STRUCT CFG80211_AP_SETTINGS(9)

📦 version 7.3.1, in nixpkgs unstable

💖 struct cfg80211_ap_settings(9) — Kernel API Manual 💖

okay so bestie, we're diving into struct cfg80211_ap_settings(9) today and honestly? she's kind of the whole blueprint for "how do I be an access point." grab a strawberry drink, this is part 1 of 3 🍓

✨ NAME ✨

struct cfg80211_ap_settings — the AP configuration situation. literally just: AP config. that's the vibe.

🦋 SYNOPSIS 🦋

struct cfg80211_ap_settings {
    struct cfg80211_chan_def chandef;
    struct cfg80211_beacon_data beacon;
    int beacon_interval, dtim_period;
    const u8 *ssid;
    size_t ssid_len;
    enum nl80211_hidden_ssid hidden_ssid;
    struct cfg80211_crypto_settings crypto;
    bool privacy;
    enum nl80211_auth_type auth_type;
    int inactivity_timeout;
    u8 p2p_ctwindow;
    bool p2p_opp_ps;
    const struct cfg80211_acl_data *acl;
    bool pbss;
    struct cfg80211_bitrate_mask beacon_rate;
    const struct ieee80211_ht_cap *ht_cap;
    const struct ieee80211_vht_cap *vht_cap;
    const struct ieee80211_he_cap_elem *he_cap;
    const struct ieee80211_eht_cap_elem *eht_cap;
    bool twt_responder;
    u32 flags;
    struct ieee80211_he_obss_pd he_obss_pd;
    struct cfg80211_fils_discovery fils_discovery;
    struct cfg80211_unsol_bcast_probe_resp unsol_bcast_probe_resp;
    struct cfg80211_mbssid_config mbssid_config;
    u8 s1g_long_beacon_period;
    struct cfg80211_s1g_short_beacon s1g_short_beacon;
};

like, look at her. twenty-six members and every single one is carrying her. no notes. 💅

🌸 Members 🌸

okay bestie, field-by-field tour, no skipping, we respect her:

  • chandef — defines the channel to use. this is which channel, bestie, not "the vibes." actually the vibes too but mostly the channel 🌈
  • beacon — beacon data. the beacon content herself 💖
  • beacon_interval — beacon interval. yes the name is the description, she's not complicated, she's iconic
  • dtim_period — DTIM period. that's it, that's the field
  • ssid — the SSID to be used in the BSS. heads up though: may be NULL if not provided from user space 🙈 so like, always check her before you dereference her, fr fr
  • ssid_len — length of ssid. the duo, the pairing, the way that they come as a set 😭
  • hidden_ssid — whether to hide the SSID in Beacon/Probe Response frames. lowkey stealth mode for your network name 💀
  • crypto — crypto settings. the security situatioooon 🔥
  • privacy — the BSS uses privacy. a boolean. yes/no. very demure
  • auth_type — Authentication type (algorithm). which auth algorithm, specifically
  • inactivity_timeout — time in seconds to determine station's inactivity. so like, how long before a station is considered asleep at the wheel 😴
  • p2p_ctwindow — P2P CT Window. that's a u8, bestie
  • p2p_opp_ps — P2P opportunistic PS. power save but make it opportunistic ⭐
  • acl — ACL configuration used by the drivers which has support for MAC address based access control. note the "drivers which has support for" — not every driver does MAC-address-based access control, so don't come for her if yours doesn't 🫶
  • pbss — if set, start as a PCP instead of AP. relevant for DMG networks. literally a different mode entirely, main character energy shift 👑
  • beacon_rate — bitrate to be used for beacons
  • ht_cap — HT capabilities (or NULL if HT isn't enabled) ✨
  • vht_cap — VHT capabilities (or NULL if VHT isn't enabled) ✨
  • he_cap — HE capabilities (or NULL if HE isn't enabled) ✨
  • eht_cap — EHT capabilities (or NULL if EHT isn't enabled) ✨
okay notice the pattern bestie — all four of those cap pointers are NULL when that thing isn't enabled. so many NULLs, so much responsibility, handle with care 😭
  • twt_responder — Enable Target Wait Time. a bool that turns her on 🎀
  • flags — flags, as defined in enum nl80211_ap_settings_flags. go look at the enum, the enum has the answers
  • he_obss_pd — OBSS Packet Detection settings
  • fils_discovery — FILS discovery transmission parameters
  • unsol_bcast_probe_resp — Unsolicited broadcast probe response parameters. yes that whole long name, she earned it
  • mbssid_config — AP settings for multiple bssid
  • s1g_long_beacon_period — S1G long beacon period
  • s1g_short_beacon — S1G short beacon data

🧚 Description 🧚

Used to configure an AP interface. that's the whole thing, bestie — she's the config bundle you hand over when you want an AP interface to actually be an AP. 💜

more coming in part 2, don't go anywhere 🦋

🎀 SEE ALSO 🎀

okay bestie, this is the part where the page points you at literally everyone else in the family 💖 and there are like three hundred of them, so buckle up. Grab a snack. We're doing a whole tour. No skipping, every single one counts — this is a completionist situation, periodt.

