inconfig reads a configuration file to obtain the list of kernel parameters and their values. This file is normally /etc/default/inet, but a different file can be specified with the -f option.
For each variable listed in the configuration file, inconfig initializes the variable to the specified value.
The current value of a single variable can be retrieved by specifying the variable name on the command line.
A single ``variable, value'' pair can be specified on the command line. In this case, only the specified kernel variable is modified. The configuration file is also updated so that the variable will be correctly initialized the next time the system is restarted. The -n flag causes the configuration file to remain unchanged. This is useful when turning on debugging messages that are not desired in normal operation.
Each configuration variable has a minimum and a maximum allowable value enforced by the kernel. Attempts to set the variable to a value outside of the allowable range will be disallowed.
inconfig goes to great lengths to preserve the current configuration in the event of an I/O error. Before the new configuration is generated, file is renamed to file.bak. If the configuration cannot be updated, inconfig will attempt to restore the old one. If the restore fails, the configuration is left in file.bak. If the new configuration is successfully saved, the backup file will be deleted. inconfig blocks SIGHUP, SIGINT, and SIGTERM while the configuration is being updated.
The -v flag causes inconfig to display information about each variable found in the configuration file as it is being processed.
If the -d option is used, neither the kernel nor the configuration file will be updated. Instead inconfig will display every change it would have made if the -d option had not been used.
Only the superuser may use this command.
``Using inconfig to change global TCP/IP parameters'' in the Performance Guide