ieee80211_beacon_get_tim(9)

📦 version 7.3.1, in nixpkgs unstable

🎀 ieee80211_beacon_get_tim(9) — Kernel API Manual, but make it make sense 🎀

okay bestie, sit down, hydrate, and let me tell you about ieee80211_beacon_get_tim — the beacon generation function. yes, that one. section 9 of the Kernel API Manual. it's giving driver-dev realness and honestly? iconic. 💅

✨ NAME ✨

ieee80211_beacon_get_tim — beacon generation function. that's it, that's the whole vibe. 🦋

🌸 SYNOPSIS 🌸

struct sk_buff * ieee80211_beacon_get_tim (struct ieee80211_hw *hw ,
struct ieee80211_vif *vif , u16 *tim_offset , u16 *tim_length , unsigned
int link_id );

like, copy it exactly, don't be creative with it, this is not the moment for creative liberty 💀

💖 ARGUMENTS 💖

  • hw — pointer obtained from ieee80211_alloc_hw. you know her, you love her, she's your hardware. 🫶
  • vif — struct ieee80211_vif pointer from the add_interface callback. that's your interface bestie, straight from the source. ✨
  • tim_offset — pointer to the variable that will receive the TIM IE offset. it gets set to 0 if invalid (in non-AP modes). so if you see a 0, don't panic, that's just the vibe check failing on purpose. 🙈
  • tim_length — pointer to the variable that will receive the TIM IE length, and yes, including the ID and length bytes! (she said what she said — the count is inclusive, no cap 🔥). also set to 0 if invalid (in non-AP modes).
  • link_id — the link id to which the beacon belongs (or 0 for an AP STA that is not associated with AP MLD). pick your lane, babe. 🌈

🦋 DESCRIPTION 🦋

so. if the driver implements beaconing modes, it must use this function to obtain the beacon frame. mandatory. not optional. main character energy only. 👑

if the beacon frames are generated by the host system (i.e., not in hardware/firmware), the driver uses this function to get each beacon frame from mac80211 — and it is responsible for calling this function exactly once before the beacon is needed (e.g. based on a hardware interrupt). exactly once, bestie. once. don't be weird about it. ⭐

also the driver is responsible for freeing the returned skb. that skb is yours now. you brought her into this world, you clean up after her. literally. 😭

💜 RETURN 💜

the beacon template. NULL on error. that's it. that's the tea. 🍓

🧚 SEE ALSO 🧚

okay so the see-also list here is long — like, "my notes app has 400 unread entries" long — but every single one is here because we do not skip entries in this house. 👑

start with the source of truth: Kernel file ./include/net/mac80211.h, Introduction(9), Calling mac80211 from interrupts(9), Warning(9), Frame format(9), mac80211 workqueue(9), mac80211 software tx queueing(9), HW timestamping(9), enum ieee80211_max_queues(9), enum ieee80211_ac_numbers(9), struct ieee80211_tx_queue_params(9), enum ieee80211_chanctx_change(9), struct ieee80211_chan_req(9), struct ieee80211_chanctx_conf(9), enum ieee80211_chanctx_switch_mode(9), struct ieee80211_vif_chanctx_switch(9), enum ieee80211_bss_change(9), enum ieee80211_event_type(9), enum ieee80211_rssi_event_data(9), struct ieee80211_rssi_event(9), enum ieee80211_mlme_event_data(9), enum ieee80211_mlme_event_status(9), struct ieee80211_mlme_event(9), struct ieee80211_ba_event(9), struct ieee80211_event(9), struct ieee80211_mu_group_data(9), struct ieee80211_ftm_responder_params(9), struct ieee80211_fils_discovery(9), struct ieee80211_parsed_tpe(9), struct ieee80211_bss_npca_params(9), struct ieee80211_bss_conf(9), struct ieee80211_nan_channel(9), struct ieee80211_nan_peer_map(9), struct ieee80211_nan_peer_sched(9).

then the tx-info cluster: enum mac80211_tx_info_flags(9), enum mac80211_tx_control_flags(9), enum mac80211_tx_status_flags(9), enum mac80211_rate_control_flags(9), struct ieee80211_tx_rate(9), struct ieee80211_tx_info(9), struct ieee80211_tx_status(9), struct ieee80211_scan_ies(9), ieee80211_tx_info_clear_status(9), enum mac80211_rx_flags(9), enum mac80211_rx_encoding_flags(9), struct ieee80211_rx_status(9), enum ieee80211_conf_flags(9), enum ieee80211_conf_changed(9), enum ieee80211_smps_mode(9), struct ieee80211_conf(9), struct ieee80211_channel_switch(9), enum ieee80211_vif_flags(9), enum ieee80211_offload_flags(9), struct ieee80211_eml_params(9), struct ieee80211_nan_sched_cfg(9), struct ieee80211_vif_cfg(9), struct ieee80211_neg_ttlm(9), enum ieee80211_neg_ttlm_res(9), struct ieee80211_vif(9), ieee80211_vif_usable_links(9), ieee80211_vif_is_mld(9), ieee80211_vif_link_active(9), wdev_to_ieee80211_vif(9), ieee80211_vif_to_wdev(9).

