# Install inetutils with Homebrew, apt, MacPorts, Nix, pacman, dnf, zypper, winget GNU utilities for networking. Version 2.8 via Homebrew; verified 2026-04-30. ## Install ```sh sudo av install brew:inetutils ``` Additional install commands: ### macOS - Homebrew (100%): ```sh brew install inetutils ``` Evidence: local Homebrew formula metadata - MacPorts (94%): ```sh sudo port install inetutils ``` Evidence: MacPorts ports tree: net/inetutils/Portfile from https://api.github.com/repos/macports/macports-ports/git/trees/master?recursive=1 ### Linux - Debian apt (92%): ```sh sudo apt install inetutils-ftp ``` Evidence: Debian stable package indexes: inetutils-ftp from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz - Nix (92%): ```sh nix profile install nixpkgs#inetutils ``` Evidence: nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/in/inetutils/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1 - pacman (92%): ```sh sudo pacman -S inetutils ``` Evidence: Arch Linux sync databases: inetutils from https://geo.mirror.pkgbuild.com/core/os/x86_64/core.db.tar.gz - dnf (92%): ```sh sudo dnf install ftp ``` Evidence: Fedora Rawhide package metadata: ftp from https://dl.fedoraproject.org/pub/fedora/linux/development/rawhide/Everything/x86_64/os/repodata/e5ca8ce900cd68f5419e1c39ae517343100b306336cbaeb70a3c153121d95094-primary.xml.zst - zypper (92%): ```sh sudo zypper install ftp ``` Evidence: openSUSE Tumbleweed package metadata: ftp from https://download.opensuse.org/tumbleweed/repo/oss/repodata/be8d3611d25469107f32075a1697e69ec57a2b850b42348a658cc671ad5ec2b50760d02c3e59524d50da9a11d5be799bdaffba2e166e8ca8858512e3c0bd665d-primary.xml.zst ### Windows - winget (92%): ```sh winget install --id kmiya-culti.RLogin -e ``` Evidence: Windows Package Manager source index: kmiya-culti.RLogin from https://cdn.winget.microsoft.com/cache/source.msix ## Package facts - **Package key:** brew:inetutils - **Package manager:** Homebrew - **Package manager page:** - **Version:** 2.8 - **Source summary:** GNU utilities for networking - **Homepage:** - **Repository:** - **Upstream docs:** - **License:** GPL-3.0-or-later - **Source archive:** - **Last updated:** 2026-04-30T01:50:44Z - **Generated:** 2026-07-08T07:18:31+00:00 ## Executables - ftp (cli) - ftpd (cli) - gdnsdomainname (cli) - gftp (cli) - ghostname (cli) - gifconfig (cli) - glogger (cli) - gping6 (cli) - grcp (cli) - grexec (cli) - grlogin (cli) - grsh (cli) - gtalk (cli) - gtelnet (cli) - gtftp (cli) - gtraceroute (cli) - gwhois (cli) - inetd (cli) - ping6 (cli) - rcp (cli) - rexec (cli) - rexecd (cli) - rlogin (cli) - rlogind (cli) - rsh (cli) - rshd (cli) - syslogd (cli) - talk (cli) - talkd (cli) - telnetd (cli) - tftp (cli) - tftpd (cli) - traceroute (cli) - uucpd (cli) - ftp (alias) - ftpd (alias) - gdnsdomainname (alias) - gftp (alias) - ghostname (alias) - gifconfig (alias) - glogger (alias) - gping6 (alias) - grcp (alias) - grexec (alias) - grlogin (alias) - grsh (alias) - gtalk (alias) - gtelnet (alias) - gtftp (alias) - gtraceroute (alias) - gwhois (alias) - inetd (alias) - ping6 (alias) - rcp (alias) - rexec (alias) - rexecd (alias) - rlogin (alias) - rlogind (alias) - rsh (alias) - rshd (alias) - syslogd (alias) - talk (alias) - talkd (alias) - telnetd (alias) - tftp (alias) - tftpd (alias) - traceroute (alias) - uucpd (alias) ## Dependencies - libidn2 ## Build dependencies - help2man ## Uses from macOS - libxcrypt - ncurses ## Install behavior - Post-install hook: not defined - Caveats: Only the following commands have been installed without the prefix 'g'. dnsdomainname ftp rcp rexec rlogin rsh telnet If you really need to use other commands with their normal names, you can add a "gnubin" directory to your PATH from your bashrc like: PATH="$HOMEBREW_PREFIX/opt/inetutils/libexec/gnubin:$PATH" - Bottle: available on arm64_linux, arm64_sequoia, arm64_sonoma, arm64_tahoe, sonoma, x86_64_linux ## Freshness - Page generated: 2026-07-08 - Package-manager version: 2.8 - Package-manager updated: 2026-04-30 - Local data: ok - Upstream repository: https://www.gnu.org/software/inetutils/ - info: Release/tag comparison is only available for GitHub repositories. ## Project history and usage GNU Inetutils is the GNU collection of traditional network clients, servers, and small administrative tools. It includes programs such as ftp, telnet, inetd, rsh, rlogin, tftp, talk, syslogd, ping, traceroute, whois, hostname, dnsdomainname, ifconfig, logger, and uucpd. ### Project history The GNU project presents Inetutils as a distribution of common networking utilities and servers. The manual says the individual utilities were originally derived from the 4.4BSD-Lite2 distribution, with later work integrating features from NetBSD, OpenBSD, FreeBSD, GNU/Linux, and GNU contributors. Inetutils preserves old Unix networking commands in GNU form. That history is visible in its command mix: some tools, such as telnet, rsh, rlogin, rexec, and talk, are mostly historical or controlled-environment