dev_addr_add(9)

💖 dev_addr_add(9) 💖

okay so bestie, welcome to the Kernel API Manual — this is the dev_addr_add page and honestly it's giving "small function, big responsibilities" ✨

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🌸 NAME 🌸

dev_addr_add — add a device address 🎀

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✨ SYNOPSIS ✨

int dev_addr_add (struct net_device *dev , const unsigned char *addr ,
       unsigned char addr_type );

like, that's the whole vibe. she returns an int, she takes three things, she's booked and busy 💅

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🦋 ARGUMENTS 🦋

• dev — the device, bestie. the actual struct net_device we're messing with 🫶
• addr — the address to add. like, the address. the one we're adding. 😭
• addr_type — the address type. it's an unsigned char and it's very much doing its own thing 💜

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🌈 DESCRIPTION 🌈

So here's the tea: dev_addr_add adds a device address to the device or — and this is the iconic part — increases the reference count if it already exists. so like, no duplicates, no drama, just a lil refcount glow-up when she's already there 👑

⚠️ ok but fr fr, the caller must hold the rtnl_mutex. that's not a suggestion, that's a requirement. no cap. hold the lock or don't come to the function 💀

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⭐ SEE ALSO ⭐

the full friend group, in order, no one left out 🫶:

• Kernel file ./net/core/dev_addr_lists.c
• __hw_addr_sync_dev(9)
• __hw_addr_ref_sync_dev(9)
• __hw_addr_ref_unsync_dev(9)
• __hw_addr_unsync_dev(9)
• __hw_addr_list_snapshot(9)
• __hw_addr_list_reconcile(9)
• dev_addr_flush(9)
• dev_addr_init(9)
• dev_addr_del(9)
• dev_uc_add_excl(9)
• dev_uc_add(9)
• dev_uc_del(9)
• dev_uc_sync(9)
• dev_uc_sync_multiple(9)
• dev_uc_unsync(9)
• dev_uc_flush(9)
• dev_uc_init(9)
• dev_mc_add_excl(9)
• dev_mc_add(9)
• dev_mc_add_global(9)
• dev_mc_del(9)
• dev_mc_del_global(9)
• dev_mc_sync(9)
• dev_mc_sync_multiple(9)
• dev_mc_unsync(9)
• dev_mc_flush(9)
• dev_mc_init(9)
• netif_uc_promisc_update(9)
• __dev_set_rx_mode(9)
• netif_rx_mode_sync(9)

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🎀 sign-off 🎀

and that's the page, bestie!! this iconic little number lives in ./net/core, dated October 2026, and yes she's literally named dev_addr_add(9) — go forth and add those addresses, but hold that rtnl_mutex first 🙈💖

you're gonna slay this kernel work fr fr 🧚‍♀️