cfg80211_conn_failed(9)

📦 version 7.3.1, in nixpkgs unstable

💖 cfg80211_conn_failed(9) — Kernel API Manual 💖

okay bestie, this is the Kernel API Manual energy for cfg80211_conn_failed, and it's literally the heads-up you send when a connection request said “nope.” 🫶

🌸 NAME 🌸

cfg80211_conn_failed — the connection request failed notification. That's the whole vibe: it's the function that tells the kernel a station tried to connect and it did not work out. 💅

✨ SYNOPSIS ✨

void cfg80211_conn_failed (struct net_device *dev , const u8 *mac_addr ,
       enum nl80211_connect_failed_reason reason , gfp_t gfp );

🎀 ARGUMENTS 🎀

  • dev — the netdev, aka the network device in question. 🖥️
  • mac_addr — the station's address. 📍
  • reason — the reason for connection failure. the why-it-didn't-slay. 😭
  • gfp — allocation flags. yes, those flags. 🎀

🦋 DESCRIPTION 🦋

so here's the situation, bestie: whenever a station tries to connect to an AP and the station could not connect because the AP has rejected the connection for some reasons, this function is called. like, that's the whole moment. the connection request failed, and this is the notification. ✨

the reason for connection failure can be any of the value from the nl80211_connect_failed_reason enum. that's the enum you want for the reason argument — no cap. 💖

✨ SEE ALSO ✨

okay bestie, breathe. this is the part where the manpage just dumps the entire extended universe on you 😭 like girl, it's giving "you thought the function was the main character? no. everyone else is." there are literal hundreds of cross-references here and every single one of them is fair game. so we're gonna walk through the whole friend group, in order, no cap. 🎀

the actual file it lives in, plus the basics 🦋

  • Kernel file ./include/net/cfg80211.h Introduction(9)
  • Device registration(9)
  • enum ieee80211_channel_flags(9)
  • struct ieee80211_channel(9)
  • enum ieee80211_rate_flags(9)
  • enum ieee80211_bss_type(9)
  • enum ieee80211_privacy(9)
  • struct ieee80211_rate(9)
  • struct ieee80211_he_obss_pd(9)
  • struct cfg80211_he_bss_color(9)

the capability structs, aka the glow-up chronicles 💅

like genuinely, ieee80211_get_eht_iftype_cap(9) and ieee80211_get_uhr_iftype_cap(9) are sisters, your honor. obsessed with them knowing each other. ✨

actions and configuration — the chandef cinematic universe 🔥

the way cfg80211_chandef_valid(9) is literally the vibe check of this whole family. 💀

surveys, crypto, beacons, AP settings, stations 🎀

  • enum survey_info_flags(9)
  • struct survey_info(9)
  • struct cfg80211_crypto_settings(9)
  • struct cfg80211_mbssid_config(9)
  • struct cfg80211_mbssid_elems(9)
  • struct cfg80211_rnr_elems(9)
  • struct cfg80211_beacon_data(9)
  • struct cfg80211_acl_data(9)
  • struct cfg80211_fils_discovery(9)
  • struct cfg80211_unsol_bcast_probe_resp(9)
  • struct cfg80211_s1g_short_beacon(9)
  • struct cfg80211_ap_settings(9)
  • struct cfg80211_ap_update(9)
  • struct cfg80211_csa_settings(9)
  • struct cfg80211_color_change_settings(9)
  • struct iface_combination_params(9)
  • enum station_parameters_apply_mask(9)
  • struct sta_txpwr(9)
  • struct link_station_parameters(9)
  • struct link_station_del_parameters(9)
  • struct cfg80211_ttlm_params(9)
  • struct station_parameters(9)
  • struct station_del_parameters(9)
  • enum cfg80211_station_type(9)
  • cfg80211_check_station_change(9)
  • enum rate_info_flags(9)
  • enum rate_info_bw(9)
  • struct rate_info(9)
  • enum bss_param_flags(9)
  • struct sta_bss_parameters(9)
  • struct cfg80211_txq_stats(9)
  • struct cfg80211_tid_stats(9)
  • struct link_station_info(9)
  • struct station_info(9)
  • struct cfg80211_sar_sub_specs(9)
  • struct cfg80211_sar_specs(9)
  • struct cfg80211_sar_freq_ranges(9)
  • struct cfg80211_sar_capa(9)
  • cfg80211_get_station(9)
  • enum monitor_flags(9)
  • enum mpath_info_flags(9)
  • struct mpath_info(9)
  • enum wiphy_bss_param_flags(9)
  • struct bss_parameters(9)
  • struct mesh_config(9)
  • struct mesh_setup(9)
  • struct ocb_setup(9)
  • struct ieee80211_txq_params(9)

struct cfg80211_ap_update(9)?? a whole struct for the update era. we love a glow-up queen. 👑

