rpc.rwalld(8) on Solnix vs Linux and the BSDs
rpc.rwalld is the RPC server that receives rwall messages and passes them to wall. On Solnix it is the illumos daemon at /usr/lib/netsvc/rwall/rpc.rwalld, managed by SMF as svc:/network/rpc/wall:default. The FreeBSD, OpenBSD and NetBSD pages describe an inetd-launched daemon under /usr/libexec.
The manual pages
- Solnix: rpc.rwalld(8) from
pkgs.solnix.illumos-world-man· illumos.org - FreeBSD: rpc.rwalld(8) 15.1-RELEASE
- OpenBSD: rpc.rwalld(8) 8.0
- NetBSD: rpc.rwalld(8) 11.0
What Solnix runs
A default Solnix system runs the illumos rpc.rwalld at /usr/lib/netsvc/rwall/rpc.rwalld, which is not on PATH. No other variants are shipped. The page is published by pkgs.solnix.illumos-world-man. Use svcs(1), svcadm(8) and inetadm(8) to query and manage the service.
Differences
| Compared with | Topic | What differs |
|---|---|---|
| FreeBSD, OpenBSD, NetBSD | binary location | Solnix installs the daemon as /usr/lib/netsvc/rwall/rpc.rwalld. FreeBSD and NetBSD list /usr/libexec/rpc.rwalld. The OpenBSD synopsis gives no path.Source: Solnix rpc.rwalld(8) SYNOPSIS; FreeBSD rpc.rwalld(8) SYNOPSIS; NetBSD rpc.rwalld(8) SYNOPSIS; OpenBSD rpc.rwalld(8) SYNOPSIS |
| FreeBSD, OpenBSD, NetBSD | service management | On Solnix the daemon is an SMF service, svc:/network/rpc/wall:default. Administer it with svcadm, query it with svcs, and change its configuration with inetadm. Responsibility for starting it is delegated to inetd. The BSD pages only say it is normally invoked by inetd(8) and name no service tool. Source: Solnix rpc.rwalld(8) NOTES; FreeBSD rpc.rwalld(8) DESCRIPTION; OpenBSD rpc.rwalld(8) DESCRIPTION; NetBSD rpc.rwalld(8) DESCRIPTION |
| FreeBSD | -n option | FreeBSD rpc.rwalld accepts -n, which stops it becoming a daemon when it is not run from inetd. The Solnix, OpenBSD and NetBSD pages document no options.Source: FreeBSD rpc.rwalld(8) SYNOPSIS, -n; Solnix rpc.rwalld(8) SYNOPSIS |
| FreeBSD, OpenBSD, NetBSD | launcher | The Solnix page says rpc.rwalld may be started by inetd(8) or listen(8). The BSD pages mention only inetd(8). Source: Solnix rpc.rwalld(8) DESCRIPTION; FreeBSD, OpenBSD and NetBSD rpc.rwalld(8) DESCRIPTION |
| FreeBSD, OpenBSD, NetBSD | manual section of rwall and wall | The Solnix page refers to rwall(8) and wall(8), in section 8. The FreeBSD, OpenBSD and NetBSD pages refer to rwall(1) and wall(1), in section 1. This affects how you look up the client and the delivery command. Source: Solnix rpc.rwalld(8) DESCRIPTION, SEE ALSO; FreeBSD, OpenBSD and NetBSD rpc.rwalld(8) SEE ALSO |
| FreeBSD, OpenBSD, NetBSD | RPC protocol definition | The FreeBSD, OpenBSD and NetBSD pages name /usr/include/rpcsvc/rwall.x as the RPC protocol definition. The Solnix page does not say where the protocol is defined.Source: FreeBSD, OpenBSD and NetBSD rpc.rwalld(8) DESCRIPTION; Solnix rpc.rwalld(8) DESCRIPTION |
| OpenBSD, NetBSD | rwalld name | The Solnix, OpenBSD and NetBSD pages list rwalld as an alternative name for rpc.rwalld in NAME. The FreeBSD page names only rpc.rwalld. Source: Solnix, OpenBSD and NetBSD rpc.rwalld(8) NAME; FreeBSD rpc.rwalld(8) NAME |
Standards
- POSIX: rpc.rwalld is not a POSIX.1-2024 utility.
Writing portable scripts
- Do not hard-code the daemon path: it is
/usr/lib/netsvc/rwall/rpc.rwalldon Solnix and/usr/libexec/rpc.rwalldon FreeBSD and NetBSD. Enable it through the system's inetd or SMF configuration instead.
Every difference here is taken from the manual pages linked above: Solnix's published page, Linux (man-pages and the GNU and util-linux manuals), FreeBSD, OpenBSD and NetBSD. Each row names its source. Where a manual is silent, this page is too. Compiled 2026-10-26. Found a mistake? Mail hackers@lists.solnix.io.