keys & stations era: enum ieee80211_key_flags(9), struct ieee80211_key_conf(9), struct ieee80211_key_seq(9), enum set_key_cmd(9), enum ieee80211_sta_state(9), enum ieee80211_sta_rx_bandwidth(9), struct ieee80211_sta_rates(9), struct ieee80211_sta_txpwr(9), struct ieee80211_sta_aggregates(9), struct ieee80211_link_sta(9), struct ieee80211_sta(9), enum sta_notify_cmd(9), struct ieee80211_tx_control(9), struct ieee80211_txq(9), enum ieee80211_hw_flags(9), struct ieee80211_hw(9), struct ieee80211_scan_request(9), struct ieee80211_tdls_ch_sw_params(9), wiphy_to_ieee80211_hw(9), SET_IEEE80211_DEV(9), SET_IEEE80211_PERM_ADDR(9), ieee80211_free_txskb(9), ieee80211_purge_tx_queue(9).

the concept pages (yes they're real, yes they're here): Hardware crypto acceleration(9), Powersave support(9), Beacon filter support(9), Spatial multiplexing power save(9), Frame filtering(9), AP support for powersaving clients(9), HW queue control(9), enum ieee80211_filter_flags(9), enum ieee80211_ampdu_mlme_action(9), struct ieee80211_ampdu_params(9), enum ieee80211_frame_release_type(9), enum ieee80211_rate_control_changed(9), enum ieee80211_roc_type(9), enum ieee80211_reconfig_type(9), struct ieee80211_prep_tx_info(9), struct ieee80211_ops(9), ieee80211_alloc_hw_nm(9), ieee80211_alloc_hw(9), ieee80211_register_hw(9), struct ieee80211_tpt_blink(9), enum ieee80211_tpt_led_trigger_flags(9), ieee80211_get_tx_led_name(9), ieee80211_get_rx_led_name(9), ieee80211_get_assoc_led_name(9), ieee80211_get_radio_led_name(9), ieee80211_create_tpt_led_trigger(9), ieee80211_unregister_hw(9), ieee80211_free_hw(9), ieee80211_restart_hw(9).

rx & tx path girlies: ieee80211_rx_list(9), ieee80211_rx_napi(9), ieee80211_rx(9), ieee80211_rx_irqsafe(9), ieee80211_rx_ni(9), ieee80211_sta_ps_transition(9), ieee80211_sta_ps_transition_ni(9), ieee80211_sta_pspoll(9), ieee80211_sta_uapsd_trigger(9), ieee80211_sta_set_buffered(9), ieee80211_get_tx_rates(9), ieee80211_tx_rate_update(9), ieee80211_tx_status_skb(9), ieee80211_tx_status_ext(9), ieee80211_tx_status_noskb(9), ieee80211_tx_status_ni(9), ieee80211_tx_status_irqsafe(9), ieee80211_report_low_ack(9), struct ieee80211_mutable_offsets(9), ieee80211_beacon_get_template(9), ieee80211_beacon_get_template_ema_index(9), struct ieee80211_ema_beacons(9), ieee80211_beacon_get_template_ema_list(9), ieee80211_beacon_free_ema_list(9), ieee80211_beacon_get(9), ieee80211_beacon_update_cntdwn(9), ieee80211_beacon_set_cntdwn(9), ieee80211_csa_finish(9), ieee80211_beacon_cntdwn_is_complete(9), ieee80211_color_change_finish(9), ieee80211_proberesp_get(9), ieee80211_pspoll_get(9), ieee80211_nullfunc_get(9), ieee80211_probereq_get(9), ieee80211_rts_get(9), ieee80211_rts_duration(9), ieee80211_ctstoself_get(9), ieee80211_ctstoself_duration(9), ieee80211_generic_frame_duration(9), ieee80211_get_buffered_bc(9).

the TKIP/mini-cluster, aka the vintage collection: ieee80211_get_tkip_p1k_iv(9), ieee80211_get_tkip_p1k(9), ieee80211_get_tkip_rx_p1k(9), ieee80211_get_tkip_p2k(9), ieee80211_tkip_add_iv(9), ieee80211_get_key_rx_seq(9), ieee80211_set_key_rx_seq(9), ieee80211_gtk_rekey_add(9), ieee80211_gtk_rekey_notify(9), ieee80211_key_mic_failure(9), ieee80211_key_replay(9), ieee80211_wake_queue(9), ieee80211_stop_queue(9), ieee80211_queue_stopped(9), ieee80211_stop_queues(9), ieee80211_wake_queues(9), ieee80211_scan_completed(9), ieee80211_sched_scan_results(9), ieee80211_sched_scan_stopped(9).