tools, while others, such as ping, traceroute, hostname, logger, and inetd, remain useful in diagnostics, compatibility testing, and stripped-down systems. GNU release announcements continue to ship Inetutils as stable source tarballs with checksums, signatures, and mailing-list announcements. The 2.8 announcement in April 2026 described a release with 55 commits by five contributors since 2.7. ### Adoption history Inetutils is adopted mostly through operating-system packaging rather than as a standalone app brand. GNU provides the source releases and manual, while distributions decide which binaries to install, rename, prefix, or split because many names overlap with platform-native tools. The Homebrew package prefixes several commands with g, reflecting the GNU-on-macOS convention used to avoid replacing BSD userland tools. ### How it is used Users install Inetutils to get GNU implementations of classic network commands, to run inetd-style services, to test compatibility with legacy protocols, or to build environments that expect GNU command behavior. Security-sensitive deployments generally treat plaintext remote-login tools as legacy compatibility rather than preferred administration paths. ### Why package nerds care Inetutils is package-nerd bedrock: one source package produces a fleet of commands whose names collide with base-system tools, whose protocols carry decades of Unix history, and whose packaging choices reveal how each operating system balances GNU compatibility against native userland behavior. It also illustrates why package metadata can be weird: the package is one GNU project, but downstream formulas and distro packages may expose only clients, only daemons, prefixed commands, or individual subpackages. ### Timeline - 1990s: GNU Inetutils lineage derives many utilities from 4.4BSD-Lite2 code. - 2000: The GNU Inetutils manual copyright range begins in the published manual. - 2021: GNU project page update documents the package as common GNU network programs. - 2026: GNU Inetutils 2.8 stable release announced on info-gnu. ### Related projects - BSD userlands are the original lineage for many commands. NetBSD, OpenBSD, FreeBSD, and GNU/Linux contributed later feature ideas. net-tools, iputils, OpenSSH, syslog implementations, and platform inetd replacements are adjacent packages that often overlap or supersede parts of Inetutils. ### Sources - - - - ## Security Notes broad file, network, media, or database tool signal. - **Geiger risk:** blue / medium - broad file, network, media, or database tool signal ## Source Database Details - **Source Database:** Homebrew formula API - **Tap:** homebrew/core - **Full Name:** inetutils - **Version Scheme:** 0 - **Revision:** 0 - **Conflicts With:** gping, telnet, tnftp - **Bottle Stable Root URL:** - **Deprecated:** no - **Disabled:** no - **Keg Only:** no - **URL Keys:** stable ## Other Package-Manager Records - Debian apt - inetutils-ftp - 2:2.6-3+deb13u3: normalized package name match | Debian stable package indexes: inetutils-ftp from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz | File Transfer Protocol client | https://www.gnu.org/software/inetutils/ - Debian apt - inetutils-ftpd - 2:2.6-3+deb13u3: normalized package name match | Debian stable package indexes: inetutils-ftpd from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz | File Transfer Protocol server | https://www.gnu.org/software/inetutils/ - Debian apt - inetutils-inetd - 2:2.6-3+deb13u3: normalized package name match | Debian stable package indexes: inetutils-inetd from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz | internet super server | https://www.gnu.org/software/inetutils/ - Debian apt - inetutils-ping - 2:2.6-3+deb13u3: normalized package name match | Debian stable package indexes: inetutils-ping from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz | ICMP echo tool | https://www.gnu.org/software/inetutils/ - Debian apt - inetutils-syslogd - 2:2.6-3+deb13u3: normalized package name match | Debian stable package indexes: inetutils-syslogd from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz | system logging daemon | https://www.gnu.org/software/inetutils/ - Debian apt - inetutils-talk - 2:2.6-3+deb13u3: normalized package name match | Debian stable package indexes: inetutils-talk from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz | talk to another user | https://www.gnu.org/software/inetutils/ - Debian apt - inetutils-talkd - 2:2.6-3+deb13u3: normalized package name match | Debian stable package indexes: inetutils-talkd from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz | remote user communication server | https://www.gnu.org/software/inetutils/ - Debian apt - inetutils-telnet - 2:2.6-3+deb13u3: normalized package name match | Debian stable package indexes: inetutils-telnet from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz | telnet client | https://www.gnu.org/software/inetutils/ - Debian apt - inetutils-telnetd - 