STRUCT MESH_PATH(9)

💖 struct mesh_path(9) 💖

okay bestie, welcome to the Kernel API Manual entry for struct mesh_path(9) — the mac80211 mesh path structure. this is the whole vibe: one struct tracking a mesh path, with all its fields, flags, timers, locks, and lil bookkeeping details. no cap, we are keeping every single one. 🫶

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🌸 NAME 🌸

struct mesh_path — the mac80211 mesh path structure. it’s giving “one struct to track a destination through the mesh” energy. 💅

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✨ SYNOPSIS ✨

here’s the struct, exactly, no edits, no “fixing” the names, just the whole thing:

struct mesh_path {
    u8 dst[ETH_ALEN];
    u8 mpp[ETH_ALEN];
    struct rhash_head rhash;
    struct hlist_node walk_list;
    struct hlist_node gate_list;
    struct ieee80211_sub_if_data *sdata;
    struct sta_info *next_hop;
    struct timer_list timer;
    struct sk_buff_head frame_queue;
    struct rcu_head rcu;
    u32 sn;
    u32 metric;
    u8 hop_count;
    unsigned long exp_time;
    u32 discovery_timeout;
    u8 discovery_retries;
    enum mesh_path_flags flags;
    spinlock_t state_lock;
    u8 rann_snd_addr[ETH_ALEN];
    u32 rann_metric;
    unsigned long last_preq_to_root;
    unsigned long fast_tx_check;
    bool is_root;
    bool is_gate;
    u32 path_change_count;
};

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🫶 Members 🫶

okay so every field gets its moment. main character energy for each one:

• dst — mesh path destination mac address.
• mpp — mesh proxy mac address.
• rhash — rhashtable list pointer.
• walk_list — linked list containing all mesh_path objects.
• gate_list — list pointer for known gates list.
• sdata — mesh subif.
• next_hop — mesh neighbor to which frames for this destination will be forwarded.
• timer — mesh path discovery timer.
• frame_queue — pending queue for frames sent to this destination while the path is unresolved.
• rcu — rcu head for freeing mesh path.
• sn — target sequence number.
• metric — current metric to this destination.
• hop_count — hops to destination.
• exp_time — in jiffies, when the path will expire or when it expired.
• discovery_timeout — timeout (lapse in jiffies) used for the last discovery retry.
• discovery_retries — number of discovery retries.
• flags — mesh path flags, as specified on enum mesh_path_flags.
• state_lock — mesh path state lock used to protect changes to the mpath itself. No need to take this lock when adding or removing an mpath to a hash bucket on a path table.
• rann_snd_addr — the RANN sender address.
• rann_metric — the aggregated path metric towards the root node.
• last_preq_to_root — Timestamp of last PREQ sent to root.
• fast_tx_check — timestamp of last fast-xmit enable attempt.
• is_root — the destination station of this path is a root node.
• is_gate — the destination station of this path is a mesh gate.
• path_change_count — the number of path changes to destination.

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💅 Description 💅

The dst address is unique in the mesh path table. Since the mesh_path is protected by RCU, deleting the next_hop STA must remove / substitute the mesh_path structure and wait until that is no longer reachable before destroying the STA completely.

ngl that last bit is important: RCU is the vibe, and the next_hop STA cannot be fully destroyed until the mesh_path is no longer reachable. periodt. 🫶

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👑 SEE ALSO 👑

• Kernel file ./net/mac80211/mesh.h
• enum mesh_path_flags(9)
• enum mesh_deferred_task_flags(9)
• enum ieee80211_mesh_fast_tx_type(9)
• struct ieee80211_mesh_fast_tx_key(9)
• struct ieee80211_mesh_fast_tx(9)
• struct rmc_entry(9)

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and that’s the page, bestie — catch u later. this one came from the ./net/mac80211 source/version, October 2026 edition, and yes that’s the footer energy 💖✨