ixgbe_get_link_status(9)

📦 version 7.3.1, in nixpkgs unstable

okay so bestie, this one lives in the Kernel API Manual and it's honestly so simple it's kind of iconic ✨ we're talking about a little function that just tells you whether the network link is up or down. that's it. that's the whole vibe. 🦋

🌸 NAME 🌸

ixgbe_get_link_status — get status of the HW network link 💅

✨ SYNOPSIS ✨

int ixgbe_get_link_status (struct ixgbe_hw *hw , bool *link_up );

like, look at her. two arguments. no drama. 👑

🎀 ARGUMENTS 🎀

  • hw — pointer to the HW struct 🫶 yes, the whole hardware struct, she needs it
  • link_up — pointer to bool (true/false = linkup/linkdown) ⭐ like, you hand her a spot in memory and she fills it in with the truth

💜 DESCRIPTION 💜

so the variable link_up is true if the link is up, and false if the link is down. that's the entire concept, no cap 🧚

⚠️ but listen — the variable link_up is invalid if status is non zero. so if the call comes back with a nonzero status, do not go trusting whatever ended up in link_up, it's giving "unreliable narrator" and you should not give it main character energy 💀

and lowkey the cutest part: as a result of this call, link status reporting becomes enabled 🌈 so calling her doesn't just read the vibe, she turns the reporting on. slay.

🔥 RETURN 🔥

she returns the exit code of the operation 💖 that's the whole return value, iykyk.

👑 SEE ALSO 👑

first up, the kernel file this all lives in:

./drivers/net/ethernet/intel/ixgbe/ixgbe_e610.c 📁

and now the friend group, fr fr, in order:

and that's the page!! 🌸 tiny function, massive friend group, we love to see it. this one's sourced from ./drivers/net/ethernet/intel/i... and dated October 2026 — mwah, periodt 💅💖

📦 where this page comes from