STRUCT BATADV_MCAST_PACKET(9)

💖 struct batadv_mcast_packet(9) 💖

okay bestie, so we're in the Kernel API Manual today and the vibe is immaculate — this is the manpage for struct batadv_mcast_packet, aka the multicast packet for network payload. yes that's the actual NAME line, no I'm not paraphrasing, this thing literally carries multicast goodness around the network. 🦋

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✨ SYNOPSIS ✨

like, here's the whole struct, and you're gonna want to screenshot this because it's giving exact bytes:

struct batadv_mcast_packet {
    __u8 packet_type;
    __u8 version;
    __u8 ttl;
    __u8 reserved;
    __be16 tvlv_len;
};

no cap, that's the entire thing. five fields. tiny. iconic. 🤏

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🎀 Members 🎀

• packet_type — the batman-adv packet type, and it's part of the general header. main character header energy, obviously. 👑
• version — the batman-adv protocol version, also part of the general header. she's tagging along with packet_type fr fr. 💅
• ttl — time to live for this packet, and yep, another general header member. if she hits zero it's over, periodt. 💀
• reserved — a reserved byte for alignment. she doesn't do much, she's just here so everything lines up nicely. we love a supportive icon. 🫶
• tvlv_len — length of the appended tvlv buffer, measured in bytes. note it's a __be16, big-endian bestie, don't forget. 🌸

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🦋 SEE ALSO 🦋

okay so there is a lot of family here, and honestly? the lore is deep. all of these live in the Kernel file ./include/uapi/linux/batadv_packet.h:

• batadv_tp_is_error(9)
• enum batadv_packettype(9)
• enum batadv_subtype(9)
• enum batadv_iv_flags(9)
• enum batadv_icmp_packettype(9)
• enum batadv_mcast_flags(9)
• enum batadv_tt_data_flags(9)
• enum batadv_vlan_flags(9)
• enum batadv_bla_claimframe(9)
• enum batadv_tvlv_type(9)
• struct batadv_bla_claim_dst(9)
• struct batadv_ogm_packet(9)
• struct batadv_ogm2_packet(9)
• struct batadv_elp_packet(9)
• struct batadv_icmp_header(9)
• struct batadv_icmp_packet(9)
• struct batadv_icmp_tp_packet(9)
• enum batadv_icmp_tp_subtype(9)
• struct batadv_icmp_packet_rr(9)
• struct batadv_unicast_packet(9)
• struct batadv_unicast_4addr_packet(9)
• struct batadv_frag_packet(9)
• struct batadv_bcast_packet(9)
• struct batadv_coded_packet(9)
• struct batadv_unicast_tvlv_packet(9)
• struct batadv_tvlv_hdr(9)
• struct batadv_tvlv_gateway_data(9)
• struct batadv_tvlv_tt_vlan_data(9)
• struct batadv_tvlv_tt_data(9)
• struct batadv_tvlv_tt_change(9)
• struct batadv_tvlv_roam_adv(9)
• struct batadv_tvlv_mcast_data(9)
• struct batadv_tvlv_mcast_tracker(9)

like, go read them, iykyk. they're all serving their own little purpose and we stan a whole header file of coworkers. 🌈

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ngl bestie, if you're poking at raw packet bytes, double-check your endianness on tvlv_len before you ship anything. byte order crimes are real and they will find you. 😭

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and that's the whole page! 💜 this lil masterpiece lives in the source path ./include/uapi/linux, and it's dated October 2026 — so mark your calendars, the future is now, mwah 🧚⭐