scanning + BSS list handling + connecting to things 🌈

  • Scanning and BSS list handling(9)
  • struct cfg80211_ssid(9)
  • struct cfg80211_scan_info(9)
  • struct cfg80211_scan_6ghz_params(9)
  • struct cfg80211_scan_request(9)
  • struct cfg80211_match_set(9)
  • struct cfg80211_sched_scan_plan(9)
  • struct cfg80211_bss_select_adjust(9)
  • struct cfg80211_sched_scan_request(9)
  • enum cfg80211_signal_type(9)
  • struct cfg80211_inform_bss(9)
  • struct cfg80211_bss_ies(9)
  • struct cfg80211_bss(9)
  • ieee80211_bss_get_elem(9)
  • ieee80211_bss_get_ie(9)
  • struct cfg80211_auth_request(9)
  • struct cfg80211_assoc_link(9)
  • struct cfg80211_ml_reconf_req(9)
  • enum cfg80211_assoc_req_flags(9)
  • struct cfg80211_assoc_request(9)
  • struct cfg80211_deauth_request(9)
  • struct cfg80211_disassoc_request(9)
  • struct cfg80211_ibss_params(9)
  • struct cfg80211_bss_selection(9)
  • struct cfg80211_connect_params(9)
  • enum cfg80211_connect_params_changed(9)
  • enum wiphy_params_flags(9)
  • struct cfg80211_pmksa(9)
  • struct cfg80211_pkt_pattern(9)
  • struct cfg80211_wowlan_tcp(9)
  • struct cfg80211_wowlan(9)
  • struct cfg80211_coalesce_rules(9)
  • struct cfg80211_coalesce(9)
  • struct cfg80211_wowlan_nd_match(9)
  • struct cfg80211_wowlan_nd_info(9)
  • struct cfg80211_wowlan_wakeup(9)
  • struct cfg80211_gtk_rekey_data(9)
  • struct cfg80211_update_ft_ies_params(9)
  • struct cfg80211_mgmt_tx_params(9)
  • struct cfg80211_dscp_exception(9)
  • struct cfg80211_dscp_range(9)
  • struct cfg80211_qos_map(9)

struct cfg80211_wowlan(9) bestie the name alone is sending me. wowlan. iconic. no notes. 😭

NAN (Neighbor Awareness Networking), pmk, external auth, PMSR 🦋

  • Neighbor Awareness Networking (NAN)(9)
  • struct cfg80211_nan_band_config(9)
  • struct cfg80211_nan_conf(9)
  • struct cfg80211_nan_channel(9)
  • struct cfg80211_nan_local_sched(9)
  • struct cfg80211_nan_peer_map(9)
  • struct cfg80211_nan_peer_sched(9)
  • enum cfg80211_nan_conf_changes(9)
  • struct cfg80211_nan_func_filter(9)
  • struct cfg80211_nan_func(9)
  • struct cfg80211_pmk_conf(9)
  • struct cfg80211_external_auth_params(9)
  • struct cfg80211_ftm_responder_stats(9)
  • struct cfg80211_pmsr_ftm_result(9)
  • struct cfg80211_pmsr_result(9)
  • struct cfg80211_pmsr_ftm_request_peer(9)
  • struct cfg80211_pmsr_request_peer(9)
  • struct cfg80211_pmsr_request(9)
  • struct cfg80211_update_owe_info(9)
  • struct mgmt_frame_regs(9)

a whole NAN sub-universe, and yes it has its own schedule structs because of course it does. 💅

the wiphy situation (it's a lot, stay with me) 🫶

wiphy_lock(9) and wiphy_unlock(9) are right there next to each other like a healthy relationship. we stan. 🔐 and then wiphy_work_queue(9), wiphy_work_cancel(9), wiphy_work_flush(9) — the triad. and wiphy_hrtimer_work_pending(9) asking "are we there yet" every five seconds. 🙈

utility functions — the toolbox era 🧰✨

channel ↔ frequency conversion is literally just the two of them going "no u" back and forth. 💀 (ieee80211_channel_to_frequency(9) and ieee80211_frequency_to_channel(9), iykyk.)

data path helpers 🍓

the *_find_* squad is literally just "have u seen this element" over and over and honestly? relatable. 🔍

regulatory enforcement infrastructure 🌸

this is the "the rules are the rules" corner of the page. regulatory stuff is serious business, bestie — no cap, no shortcuts, just compliance. 📋

BSS handling, mlme mgmt, and friends 🎀

note that __cfg80211_get_bss(9) and cfg80211_get_bss(9) are two separate girls — the underscore-prefixed one is not a duplicate, do not merge them in your head. 🙅‍♀️

RFkill integration, vendor commands, test mode ⭐

cfg80211_vendor_event_alloc_ucast(9) is the unicast one btw, she's got the _ucast on her name so you don't confuse her with her sister. 💅

the notification / done / connect-resp mega-tail 👑

the four cfg80211_cqm_*_notify(9) girls walking in a row like they're in a music video. 🎶 and cfg80211_connect_timeout(9) next to cfg80211_connect_result(9) — one of them is the sad ending and you know which. 😭

honestly the sheer volume of things that can notify you about something is highkey giving "my phone at 3am." 🫠 every last one of these is a real reference though, so keep them close — bestie, you'll be seeing these names again.

ok so the SEE ALSO list keeps going (it's lowkey enormous and honestly iconic for it 😭) — here's the rest of the crew, no skips, no cuts:

still going, bestie, hydrate before you continue 🍓

not even halfway, and every single one of these earned its spot ✨

the NAN girlies are having a whole moment here, we love to see it 🦋

and that's the whole roster, bestie, we made it to the end 🎀 take a bow.

fyi that's every single reference from the list, in order, nothing dropped — main character energy only 👑

and a lil sign-off for the credits: this whole page lives under the source path ./include/net, it's dated October 2026, and it's all about cfg80211_conn_failed(9). go be great with it 💜✨

📦 where this page comes from