STRUCT DEV_PRIV(9)

📦 version 7.3.1, in nixpkgs unstable

💅 struct dev_priv(9) — the Kernel API Manual glow-up

okay so bestie, we're in the Kernel API Manual today and the star of the show is struct dev_priv(9). this is the network device private data structure — the little locker where a network device keeps all its own secrets. 🎀

✨ NAME ✨

struct dev_priv — Network device private data structure. yes. that's the whole vibe. it holds the private data. slay. 💖

🌸 SYNOPSIS 🌸

struct dev_priv {
    struct dev_info *adapter;
    struct ksz_port port;
    struct ksz_timer_info monitor_timer_info;
    struct semaphore proc_sem;
    int id;
    struct mii_if_info mii_if;
    u32 advertising;
    u32 msg_enable;
    int media_state;
    int multicast;
    int promiscuous;
 };

lowkey iconic struct layout, no notes. 🫶

🦋 Members 🦋

here's the tour, one field at a time, iykyk:

  • adapter — Adapter device information. the parent-energy field fr fr.
  • port — Port information. all the port lore lives right here.
  • monitor_timer_info — Timer to monitor ports. it's giving "i watch you while you sleep" but make it kernel-friendly. ⏰
  • proc_sem — Semaphore for proc accessing. the bouncer at the proc club. you shall not pass (without the semaphore). 💅
  • id — Device ID. everyone needs an ID bestie.
  • mii_if — MII interface information. yes MII, not me. 🌸
  • advertising — Temporary variable to store advertised settings. temporary! like my attention span for anything that isn't Unix.
  • msg_enable — The message flags controlling driver output. this is the volume knob for the driver's yapping. 🔥
  • media_state — The connection status of the device. are we connected or are we not, that is the question.
  • multicast — The all multicast state of the device.
  • promiscuous — The promiscuous state of the device. 👀 that's the field name. that's just what it's called. i don't make the rules.

🌈 SEE ALSO 🌈

the whole friend group shows up here, and honestly? respect the networking. the source of all this magic lives in the kernel file ./drivers/net/ethernet/micrel/ksz884x.c.

the structs:

  • struct ksz_hw_desc(9)
  • struct ksz_sw_desc(9)
  • struct ksz_dma_buf(9)
  • struct ksz_desc(9)
  • struct ksz_desc_info(9)
  • struct ksz_mac_table(9)
  • struct ksz_vlan_table(9)
  • struct ksz_port_mib(9)
  • struct ksz_port_cfg(9)
  • struct ksz_switch(9)
  • struct ksz_port_info(9)
  • struct ksz_hw(9)
  • struct ksz_port(9)
  • struct ksz_timer_info(9)
  • struct ksz_shared_mem(9)
  • struct ksz_counter_info(9)
  • struct dev_info(9)

the hw / sw helpers:

the phy / eeprom / link squad:

the wake-on-lan crew:

the hw lifecycle besties:

the timer + descriptor + memory girlies:

the tx / rx pipeline:

the ethtool-adjacent icons:

like i said. the whole group chat got added. not one person left on read. 💀✨

ngl bestie, if you got this far you basically main-character'd your way through every reference in ksz884x.c. 🏆

and that's the page! brought to you by ./drivers/net/ethernet/micrel, dated October 2026, straight out of the Kernel API Manual — bye bestie, go read some descriptors 💜🧚‍♀️

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