dev_forward_skb(9)

📦 version 7.3.1, in nixpkgs unstable

dev_forward_skb(9) 💅✨

okay so bestie, welcome to the dev_forward_skb page from the Kernel API Manual 🎀 — this one's literally about yeeting an skb from one netif into another's receive queue, and the way it handles namespaces is iconic. let's get into it 🫶

✨ NAME ✨

dev_forward_skb — loopback an skb to another netif 🔁

🌸 SYNOPSIS 🌸

int dev_forward_skb (struct net_device *dev , struct sk_buff *skb );

🦋 ARGUMENTS 🦋

  • dev — the destination network device, aka where the packet is headed 🎯
  • skb — the buffer to forward, the actual packet bestie 💌

💜 DESCRIPTION 💜

return values, no cap:

  • NET_RX_SUCCESS — (no congestion) ✅
  • NET_RX_DROP — (packet was dropped, but freed) 💀

so basically, dev_forward_skb can be used for injecting an skb from the start_xmit function of one device into the receive queue of another device. it's giving main character energy in the networking stack, fr fr 🔥

and here's the important part: the receiving device may be in another namespace, so we have to clear all information in the skb that could impact namespace isolation. like, can't have cross-namespace drama leaking through, periodt 💅

👑 SEE ALSO 👑

okay bestie, buckle up, this list is long but every single one is here 🫶 — Kernel file ./net/core/dev.c, plus:

shoutout to the ./net/core kernel file and the spooky-cute October 2026 release date — this page was brought to you by the Kernel API Manual, and you're all caught up bestie 💖✨🎀

📦 where this page comes from