First up, the home base: the whole thing lives in the kernel file ./include/net/cfg80211.h, and if you're brand new, start with the welcome wagon:

💅 the channel / rate / privacy basics

  • enum ieee80211_channel_flags(9)
  • struct ieee80211_channel(9)
  • enum ieee80211_rate_flags(9)
  • enum ieee80211_bss_type(9)
  • enum ieee80211_privacy(9)
  • struct ieee80211_rate(9)

🦋 the HE / OBSS coloring corner

  • struct ieee80211_he_obss_pd(9)
  • struct cfg80211_he_bss_color(9)

✨ sta capability lore (ht → vht → he → eht → uhr, the whole glow-up timeline)

  • struct ieee80211_sta_ht_cap(9)
  • struct ieee80211_sta_vht_cap(9)
  • struct ieee80211_sta_he_cap(9)
  • struct ieee80211_eht_mcs_nss_supp(9)
  • struct ieee80211_sta_eht_cap(9)
  • struct ieee80211_sta_uhr_cap(9)

🌸 sband iftype data + all the getters you'll ever need

👑 Actions and configuration (the big one, part 1: the structs)

  • Actions and configuration(9)
  • struct vif_params(9)
  • struct key_params(9)
  • struct cfg80211_chan_def(9)
  • struct cfg80211_tid_cfg(9)
  • struct cfg80211_tid_config(9)
  • struct cfg80211_fils_aad(9)
  • struct cfg80211_set_hw_timestamp(9)

🫶 chandef helpers, aka the "is this channel even real" squad

🍓 survey, crypto, mbssid, rnr, beacon, acl, and friends

  • enum survey_info_flags(9)
  • struct survey_info(9)
  • struct cfg80211_crypto_settings(9)
  • struct cfg80211_mbssid_config(9)
  • struct cfg80211_mbssid_elems(9)
  • struct cfg80211_rnr_elems(9)
  • struct cfg80211_beacon_data(9)
  • struct cfg80211_acl_data(9)
  • struct cfg80211_fils_discovery(9)
  • struct cfg80211_unsol_bcast_probe_resp(9)
  • struct cfg80211_s1g_short_beacon(9)
  • struct cfg80211_ap_update(9)
  • struct cfg80211_csa_settings(9)
  • struct cfg80211_color_change_settings(9)
  • struct iface_combination_params(9)
  • enum station_parameters_apply_mask(9)
  • struct sta_txpwr(9)
  • struct link_station_parameters(9)
  • struct link_station_del_parameters(9)
  • struct cfg80211_ttlm_params(9)
  • struct station_parameters(9)
  • struct station_del_parameters(9)
  • enum cfg80211_station_type(9)
  • cfg80211_check_station_change(9)
  • enum rate_info_flags(9)
  • enum rate_info_bw(9)
  • struct rate_info(9)
  • enum bss_param_flags(9)
  • struct sta_bss_parameters(9)
  • struct cfg80211_txq_stats(9)
  • struct cfg80211_tid_stats(9)
  • struct link_station_info(9)
  • struct station_info(9)

💜 SAR, mesh, ocb, and the rest of the config crew

  • struct cfg80211_sar_sub_specs(9)
  • struct cfg80211_sar_specs(9)
  • struct cfg80211_sar_freq_ranges(9)
  • struct cfg80211_sar_capa(9)
  • cfg80211_get_station(9)
  • enum monitor_flags(9)
  • enum mpath_info_flags(9)
  • struct mpath_info(9)
  • enum wiphy_bss_param_flags(9)
  • struct bss_parameters(9)
  • struct mesh_config(9)
  • struct mesh_setup(9)
  • struct ocb_setup(9)
  • struct ieee80211_txq_params(9)

🔥 Scanning and BSS list handling

  • Scanning and BSS list handling(9)
  • struct cfg80211_ssid(9)
  • struct cfg80211_scan_info(9)
  • struct cfg80211_scan_6ghz_params(9)
  • struct cfg80211_scan_request(9)
  • struct cfg80211_match_set(9)
  • struct cfg80211_sched_scan_plan(9)
  • struct cfg80211_bss_select_adjust(9)
  • struct cfg80211_sched_scan_request(9)
  • enum cfg80211_signal_type(9)
  • struct cfg80211_inform_bss(9)
  • struct cfg80211_bss_ies(9)
  • struct cfg80211_bss(9)
  • ieee80211_bss_get_elem(9)
  • ieee80211_bss_get_ie(9)
  • struct cfg80211_auth_request(9)
  • struct cfg80211_assoc_link(9)
  • struct cfg80211_ml_reconf_req(9)
  • enum cfg80211_assoc_req_flags(9)
  • struct cfg80211_assoc_request(9)
  • struct cfg80211_deauth_request(9)
  • struct cfg80211_disassoc_request(9)
  • struct cfg80211_ibss_params(9)
  • struct cfg80211_bss_selection(9)
  • struct cfg80211_connect_params(9)
  • enum cfg80211_connect_params_changed(9)
  • enum wiphy_params_flags(9)

