change_mac_addr(9)

💅 change_mac_addr(9) — a Kernel API Manual moment

okay so bestie, welcome to the Kernel API Manual, and today's main character is change_mac_addr(9) 🎀 like yes we're in the kernel, yes we're being cute about it, no we are not skipping any details, periodt.

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✨ NAME ✨

change_mac_addr — change the main mac address of network device 🦋

it does exactly what it says on the tin, no cap. the main mac address, on a network device. that's the whole vibe.

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🌸 SYNOPSIS 🌸

int change_mac_addr (struct net_device *netdev , const u8 *addr );

look at her. she's an int, she takes two args, she's iconic. copy it exactly, don't @ me about the spacing 💅

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🫶 ARGUMENTS 🫶

• netdev — network device. this is the device we're doing the change on, she's the star of the show 👑
• addr — mac address to set. literally the address you want to set. that's it, that's the arg 🍓

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🔥 DESCRIPTION 🔥

here's the tea on what you get back 👀

• Return 0 — Success, we ate, everything slayed ✨
• Return negative — Failure, it's giving sad girl hours 😭

that's genuinely the entire description in the original, so I'm not gonna invent extra lore for you — no guessing, no fake tips, we keep it accurate fr fr 💜

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🌈 SEE ALSO 🌈

the kernel file in question, bestie:

• ./drivers/net/ethernet/huawei/hinic/hinic_main.c

and the whole friend group of related pages, all of them, in original order 🧚:

• create_txqs(9)
• free_txqs(9)
• create_rxqs(9)
• free_rxqs(9)
• add_mac_addr(9)
• remove_mac_addr(9)
• link_status_event_handler(9)
• nic_dev_init(9)

iykyk 💀

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and that's the page!! mwah 💖 this little number came from ./drivers/net/ethernet/huawei/..., dated October 2026, and it goes out under the change_mac_addr(9) title in the Kernel API Manual — go forth and change those main mac addresses, bestie, you're gonna slay 🎀✨🦋