/sys$common/syshlp/helplib.hlb TCPIP Services, Programming Interfaces, Sockets API, ntohl(), Description  *Conan The Librarian (sorry for the slow response - running on an old VAX)

    This function converts 32-bit unsigned integers from network byte
    order to host byte order.
    The network byte order is the format in which data bytes are
    expected to be transmitted through a network. All hosts on a
    network should send data in network byte order. Not all hosts
    have an internal data representation format that is identical
    to the network byte order. The host byte order is the format
    in which bytes are ordered internally on a specific host. The
    host byte order on OpenVMS systems differs from the network byte
    order.
    This function is most often used with internet addresses.
    Network byte order places the byte with the most significant
    bits at lower addresses, whereas OpenVMS systems place the most
    significant bits at the highest address.