleaned at startup.

ldconfig_paths
    (str) Set to the list of shared library paths to use with ldconfig(8). NOTE: /usr/lib will always be added first, so it need not appear in this list.

SEE ALSO
gdb(1), info(1), exports(5), accton(8), amd(8), apm(8), cron(8), gated(8), ifconfig(8), inetd(8), lpd(8), moused(8), mrouted(8), named(8), nfsd(8), nfsiod(8), ntpdate(8), pcnfsd(8), portmap(8), quotacheck(8), rc(8), rndcontrol(8), route(8), routed(8), rpc.lockd(8), rpc.statd(8), rwhod(8), sendmail(8), syslogd(8), swapon(8), tickadj(8), timed(8), vnconfig(8), xntpd(8), xtend(8), ypbind(8), ypserv(8), ypset(8)

HISTORY
The rc.conf file appeared in FreeBSD 2.2.2.

AUTHOR
Jordan K. Hubbard.