ethtool_nl_msg_needs_rtnl(9)

💅 ethtool_nl_msg_needs_rtnl(9) — or, the little helper that tells you if you gotta grab rtnl_lock first

okay bestie, welcome to the Kernel API Manual ✨ this one's short and sweet, and it's genuinely so useful if you're poking at ethtool Netlink stuff 🎀

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🌸 NAME 🌸

ethtool_nl_msg_needs_rtnl — literally just answers the question: does this Netlink cmd need rtnl_lock? 🫶

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✨ SYNOPSIS ✨

bool ethtool_nl_msg_needs_rtnl (const struct net_device *dev , u8 cmd );

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🦋 ARGUMENTS 🦋

• dev — the target device 💖
• cmd — the ETHTOOL_MSG_* Netlink command value 👑

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🔥 RETURN 🔥

It hands back true if cmd is a command for which dev has opted-in to keeping rtnl_lock held across the call (via op_needs_rtnl). No cap, that's the whole vibe check 💀

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🌈 SEE ALSO 🌈

• Kernel file ./net/ethtool/common.h
• ethtool_ioctl_needs_ntnl(9) — wait, no, bestie, eyes on the page 👀 it's ethtool_ioctl_needs_rtnl(9) 😭

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fr fr go read common.h if you want the full picture, it's giving main character energy 🧚

okay that's the whole page, short and iconic, periodt 💅

source: ./net/ethtool · dated October 2026 · mwah, hope this helped bestie 🍓💜