hostname

Select default local addresses for future IRC server connections.

Synopsis

/hostname
/hostname hostname-or-address
/hostname ipv4-hostname-or-address/ipv6-hostname-or-address
/hostname ipv4-hostname-or-address/
/hostname /ipv6-hostname-or-address
/hostname -

Description

Every network connection has a local IP address. Ordinarily the operating system chooses it. If your machine has multiple addresses, hostname lets you select one of them as EPIC's default for subsequent server connections. It does not change your machine's hostname or send a request to rename your host on IRC.

With no arguments, the command displays the stored IPv4 and IPv6 names, showing <default> for an unset name. A single hostname is tried separately for both address families. A slash separates distinct IPv4 and IPv6 choices; omitting one side leaves that family's setting unchanged. Each family is updated independently, so one can succeed while the other fails. The command prints a summary of the changes.

Supply a resolvable hostname or numeric IP address that your machine can bind locally. EPIC resolves each requested family and tests returned addresses by creating and binding a socket. The first usable address is cached. A failed lookup or bind leaves the previous setting for that family unchanged; socket and bind failures can produce additional diagnostics. Resolution is synchronous and can delay the client while the resolver runs. IPv6 selection requires IPv6 support and a usable configured IPv6 address.

An explicit usable per-server vhost takes precedence over these defaults. Otherwise a new server connection tries the default for its address family. Existing connections are unaffected: reconnect before expecting a new local address to be used. The name other users see remains subject to the server's reverse lookup, cloaking, and other policies.

/hostname - clears both stored names. Current reset limitation: it does not clear default flags on cached addresses. A previously selected cached default can consequently still be used for a later connection even though the display shows <default>. Do not rely on this command to restore operating-system address selection after setting a default; restarting without a configured default avoids that retained cache state.

Examples

/hostname
/hostname local.example.net
/hostname 192.0.2.10/2001:db8::10
/hostname /2001:db8::20
/hostname -

The numeric addresses above illustrate syntax; replace them with addresses actually configured on your machine. The fourth example changes only the IPv6 choice.

Restrictions and source

Use the address or slash-separated pair as the whole argument; there are no command options. Address availability can change after successful validation, and cached entries are reused rather than resolved and bind-tested again. The command is always registered.

Registration and e_hostname are in source/commands.c. Family-specific validation, caching, default selection, and summaries are in source/network.c. New server connections use these defaults in source/server.c, and startup default-hostname configuration is in source/irc.c.