Man pages › Compared with Linux and the BSDs

`ipmon(8)` on Solnix vs Linux and the BSDs

On Solnix, ipmon is the illumos IP Filter log reader at /usr/sbin/ipmon. It has -z and -G to select a zone's filter, but lacks the -B, -C and -L options that FreeBSD (and, for -B and -L, NetBSD) document.

The manual pages

Solnix: ipmon(8) from pkgs.solnix.illumos-world-man · illumos.org
FreeBSD: ipmon(8) 15.1-RELEASE
NetBSD: ipmon(8) 11.0

What Solnix runs

A default Solnix system runs the illumos ipmon at /usr/sbin/ipmon, published in pkgs.solnix.illumos-world-man. No other variants are shipped. The page refers to the suite as Solaris IP Filter and points to ipfilter(7).

Differences

Compared with	Topic	What differs
FreeBSD, OpenBSD, NetBSD	zone selection (`-z`, `-G`)	Solnix ipmon takes `-z` zonename (the zone's in-zone filter) or `-G` zonename (the zone's global-zone-controlled filter). Both work only in the Global Zone. The FreeBSD and NetBSD pages have neither option. The bundle has no OpenBSD page. Source: Solnix ipmon(8) SYNOPSIS, -z, -G; FreeBSD ipmon(8) SYNOPSIS; NetBSD ipmon(8) SYNOPSIS
FreeBSD, NetBSD	`-B` binary log file	FreeBSD and NetBSD ipmon `-B` file writes the raw binary log data to a file, which can be read back later with `-f`. The Solnix page has no `-B`, so use `-f` to read a device or file there. Source: FreeBSD ipmon(8) -B; NetBSD ipmon(8) -B; Solnix ipmon(8) SYNOPSIS
FreeBSD	`-C` config file	FreeBSD ipmon `-C` file names a file of extra actions to run on specific kernel log entries. FreeBSD also rereads it on SIGHUP and lists ipmon(5) in SEE ALSO. The Solnix and NetBSD pages have no `-C`. Source: FreeBSD ipmon(8) -C, SEE ALSO; Solnix ipmon(8) SYNOPSIS; NetBSD ipmon(8) SYNOPSIS
FreeBSD, NetBSD	`-L` syslog facility	FreeBSD and NetBSD ipmon `-L` facility changes the syslog facility. The Solnix page has no `-L`; its `-s` section only gives the facility used when compiled and installed, local0. Source: FreeBSD ipmon(8) -L; NetBSD ipmon(8) -L; Solnix ipmon(8) -s
FreeBSD	default syslog facility for `-s`	With `-s`, the FreeBSD page gives the default facility as security. Solnix and NetBSD give local0. A syslog.conf selector written for one facility will not catch the other's messages. Source: FreeBSD ipmon(8) -s; Solnix ipmon(8) -s; NetBSD ipmon(8) -s
FreeBSD, NetBSD	default pid file	Solnix ipmon `-P` defaults to `/var/run/ipmon.pid.` The FreeBSD and NetBSD pages list three platform-dependent paths: /`/etc/opt/ipf/ipmon.pid` (Solaris), `/var/run/ipmon.pid` (44BSD or later), `/etc/ipmon.pid` (others). They do not say which one applies on a given install. Source: Solnix ipmon(8) -P; FreeBSD ipmon(8) -P; NetBSD ipmon(8) -P
FreeBSD, NetBSD	SIGHUP and kernel option	FreeBSD and NetBSD document that ipmon reopens its log files and rereads its configuration file on SIGHUP, and that the kernel option IPFILTER_LOG must be on. The Solnix page says neither, so do not assume SIGHUP log rotation works there. Source: FreeBSD ipmon(8) DESCRIPTION; NetBSD ipmon(8) DESCRIPTION; Solnix ipmon(8) DESCRIPTION
FreeBSD, NetBSD	address separator in output	The BSD pages show the address separator as the ASCII text ->. The Solnix page describes it as a symbol that appears in the bundle only as escaped bytes. Check real output before writing a parser that matches the separator. Source: Solnix ipmon(8) DESCRIPTION (addresses field); FreeBSD ipmon(8) DESCRIPTION item 6; NetBSD ipmon(8) DESCRIPTION item 6
FreeBSD, NetBSD	viewing the logged rule	Solnix points to ipfstat `-in` for input rules, and says the same command for output rules (the page repeats `-in`). The BSD pages say ipfstat `-n`. Source: Solnix ipmon(8) DESCRIPTION (group and rule number); FreeBSD ipmon(8) item 4; NetBSD ipmon(8) item 4
FreeBSD, NetBSD	`-h` documented	Solnix documents `-h` as displaying usage information. The FreeBSD and NetBSD pages list h in the synopsis bracket but have no `-h` entry under OPTIONS. Source: Solnix ipmon(8) -h; FreeBSD ipmon(8) OPTIONS; NetBSD ipmon(8) OPTIONS

Standards

POSIX: ipmon is not a POSIX.1-2024 utility.
Solnix: ATTRIBUTES: Interface Stability is Committed.
FreeBSD: The FreeBSD page has no STANDARDS section.
NetBSD: The NetBSD page has no STANDARDS section.

Writing portable scripts

Do not rely on -B, -C or -L in scripts that must also run on Solnix, and do not rely on -z or -G on the BSDs. Check each system's synopsis first.
Pass -P pidfile explicitly instead of relying on the default pid file path, which differs between the pages.

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.