🎀 pmksa, wowlan, coalesce, gtk rekey, dscp, qos

  • struct cfg80211_pmksa(9)
  • struct cfg80211_pkt_pattern(9)
  • struct cfg80211_wowlan_tcp(9)
  • struct cfg80211_wowlan(9)
  • struct cfg80211_coalesce_rules(9)
  • struct cfg80211_coalesce(9)
  • struct cfg80211_wowlan_nd_match(9)
  • struct cfg80211_wowlan_nd_info(9)
  • struct cfg80211_wowlan_wakeup(9)
  • struct cfg80211_gtk_rekey_data(9)
  • struct cfg80211_update_ft_ies_params(9)
  • struct cfg80211_mgmt_tx_params(9)
  • struct cfg80211_dscp_exception(9)
  • struct cfg80211_dscp_range(9)
  • struct cfg80211_qos_map(9)

🌈 Neighbor Awareness Networking (NAN)

  • Neighbor Awareness Networking (NAN)(9)
  • struct cfg80211_nan_band_config(9)
  • struct cfg80211_nan_conf(9)
  • struct cfg80211_nan_channel(9)
  • struct cfg80211_nan_local_sched(9)
  • struct cfg80211_nan_peer_map(9)
  • struct cfg80211_nan_peer_sched(9)
  • enum cfg80211_nan_conf_changes(9)
  • struct cfg80211_nan_func_filter(9)
  • struct cfg80211_nan_func(9)

⭐ pmk conf, external auth, ftm, pmsr, owe

  • struct cfg80211_pmk_conf(9)
  • struct cfg80211_external_auth_params(9)
  • struct cfg80211_ftm_responder_stats(9)
  • struct cfg80211_pmsr_ftm_result(9)
  • struct cfg80211_pmsr_result(9)
  • struct cfg80211_pmsr_ftm_request_peer(9)
  • struct cfg80211_pmsr_request_peer(9)
  • struct cfg80211_pmsr_request(9)
  • struct cfg80211_update_owe_info(9)
  • struct mgmt_frame_regs(9)

🦋 the ops/wiphy era

  • struct cfg80211_ops(9)
  • enum wiphy_flags(9)
  • struct ieee80211_iface_limit(9)
  • struct ieee80211_iface_combination(9)
  • enum wiphy_wowlan_support_flags(9)
  • struct wiphy_wowlan_support(9)
  • struct wiphy_coalesce_support(9)
  • enum wiphy_vendor_command_flags(9)
  • enum wiphy_opmode_flag(9)
  • struct sta_opmode_info(9)
  • struct wiphy_vendor_command(9)
  • struct wiphy_iftype_ext_capab(9)
  • cfg80211_get_iftype_ext_capa(9)
  • struct cfg80211_pmsr_capabilities(9)
  • struct wiphy_iftype_akm_suites(9)
  • struct wiphy_radio_cfg(9)
  • struct wiphy_radio_freq_range(9)
  • struct wiphy_radio(9)
  • enum wiphy_nan_flags(9)
  • struct wiphy_nan_capa(9)
  • struct wiphy(9)

💀 wiphy lifecycle + every single work-queue variant (yes, all of them, no cap)

🎀 ap reg power + wireless_dev

💅 Utility functions

🌸 Data path helpers

👑 Regulatory enforcement infrastructure

🫶 Internal regulatory db functions

🔥 scan done / bss inform / bss get — the notify zone

✨ RFkill integration

🎀 Vendor commands

🧚 Test mode

🍓 connect / roam / disconnect lore

💜 remain-on-channel, tid stats, and station add/remove

🦋 rx/tx mgmt + control port

🌈 cqm + radar + cac + rekey + pmksa candidate

⭐ the last little crew (spurious frames, obss beacons, beaconing check)

bestie that was genuinely like three hundred and fifty entries and you read every one 💖 not me being proud of you rn. there's more page coming, so don't go anywhere 🫶

okay so we're still deep in the SEE ALSO section and bestie, the list is long. Like, they really said "you will know every single one of these" 💀 so here they all are, no skips, no cuts, no "etc." — we do not do "etc." on this page. Buckle in 🫶

the way this list just keeps going — it's giving encyclopedia, it's giving ✨thorough✨

note that one of these is a struct and not a function — struct cfg80211_ft_event_params(9) is sitting right there in the list looking all important 👑 don't @ me, that's just how it's written.

the NAN cluster is lowkey having a whole moment here, iykyk 💅

the colour-change girlies are all here and they brought friends 🌈

another struct sighting 🎀 struct cfg80211_mlo_reconf_done_data(9) is in the building, say hi.

and that's the whole list, bestie — every single reference, exactly as written, nothing dropped, nothing merged, nothing invented. if you're cross-referencing all of these in one sitting, drink some water fr fr 🍓

takeaway: this page does not do "and others" — it names all 64. main character energy, honestly 👑

and that's a wrap on struct cfg80211_ap_settings(9) 💖 this cutie lives in the kernel tree at ./include/net, and the copy we've been reading is the October 2026 edition ✨ go forth, read your structs, slay your build, periodt 🌸🦋

📦 where this page comes from