ieee80211_restart_hw(9)

💅 ieee80211_restart_hw(9) — the manual page, bestie edition 🌸

okay so this is a page from the Kernel API Manual and honestly it's a little diva move of a function. Let's get into it 🫶

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✨ NAME ✨

ieee80211_restart_hw — restart hardware completely 🔥

like, not a little reset. completely. iconic behavior tbh.

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🎀 SYNOPSIS 🎀

void ieee80211_restart_hw (struct ieee80211_hw *hw );

🦋 ARGUMENTS 🦋

• hw — the hardware to restart. that's it, that's the whole argument. she takes exactly one thing and it's the hardware 💅

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💖 DESCRIPTION 💖

Call this function when the hardware was restarted for some reason (hardware error, ...) and the driver is unable to restore its state by itself.

Read that again, bestie — unable to restore its state by itself. you only reach for this when the driver genuinely can't save itself 😭

mac80211 assumes that at this point the driver/hardware is completely uninitialised and stopped, it starts the process by calling the ->start operation.

⚠️ the way that word "assumes" is doing so much work here. mac80211 is walking in like "so everything's wiped, right?" and you better not be lying to her 💀 "completely uninitialised and stopped" — not mostly, not kinda, completely. no cap.

The driver will need to reset all internal state that it has prior to calling this function.

like, prior to calling. that's a you job and it happens before she shows up. no notes. 🙈

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🌈 SEE ALSO 🌈

Kernel file ./include/net/mac80211.h — and then, okay, buckle up, because this list is long and every single one of them is here, periodt 👑

• 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)
• 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)
• 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)
• 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_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_tim(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)
• 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)
• 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)
• 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)
• 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)
• 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)
• 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)

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and that's the whole page, bestie. every last one of those (9) references is here, nothing skipped, nothing merged, iykyk 💜

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this cutie came out of ./include/net (that's the source, mwah) and it's dated October 2026 — so yes she's a lil time traveler, we don't question it ⭐ slay, go restart your hardware responsibly ✨🎀