bond_set_dev_addr(9)

💖 bond_set_dev_addr(9) 💖

Okay so bestie, you found it — this is a page from the Kernel API Manual, and it's about one very specific little function. No cap, it's a tiny one, but it matters. Let's get into it 🎀

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✨ NAME ✨

bond_set_dev_addr — the function that clones a slave's address over to the bond. Yep. That's the whole job. It's giving "copy-paste but make it networking" 💅

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🦋 SYNOPSIS 🦋

int bond_set_dev_addr (struct net_device *bond_dev , struct net_device *slave_dev );

Two pointers, one int coming back at you. Simple. Elegant. Iconic.

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🌸 ARGUMENTS 🌸

• bond_dev — the bond net device. This is the main character 👑 the one getting the address.
• slave_dev — the slave net device. This is where the address is coming from, iykyk 🫶

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🔥 DESCRIPTION 🔥

So here's the one thing you actually cannot forget:

Should be called with RTNL held. Periodt. 💀

Like, not "maybe", not "if you feel like it" — RTNL needs to be held when you call this. That's the vibe check and you better pass it.

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🌈 SEE ALSO 🌈

Kernel file ./drivers/net/bonding/bond_main.c — the mothership 🧚 and honestly go look at these too, they're all in the same friend group:

• bond_dev_queue_xmit(9)
• bond_vlan_rx_add_vid(9)
• bond_vlan_rx_kill_vid(9)
• bond_ipsec_dev(9)
• bond_ipsec_add_sa(9)
• bond_ipsec_del_sa(9)
• bond_ipsec_offload_ok(9)
• bond_advance_esn_state(9)
• bond_xfrm_update_stats(9)
• bond_choose_primary_or_current(9)
• bond_find_best_slave(9)
• bond_change_active_slave(9)
• bond_select_active_slave(9)
• bond_xmit_hash(9)
• bond_xmit_hash_xdp(9)
• bond_get_slave_by_id(9)
• bond_rr_gen_slave_id(9)
• bond_sk_hash_l34(9)

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Okay that's the whole page, you ate that 💖 This little gem lives over in ./drivers/net/bonding, tagged October 2026, and it's bond_set_dev_addr(9) — slay, go hold your RTNL and be free 🦋✨🎀