# Using Wildcard (\*) Hosts in the Playbook ?

**URL:** <https://forum.ansible.com/t/using-wildcard-hosts-in-the-playbook/11575>\
**Category:** Ansible Project\
**Created:** [May 25, 2012, 6:58am UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/using-wildcard-hosts-in-the-playbook/11575 "2012-05-25T06:58:30Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Kumar3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ebca7d/32.png) [@Kumar3](https://forum.ansible.com/u/Kumar3)\
**Post date:** [May 25, 2012, 6:58am UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/using-wildcard-hosts-in-the-playbook/11575/1 "2012-05-25T06:58:30Z")

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Hi:

&nbsp;&nbsp;I am trying to use the wildcards in the inventory file referenced in  
a playbook, and looks like it is not working.

Inventory File:

[home]  
192.168.0.\*

PlayBook:

- hosts: home  
&nbsp;&nbsp;user: root  
&nbsp;&nbsp;tasks:

Error:

PLAY [home] \*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*

SETUP PHASE \*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*

fatal: [192.168.0.\*] =\> FAILED: [Errno 8] nodename nor servname  
provided, or not known

TASK: [override network eth] \*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*

no hosts matched or remaining

PLAY RECAP \*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*

192.168.0.\* : ok= 0 changed= 0 unreachable= 1  
failed= 0

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**Author:** ![Michael\_DeHaan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c4cdca/32.png) [@Michael\_DeHaan](https://forum.ansible.com/u/Michael_DeHaan)\
**Post date:** [May 25, 2012, 11:25am UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/using-wildcard-hosts-in-the-playbook/11575/2 "2012-05-25T11:25:26Z")

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This syntax is not valid.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Kumar3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ebca7d/32.png) [@Kumar3](https://forum.ansible.com/u/Kumar3)\
**Post date:** [May 25, 2012, 5:34pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/using-wildcard-hosts-in-the-playbook/11575/3 "2012-05-25T17:34:59Z")

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Thanks Michael:

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Kindly, please refer me to valid syntax for specifying IP range in  
an inventory file.

Thanks,

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Michael\_DeHaan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c4cdca/32.png) [@Michael\_DeHaan](https://forum.ansible.com/u/Michael_DeHaan)\
**Post date:** [May 25, 2012, 5:37pm UTC](https://forum.ansible.com/t/using-wildcard-hosts-in-the-playbook/11575/4 "2012-05-25T17:37:01Z")

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There isn’t one.

I expect most people will use hostnames.