dev_addr_init(9)

🎀 dev_addr_init(9) 🎀

okay bestie, this one is straight from the Kernel API Manual, and it is giving “kernel internals but make it cute” energy. let’s get into it 💖

✨ NAME ✨

dev_addr_init — init device address list 🦋

🌸 SYNOPSIS 🌸

int dev_addr_init (struct net_device *dev );

🦋 ARGUMENTS 🦋

• dev — device. literally the device you’re setting up, no cap 💅

💅 DESCRIPTION 💅

okay so this one initializes the device address list and creates the first element, which is used by ->dev_addr. that’s the whole main-character move ✨

the caller must hold the rtnl_mutex. not “should,” not “maybe,” not “if you feel like it” — must, bestie. consider that your vibe check 🫶

🔥 SEE ALSO 🔥

over in the kernel file ./net/core/dev_addr_lists.c, the whole squad is right here — go peek at:

• __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_add(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)

source/version check, bestie: ./net/core 🌈 dated October 2026 🌸 and the page is dev_addr_init(9) — periodt 💜