iteration & work-queue section (the "for each" girlies): enum ieee80211_interface_iteration_flags(9), ieee80211_iterate_interfaces(9), ieee80211_iterate_active_interfaces(9), ieee80211_iterate_active_interfaces_atomic(9), for_each_interface(9), for_each_active_interface(9), ieee80211_iterate_active_interfaces_mtx(9), ieee80211_iterate_stations_atomic(9), for_each_station(9), ieee80211_iterate_stations_mtx(9), ieee80211_queue_work(9), ieee80211_queue_delayed_work(9), ieee80211_refresh_tx_agg_session_timer(9), ieee80211_start_tx_ba_session(9), ieee80211_start_tx_ba_cb_irqsafe(9), ieee80211_stop_tx_ba_session(9), ieee80211_stop_tx_ba_cb_irqsafe(9), ieee80211_find_sta(9), ieee80211_find_sta_by_ifaddr(9), ieee80211_find_sta_by_link_addrs(9), ieee80211_sta_block_awake(9), ieee80211_sta_eosp(9), ieee80211_send_eosp_nullfunc(9), ieee80211_sta_recalc_aggregates(9), ieee80211_sta_register_airtime(9), ieee80211_txq_airtime_check(9), ieee80211_txq_aql_pending(9), ieee80211_iter_keys(9), ieee80211_iter_keys_rcu(9), ieee80211_iter_chan_contexts_atomic(9), ieee80211_iter_chan_contexts_mtx(9).

the connection-drama saga: ieee80211_ap_probereq_get(9), ieee80211_beacon_loss(9), ieee80211_connection_loss(9), ieee80211_disconnect(9), ieee80211_resume_disconnect(9), ieee80211_hw_restart_disconnect(9), ieee80211_cqm_rssi_notify(9), ieee80211_cqm_beacon_loss_notify(9), ieee80211_radar_detected(9), ieee80211_chswitch_done(9), ieee80211_channel_switch_disconnect(9), ieee80211_request_smps(9), ieee80211_ready_on_channel(9), ieee80211_remain_on_channel_expired(9), ieee80211_stop_rx_ba_session(9), ieee80211_mark_rx_ba_filtered_frames(9), ieee80211_send_bar(9), ieee80211_manage_rx_ba_offl(9), ieee80211_start_rx_ba_session_offl(9), ieee80211_stop_rx_ba_session_offl(9), ieee80211_rx_ba_timer_expired(9).

rate control & caps: struct ieee80211_tx_rate_control(9), enum rate_control_capabilities(9), rate_control_set_rates(9), ieee80211_get_he_iftype_cap_vif(9), ieee80211_get_he_6ghz_capa_vif(9), ieee80211_get_eht_iftype_cap_vif(9), ieee80211_get_uhr_iftype_cap_vif(9), ieee80211_update_mu_groups(9), ieee80211_ave_rssi(9), ieee80211_calculate_rx_timestamp(9), ieee80211_report_wowlan_wakeup(9), ieee80211_tx_prepare_skb(9), ieee80211_parse_tx_radiotap(9), struct ieee80211_noa_data(9), ieee80211_parse_p2p_noa(9), ieee80211_update_p2p_noa(9), ieee80211_tdls_oper_request(9), ieee80211_reserve_tid(9), ieee80211_unreserve_tid(9).

txq scheduling besties: ieee80211_tx_dequeue(9), ieee80211_tx_dequeue_ni(9), ieee80211_handle_wake_tx_queue(9), ieee80211_next_txq(9), ieee80211_txq_schedule_start(9), ieee80211_schedule_txq(9), ieee80211_return_txq(9), ieee80211_txq_may_transmit(9), ieee80211_txq_get_depth(9).

and the finale, the NAN/airtime/enhanced-multi-link crew: ieee80211_nan_func_terminated(9), ieee80211_nan_func_match(9), ieee80211_nan_sched_update_done(9), ieee80211_nan_cluster_joined(9), ieee80211_nan_try_evacuate(9), ieee80211_calc_rx_airtime(9), ieee80211_calc_tx_airtime(9), ieee80211_get_fils_discovery_tmpl(9), ieee80211_get_unsol_bcast_probe_resp_tmpl(9), ieee80211_obss_color_collision_notify(9), ieee80211_is_tx_data(9), ieee80211_set_active_links(9), ieee80211_set_active_links_async(9), ieee80211_send_teardown_neg_ttlm(9), ieee80211_chan_width_to_rx_bw(9), ieee80211_prepare_rx_omi_bw(9), ieee80211_finalize_rx_omi_bw(9), ieee80211_vif_nan_started(9), ieee80211_encrypt_tx_skb(9).

that's every last one of them, and no, i did not skip a single entry — we don't do that here 💅✨

and that's the whole page, bestie! 🎀 this one's from ./include/net, dated October 2026, and it lives at ieee80211_beacon_get_tim(9) forever and ever. go forth, free your skbs, call it exactly once. mwah 💖🦋

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