STRUCT CFG80211_BEACON_DATA(9)

📦 version 7.3.1, in nixpkgs unstable

✨ NAME ✨

okay so this is struct cfg80211_beacon_data(9) from the Kernel API manual, and the official NAME vibe is literally: struct cfg80211_beacon_data — beacon data 🎀

It's the struct that bundles up all the beacon-ish pieces, and bestie, there are a lot of pieces. No skipping, we're doing all of them 💅

🌸 SYNOPSIS 🌸

struct cfg80211_beacon_data {
    unsigned int link_id;
    const u8 *head, *tail;
    const u8 *beacon_ies;
    const u8 *proberesp_ies;
    const u8 *assocresp_ies;
    const u8 *probe_resp;
    const u8 *lci;
    const u8 *civicloc;
    struct cfg80211_mbssid_elems *mbssid_ies;
    struct cfg80211_rnr_elems *rnr_ies;
    s8 ftm_responder;
    size_t head_len, tail_len;
    size_t beacon_ies_len;
    size_t proberesp_ies_len;
    size_t assocresp_ies_len;
    size_t probe_resp_len;
    size_t lci_len;
    size_t civicloc_len;
    struct cfg80211_he_bss_color he_bss_color;
    bool he_bss_color_valid;
    bool ht_required, vht_required;
    const struct ieee80211_ht_operation *ht_oper;
    const struct ieee80211_vht_operation *vht_oper;
    const struct ieee80211_he_operation *he_oper;
    const struct ieee80211_eht_operation *eht_oper;
    const struct ieee80211_uhr_operation *uhr_oper;
 };

💅 Members 💅

  • link_id — the link ID for the AP MLD link that's sending this beacon 👑
  • head — head portion of beacon (before TIM IE), or NULL if it hasn't changed 🫶
  • tail — tail portion of beacon (after TIM IE), or NULL if it hasn't changed ✨
  • beacon_ies — extra information element(s) to add into Beacon frames, or NULL 🌸
  • proberesp_ies — extra information element(s) to add into Probe Response frames, or NULL 🦋
  • assocresp_ies — extra information element(s) to add into (Re)Association Response frames, or NULL 💖
  • probe_resp — probe response template (AP mode only) 📡
  • lci — Measurement Report element content, starting with Measurement Token (measurement type 8) 🧚
  • civicloc — Measurement Report element content, starting with Measurement Token (measurement type 11) 🌈
  • mbssid_ies — multiple BSSID elements 👯‍♀️
  • rnr_ies — reduced neighbor report elements 🗺️
  • ftm_responder — enable FTM responder functionality; -1 for no change (which also implies no change in LCI/civic location data) ⚠️
  • head_len — length of head 📏
  • tail_len — length of tail 📏
  • beacon_ies_len — length of beacon_ies in octets 🔢
  • proberesp_ies_len — length of proberesp_ies in octets 🔢
  • assocresp_ies_len — length of assocresp_ies in octets 🔢
  • probe_resp_len — length of probe response template (probe_resp) 📐
  • lci_len — LCI data length 📏
  • civicloc_len — Civic location data length 📏
  • he_bss_color — BSS Color settings 🎨
  • he_bss_color_valid — indicates whether bss color attribute is present in beacon data or not ✅
  • ht_required — stations must support HT 💪
  • vht_required — stations must support VHT 💪
  • ht_oper — HT operation element (or NULL if HT isn't enabled) 🌿
  • vht_oper — VHT operation element (or NULL if VHT isn't enabled) 🌿
  • he_oper — HE operation IE (or NULL if HE isn't enabled) 🌿
  • eht_oper — EHT operation IE (or NULL if EHT isn't enabled) 🌿
  • uhr_oper — UHR operation (or NULL if UHR isn't enabled) 🌿

✨ SEE ALSO ✨

okay so before the page lets you go, it has to point at literally every other page in the cfg80211 cinematic universe 💅 and bestie… there are a lot of them. they all live in the kernel file ./include/net/cfg80211.h, they're all section (9), and every single one is listed here. no cap, no skipping, no "tl;dr" 🙈 hydrate and scroll 🫶

okay we're like 30 in and the list hasn't even started yet 😭 stay with me, it's giving marathon energy 🏃‍♀️💨

okay hydration check 💧 you're doing amazing, we're not even halfway 😅 next up, the scanning girlies 🌸

  • 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)
  • 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)

NAN time 🔥 don't ask me to explain it here, that's what the page is for, just know it's listed 💅

utility crew 🧚 these ones are lowkey the useful ones, iykyk

and the data path helpers, arguably the main characters of packet-land 👑

regulatory enforcement infrastructure 👮‍♀️ the vibes are "don't break the law" and honestly? iconic

and the internal regulatory db functions, which are exactly what they sound like 🫶

back to the BSS girlies and the scanning notifications, here we go again 😮‍💨

RFkill integration 🌈 because sometimes the move is just turning it off and on again

vendor commands 💼 for when you need your own special little commands

test mode 🧪 we love a controlled experiment

okay the connection / roaming / notification section and bestie it is long 😭 but every one of these is a real page and they're all getting their moment

and THAT'S the cross-references bestie 🎀 every last one, accounted for, not a single name dropped. but don't close the tab — the page isn't done with you yet, part 3 is right there and it has more to say 💜 keep scrolling 🦋

…and the rest of the reading list ✨ (yes bestie, there's more, grab a snack, we're doing this) 🍓

like, the feature-flag girlies 💅

the whole NAN saga continues, obvi 🌈

and that's the entire extended universe, no skips, no cuts, we ate the whole thing 👑 ngl this list is giving "the group chat has 64 members and everyone has opinions" but every single one is here because we don't gatekeep 🫶

okay that's the whole page babes 💖 go read the ones that sound relevant to whatever you're building, and remember: the cross-references are load-bearing, don't @ me

and a lil sign-off for the credits, because even manpages deserve a bow 🎀 this one lives in ./include/net and it's stamped October 2026, filed oh-so-officially under struct cfg80211_beacon_data(9). iconic, no notes 💅✨🌸

📦 where this page comes from