[PATCH net-next] net/mlx5e: Report link down on administrative close

[PATCH net-next] net/mlx5e: Report link down on administrative close

[Manjunath Patil]

mlx5e_update_carrier() reports both link-up and link-down carrier
changes, but an administrative down does not reach it in practice. The
close path first changes the port admin state and then clears
MLX5E_STATE_OPENED and drops carrier silently in mlx5e_close_locked().
Any queued carrier worker will skip update_carrier() once the device is
no longer opened.

This leaves "ip link set dev <dev> down" without a matching netdev
"Link down" message, while reopening the device still reports "Link up".

Report the link-down transition in mlx5e_close() before the common close
helper clears the opened state and drops carrier. Guard the message with
the current opened and carrier state to avoid duplicates when the netdev
is already closed or carrier is already down.

Assisted-by: Codex:gpt-5
Signed-off-by: Manjunath Patil <manjunath.b.patil@oracle.com>
---
Validation:
- Built an OL8 mainline test kernel from this change.
- Booted 7.1.0-rc6.bug123456.el8.v1.x86_64 on an mlx5-backed VM.
- Confirmed `ip link set dev re0 down/up` and `re1 down/up` now emit
  netdev `Link down` and `Link up` messages, alongside the existing RDMA
  port state notifications.

 drivers/net/ethernet/mellanox/mlx5/core/en_main.c | 3 +++
 1 file changed, 3 insertions(+)

diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/mellanox/mlx5/core/en_main.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/mellanox/mlx5/core/en_main.c
index 8f2b3abe0092..a04a89f0eddf 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/mellanox/mlx5/core/en_main.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/mellanox/mlx5/core/en_main.c
@@ -3628,6 +3628,9 @@ int mlx5e_close(struct net_device *netdev)
 
 	mutex_lock(&priv->state_lock);
 	mlx5e_modify_admin_state(priv->mdev, MLX5_PORT_DOWN);
+	if (test_bit(MLX5E_STATE_OPENED, &priv->state) &&
+	    netif_carrier_ok(netdev))
+		netdev_info(netdev, "Link down\n");
 	err = mlx5e_close_locked(netdev);
 	mutex_unlock(&priv->state_lock);
 

base-commit: e43ffb69e0438cddd72aaa30898b4dc446f664f8
-- 
2.47.3

Re: [PATCH net-next] net/mlx5e: Report link down on administrative close

[Tariq Toukan]

On 09/06/2026 2:42, Manjunath Patil wrote:
> mlx5e_update_carrier() reports both link-up and link-down carrier
> changes, but an administrative down does not reach it in practice. The
> close path first changes the port admin state and then clears
> MLX5E_STATE_OPENED and drops carrier silently in mlx5e_close_locked().
> Any queued carrier worker will skip update_carrier() once the device is
> no longer opened.
> 
> This leaves "ip link set dev <dev> down" without a matching netdev
> "Link down" message, while reopening the device still reports "Link up".
> 
> Report the link-down transition in mlx5e_close() before the common close
> helper clears the opened state and drops carrier. Guard the message with
> the current opened and carrier state to avoid duplicates when the netdev
> is already closed or carrier is already down.
> 
> Assisted-by: Codex:gpt-5
> Signed-off-by: Manjunath Patil <manjunath.b.patil@oracle.com>
> ---
> Validation:
> - Built an OL8 mainline test kernel from this change.
> - Booted 7.1.0-rc6.bug123456.el8.v1.x86_64 on an mlx5-backed VM.
> - Confirmed `ip link set dev re0 down/up` and `re1 down/up` now emit
>    netdev `Link down` and `Link up` messages, alongside the existing RDMA
>    port state notifications.
> 
>   drivers/net/ethernet/mellanox/mlx5/core/en_main.c | 3 +++
>   1 file changed, 3 insertions(+)
> 
> diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/mellanox/mlx5/core/en_main.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/mellanox/mlx5/core/en_main.c
> index 8f2b3abe0092..a04a89f0eddf 100644
> --- a/drivers/net/ethernet/mellanox/mlx5/core/en_main.c
> +++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/mellanox/mlx5/core/en_main.c
> @@ -3628,6 +3628,9 @@ int mlx5e_close(struct net_device *netdev)
>   
>   	mutex_lock(&priv->state_lock);
>   	mlx5e_modify_admin_state(priv->mdev, MLX5_PORT_DOWN);
> +	if (test_bit(MLX5E_STATE_OPENED, &priv->state) &&
> +	    netif_carrier_ok(netdev))
> +		netdev_info(netdev, "Link down\n");
>   	err = mlx5e_close_locked(netdev);
>   	mutex_unlock(&priv->state_lock);
>   
> 
> base-commit: e43ffb69e0438cddd72aaa30898b4dc446f664f8

