NAME
    Validate::Net - Format validation and more for Net:: related strings

SYNOPSIS
      use Validate::Net;

      my $good = '123.1.23.123';
      my $bad = '123.432.21.12';

      foreach ( $good, $bad ) {
            if ( Validate::Net->ip( $_ ) ) {
                    print "'$_' is a valid ip\n";
            } else {
                    print "'$_' is not a valid ip address because:\n";
                    print Validate::Net->reason . "\n";
            }
      }

      my $checker = Validate::Net->new( 'fast' );
      unless ( $checker->host( 'foo.bar.blah' ) ) {
            print "You provided an invalid host";
      }

DESCRIPTION
    Validate::Net is a class designed to assist with the validation of
    internet related strings. It can be used to validate CGI forms,
    internally by modules, and in any place where you want to check that an
    internet related string is valid before handing it off to a Net::*
    modules.

    It allows you to catch errors early, and with more detailed error
    messages than you are likely to get further down in the Net::* modules.

    Whenever a test is false, you can access the reason through the "reason"
    method.

METHODS
  host( $host )
    The "host" method is used to see if a value is a valid host. That is, it
    is either a domain name, or an ip address.

  domain( $domain [, @options ] )
    The "domain" method is used to check for a valid domain name according
    to RFC 1034. It additionally disallows two consective dashes 'foo--bar'.
    I've never seen it used, and it's probably a mistaken version of
    'foo-bar'.

    Depending on the options, additional checks may be made. No options are
    available at this time

  ip( $ip )
    The "ip" method is used to validate the format, of an ip address. If
    called with no options, it will just do a basic format check of the ip,
    checking that it conforms to the basic dotted quad format.

    Depending on the options, additional checks may be made. No options are
    available at this time

  port( $port )
    The "port" method is used to test for a valid port number.

BUGS
    Unknown

TO DO
    Add support for networks
    Add "exists" support
    Add "dns" support for host names

SUPPORT
    Contact the author

AUTHOR
            Adam Kennedy
            cpan@ali.as
            http://ali.as/

SEE ALSO
    Net::*

COPYRIGHT
    Copyright (c) 2002 Adam Kennedy. All rights reserved. This program is
    free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the same
    terms as Perl itself.

    The full text of the license can be found in the LICENSE file included
    with this module.