2:2.6-3+deb13u3: normalized package name match | Debian stable package indexes: inetutils-telnetd from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz | telnet server | https://www.gnu.org/software/inetutils/ - Debian apt - inetutils-tools - 2:2.6-3+deb13u3: normalized package name match | Debian stable package indexes: inetutils-tools from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz | base networking utilities (experimental package) | https://www.gnu.org/software/inetutils/ - Debian apt - inetutils-traceroute - 2:2.6-3+deb13u3: normalized package name match | Debian stable package indexes: inetutils-traceroute from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz | trace the IPv4 route to another host | https://www.gnu.org/software/inetutils/ - Debian apt - telnet - 0.17+2.6-3+deb13u3: normalized package name match | Debian stable package indexes: telnet from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz | transitional dummy package for inetutils-telnet default switch | https://www.gnu.org/software/inetutils/ - Debian apt - telnetd - 0.17+2.6-3+deb13u3: normalized package name match | Debian stable package indexes: telnetd from https://deb.debian.org/debian/dists/stable/main/binary-amd64/Packages.xz | transitional dummy package for inetutils-telnetd default switch | https://www.gnu.org/software/inetutils/ - Nix - inetutils: normalized package name match | nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/in/inetutils/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1 - Ubuntu apt - inetutils-ftp - 2:2.5-3ubuntu4: normalized package name match | Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes: inetutils-ftp from https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/noble/universe/binary-amd64/Packages.gz | File Transfer Protocol client | https://www.gnu.org/software/inetutils/ - Ubuntu apt - inetutils-ftpd - 2:2.5-3ubuntu4: normalized package name match | Ubuntu 24.04 LTS package indexes: inetutils-ftpd from https://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/noble/universe/binary-amd64/Packages.gz | File Transfer Protocol server | https://www.gnu.org/software/inetutils/ ## Related links - [Secret-risk packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/secret-risk-packages/) - Has protected-tool coverage, approval-gate, or non-low Geiger security signals. - [Terminal utility packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/terminal-utilities/) - Matched terminal and command-line workflow metadata. - [Networking and protocol packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/networking-protocol-tools/) - Matched network, protocol, or remote-service metadata. - [Homebrew utility packages](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew-utility-packages/) - Matched Homebrew package provider. - [libidn2](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/libidn2/) - Runtime dependency declared by Homebrew. - [help2man](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/help2man/) - Build dependency declared by Homebrew. - [subnetcalc](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/subnetcalc/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, networking, utilities. - [httping](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/httping/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, networking, ping. - [i2util](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/i2util/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, networking, utilities. - [iputils](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/iputils/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, networking, ping. - [macchanger](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/macchanger/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, networking, utilities. - [mtr](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/mtr/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, networking, ping, traceroute. - [nbping](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/nbping/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, networking, ping. - [putty](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/putty/) - Shares av.db curated category or tags: cli, networking, telnet. - [wget](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/wget/) - Local package facts share a topical domain. Shared terms: cli, ftp, gnu, libidn2, networking. - [libidn](https://www.automicvault.com/pkg/brew/libidn/) - Local package facts share a topical domain. Shared terms: cli, gnu, networking. ## Combined YAML source View the package source record on GitHub. [combined/inetutils.yml](https://github.com/automic-vault/db/blob/main/combined/inetutils.yml) ## Sources - Nucleus package database - Geiger risk classifier - package-page enrichment - curated package history - package version freshness - av.db category and tag curation - package relationship graph - external package-manager database matches - cross-ecosystem install command graph