Thanks for your patch.

I wouldn't print "Link down" as part of the "close" callback. I'd rather 
get it printed in the event handler. Currently there is a print there, 
but the callback is masked by the OPENED bit.

This made me revisit this area, and it surely needs some more 
interesting enhancements.
I'll probably come up with some changes soon.

Re: [PATCH net-next] net/mlx5e: Report link down on administrative close

[manjunath.b.patil]

On 6/10/26 5:06 AM, Tariq Toukan wrote:
> 
> 
> On 09/06/2026 2:42, Manjunath Patil wrote:
>> mlx5e_update_carrier() reports both link-up and link-down carrier
>> changes, but an administrative down does not reach it in practice. The
>> close path first changes the port admin state and then clears
>> MLX5E_STATE_OPENED and drops carrier silently in mlx5e_close_locked().
>> Any queued carrier worker will skip update_carrier() once the device is
>> no longer opened.
>>
>> This leaves "ip link set dev <dev> down" without a matching netdev
>> "Link down" message, while reopening the device still reports "Link up".
>>
>> Report the link-down transition in mlx5e_close() before the common close
>> helper clears the opened state and drops carrier. Guard the message with
>> the current opened and carrier state to avoid duplicates when the netdev
>> is already closed or carrier is already down.
>>
>> Assisted-by: Codex:gpt-5
>> Signed-off-by: Manjunath Patil <manjunath.b.patil@oracle.com>
>> ---
>> Validation:
>> - Built an OL8 mainline test kernel from this change.
>> - Booted 7.1.0-rc6.bug123456.el8.v1.x86_64 on an mlx5-backed VM.
>> - Confirmed `ip link set dev re0 down/up` and `re1 down/up` now emit
>>    netdev `Link down` and `Link up` messages, alongside the existing RDMA
>>    port state notifications.
>>
>>   drivers/net/ethernet/mellanox/mlx5/core/en_main.c | 3 +++
>>   1 file changed, 3 insertions(+)
>>
>> diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/mellanox/mlx5/core/en_main.c b/ 
>> drivers/net/ethernet/mellanox/mlx5/core/en_main.c
>> index 8f2b3abe0092..a04a89f0eddf 100644
>> --- a/drivers/net/ethernet/mellanox/mlx5/core/en_main.c
>> +++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/mellanox/mlx5/core/en_main.c
>> @@ -3628,6 +3628,9 @@ int mlx5e_close(struct net_device *netdev)
>>       mutex_lock(&priv->state_lock);
>>       mlx5e_modify_admin_state(priv->mdev, MLX5_PORT_DOWN);
>> +    if (test_bit(MLX5E_STATE_OPENED, &priv->state) &&
>> +        netif_carrier_ok(netdev))
>> +        netdev_info(netdev, "Link down\n");
>>       err = mlx5e_close_locked(netdev);
>>       mutex_unlock(&priv->state_lock);
>>
>> base-commit: e43ffb69e0438cddd72aaa30898b4dc446f664f8
> 
> Thanks for your patch.
> 
> I wouldn't print "Link down" as part of the "close" callback. I'd rather 
> get it printed in the event handler. Currently there is a print there, 
> but the callback is masked by the OPENED bit.
> 
> This made me revisit this area, and it surely needs some more 
> interesting enhancements.
> I'll probably come up with some changes soon.

thank for you taking a look at this patch.
I will hold on and wait for your changes.

