cfg80211_inform_bss_data(9)

📦 version 7.3.1, in nixpkgs unstable

💅 cfg80211_inform_bss_data(9) — the Kernel API Manual page, but make it make sense

okay so first of all, welcome to the Kernel API Manual, bestie. Today's main character is cfg80211_inform_bss_data — and yes, the (9) is just the section number, it's not a vibe rating. (it's giving very-much-a-9 though, ngl)

✨ NAME ✨

cfg80211_inform_bss_data — inform cfg80211 of a new BSS 🎀

like, you're the messenger. you found a BSS, and now you're telling cfg80211 about it. iconic of you, honestly.

🦋 SYNOPSIS 🦋

struct cfg80211_bss * cfg80211_inform_bss_data (struct wiphy *wiphy ,
struct cfg80211_inform_bss *data , enum cfg80211_bss_frame_type ftype ,
const u8 *bssid , u64 tsf , u16 capability , u16 beacon_interval , const
u8 *ie , size_t ielen , gfp_t gfp );

look at that signature. ten params. she's high-maintenance but she's worth it ✨

🌸 ARGUMENTS 🌸

every single one, no skipping, periodt:

  • wiphy — the wiphy that's reporting the BSS. like, who's the one snitching? this guy. 🫶
  • data — the BSS metadata. all the extra little details about the BSS, bundled up cute.
  • ftype — the frame type, if known. if you don't know, don't stress — that's literally what "if known" means. 💜
  • bssid — the BSSID of the BSS. the name tag, basically. 🎀
  • tsf — the TSF sent by the peer in the beacon/probe response. and yes, or 0. zero is a valid answer, no judgment. ⭐
  • capability — the capability field sent by the peer. the peer's little flex list. 💅
  • beacon_interval — the beacon interval that the peer announced. how often it's gonna yap, essentially. 🔥
  • ie — additional IEs sent by the peer. extra info elements, the bonus content. 🦋
  • ielen — the length of those additional IEs. gotta tell it how long ie is, it's not gonna count for you. 😭
  • gfp — context flags. the "how am I allowed to allocate memory rn" flags. classic.

💖 DESCRIPTION 💖

so here's the whole deal: this function informs cfg80211 that BSS information was found, and that the BSS should be updated or added.

that's it, that's the tea. you found a BSS, you tell cfg80211, cfg80211 handles the update/add situation. you're the informant and cfg80211 is the one actually doing the filing. teamwork!! 🌈

👑 RETURN 👑

you get back a referenced struct — and this part is not a drill:

you must release it with cfg80211_put_bss! like, that's not optional, bestie. that reference is yours now and you have to put it back. 👀

or, alternatively, NULL on error. which is the polite way of saying "nope, didn't work." 💀

okay that's the first chunk — there's more coming, don't go anywhere 🫶

💅 SEE ALSO 💅

okay so this is the part where the manpage is basically like "and now, the guest list" — and bestie, the guest list is long. every single one of these is a real page you can go read with man 9 and honestly they're all kind of iconic in their own nerdy way. no skips, no shortcuts, we're going through the whole friend group 💖

and then we get into the configuration era of the list, which is a whole mood ✨

survey + crypto + beacon + AP settings + station-adjacent stuff. it's giving "everything but the kitchen sink" and I respect it 🫶

  • 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)

now the scan/BSS section of the guest list — lowkey the most relevant bit for this page's whole vibe 🔍

  • 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)

NAN era!! Neighbor Awareness Networking!! say it with me 🗣️

  • 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)

the wiphy block. this is the big one. hydration check before you start scrolling bestie 💧

utility functions!! the little helpers that carry the whole operation 🧚

data path helpers next, they're doing the actual heavy lifting fr fr

regulatory stuff — yes it's the boring-sounding part, no we are NOT skipping it, I love a compliance queen 🎀

and the internal db bit 👇

rfkill, vendor commands, test mode — the "misc but make it fashion" section 🦋

final stretch of the list bestie, we're so close, keep going 💪

and that's the whole guest list, every single name, no cap 💅

...and the list just keeps going, because of course it does 😭 like every kernel doc page is legally required to link its entire extended family. Anyway here's the rest of SEE ALSO, no skips, no cuts 💅

okay that's genuinely the whole page, we survived 🫶💖 if you read all 64 of those links you're lowkey iconic, no cap.

this one came out of ./include/net and it's dated October 2026, so shoutout to the cfg80211_inform_bss_data(9) girlies — read her, cite her, love her 🌈⭐👑 and that's a wrap, periodt 💅✨

📦 where this page comes from