-Manjunath

Re: [PATCH net-next] net/mlx5e: Report link down on administrative close

[manjunath.b.patil]

On 6/11/26 1:13 PM, manjunath.b.patil@oracle.com wrote:
> On 6/10/26 5:06 AM, Tariq Toukan wrote:
>>
>>
>> On 09/06/2026 2:42, Manjunath Patil wrote:
>>> mlx5e_update_carrier() reports both link-up and link-down carrier
>>> changes, but an administrative down does not reach it in practice. The
>>> close path first changes the port admin state and then clears
>>> MLX5E_STATE_OPENED and drops carrier silently in mlx5e_close_locked().
>>> Any queued carrier worker will skip update_carrier() once the device is
>>> no longer opened.
>>>
>>> This leaves "ip link set dev <dev> down" without a matching netdev
>>> "Link down" message, while reopening the device still reports "Link up".
>>>
>>> Report the link-down transition in mlx5e_close() before the common close
>>> helper clears the opened state and drops carrier. Guard the message with
>>> the current opened and carrier state to avoid duplicates when the netdev
>>> is already closed or carrier is already down.
>>>
>>> Assisted-by: Codex:gpt-5
>>> Signed-off-by: Manjunath Patil <manjunath.b.patil@oracle.com>
>>> ---
>>> Validation:
>>> - Built an OL8 mainline test kernel from this change.
>>> - Booted 7.1.0-rc6.bug123456.el8.v1.x86_64 on an mlx5-backed VM.
>>> - Confirmed `ip link set dev re0 down/up` and `re1 down/up` now emit
>>>    netdev `Link down` and `Link up` messages, alongside the existing 
>>> RDMA
>>>    port state notifications.
>>>
>>>   drivers/net/ethernet/mellanox/mlx5/core/en_main.c | 3 +++
>>>   1 file changed, 3 insertions(+)
>>>
>>> diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/mellanox/mlx5/core/en_main.c b/ 
>>> drivers/net/ethernet/mellanox/mlx5/core/en_main.c
>>> index 8f2b3abe0092..a04a89f0eddf 100644
>>> --- a/drivers/net/ethernet/mellanox/mlx5/core/en_main.c
>>> +++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/mellanox/mlx5/core/en_main.c
>>> @@ -3628,6 +3628,9 @@ int mlx5e_close(struct net_device *netdev)
>>>       mutex_lock(&priv->state_lock);
>>>       mlx5e_modify_admin_state(priv->mdev, MLX5_PORT_DOWN);
>>> +    if (test_bit(MLX5E_STATE_OPENED, &priv->state) &&
>>> +        netif_carrier_ok(netdev))
>>> +        netdev_info(netdev, "Link down\n");
>>>       err = mlx5e_close_locked(netdev);
>>>       mutex_unlock(&priv->state_lock);
>>>
>>> base-commit: e43ffb69e0438cddd72aaa30898b4dc446f664f8
>>
>> Thanks for your patch.
>>
>> I wouldn't print "Link down" as part of the "close" callback. I'd 
>> rather get it printed in the event handler. Currently there is a print 
>> there, but the callback is masked by the OPENED bit.
>>
>> This made me revisit this area, and it surely needs some more 
>> interesting enhancements.
>> I'll probably come up with some changes soon.
> 
> thank for you taking a look at this patch.
> I will hold on and wait for your changes.

Any update on this?

I checked a v7.2-rc6 based kernel. That still showed the old behavior - 
'fup re0' reports 're0: Link up', while a successful 'ifdown re0' 
remains silent.

-Manjunath

> 
> -Manjunath