fix

e2e/helpers_test.go

@@ -4,15 +4,13 @@
 package e2e
 
 import (
-	"io"
+	"log/slog"
 	"net/netip"
 	"os"
 	"strings"
 	"testing"
 	"time"
 
-	"log/slog"
-
 	"dario.cat/mergo"
 	"github.com/google/gopacket"
 	"github.com/google/gopacket/layers"
@@ -382,7 +380,7 @@ func getAddrs(ns []netip.Prefix) []netip.Addr {
 func NewTestLogger() *slog.Logger {
 	v := os.Getenv("TEST_LOGS")
 	if v == "" {
-		return slog.New(slog.NewTextHandler(io.Discard, nil))
+		return slog.New(slog.DiscardHandler)
 	}
 
 	level := slog.LevelInfo

handshake_manager.go

@@ -974,6 +974,7 @@ func (hm *HandshakeManager) continueHandshake(via ViaSender, hh *HandshakeHostIn
 		nb := make([]byte, 12, 12)
 		out := make([]byte, mtu)
 		for _, cp := range hh.packetStore {
+			//todo use a sendbatcher
 			cp.callback(cp.messageType, cp.messageSubType, hostinfo, cp.packet, nb, out)
 		}
 		f.cachedPacketMetrics.sent.Inc(int64(len(hh.packetStore)))

inside.go

@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ package nebula
 
 import (
 	"context"
+	"io"
 	"log/slog"
 	"net/netip"
 
@@ -9,10 +10,16 @@ import (
 	"github.com/slackhq/nebula/header"
 	"github.com/slackhq/nebula/iputil"
 	"github.com/slackhq/nebula/noiseutil"
+	"github.com/slackhq/nebula/overlay/batch"
 	"github.com/slackhq/nebula/routing"
+	"github.com/slackhq/nebula/wire"
 )
 
-func (f *Interface) consumeInsidePacket(packet []byte, fwPacket *firewall.Packet, nb, out []byte, q int, localCache firewall.ConntrackCache) {
+func (f *Interface) consumeInsidePacket(pkt wire.TunPacket, fwPacket *firewall.Packet, nb []byte, sendBatch *batch.SendBatch, rejectBuf []byte, q int, localCache firewall.ConntrackCache) {
+	// borrowed: pkt.Bytes is owned by the originating tio.Queue and is
+	// only valid until the next Read on that queue. If you must keep
+	// the packet, use pkt.Clone() to detach it
+	packet := pkt.Bytes
 	err := newPacket(packet, false, fwPacket)
 	if err != nil {
 		if f.l.Enabled(context.Background(), slog.LevelDebug) {
@@ -37,7 +44,10 @@ func (f *Interface) consumeInsidePacket(packet []byte, fwPacket *firewall.Packet
 		// routes packets from the Nebula addr to the Nebula addr through the Nebula
 		// TUN device.
 		if immediatelyForwardToSelf {
-			_, err := f.readers[q].Write(packet)
+			err := pkt.PerSegment(func(seg []byte) error {
+				_, werr := f.readers[q].Write(seg)
+				return werr
+			})
 			if err != nil {
 				f.l.Error("Failed to forward to tun", "error", err)
 			}
@@ -53,11 +63,23 @@ func (f *Interface) consumeInsidePacket(packet []byte, fwPacket *firewall.Packet
 	}
 
 	hostinfo, ready := f.getOrHandshakeConsiderRouting(fwPacket, func(hh *HandshakeHostInfo) {
-		hh.cachePacket(f.l, header.Message, 0, packet, f.sendMessageNow, f.cachedPacketMetrics)
+		// borrowed: SegmentSuperpacket builds each segment in the kernel-supplied pkt
+		// bytes underneath. cachePacket explicitly copies its argument (handshake_manager.go cachePacket),
+		// so retaining segments past the loop is safe.
+		err := pkt.PerSegment(func(seg []byte) error {
+			hh.cachePacket(f.l, header.Message, 0, seg, f.sendMessageNow, f.cachedPacketMetrics)
+			return nil
+		})
+		if err != nil && f.l.Enabled(context.Background(), slog.LevelDebug) {
+			f.l.Debug("Failed to segment superpacket for handshake cache",
+				"error", err,
+				"vpnAddr", fwPacket.RemoteAddr,
+			)
+		}
 	})
 
 	if hostinfo == nil {
-		f.rejectInside(packet, out, q)
+		f.rejectInside(packet, rejectBuf, q)
 		if f.l.Enabled(context.Background(), slog.LevelDebug) {
 			f.l.Debug("dropping outbound packet, vpnAddr not in our vpn networks or in unsafe networks",
 				"vpnAddr", fwPacket.RemoteAddr,
@@ -73,10 +95,9 @@ func (f *Interface) consumeInsidePacket(packet []byte, fwPacket *firewall.Packet
 
 	dropReason := f.firewall.Drop(*fwPacket, false, hostinfo, f.pki.GetCAPool(), localCache)
 	if dropReason == nil {
-		f.sendNoMetrics(header.Message, 0, hostinfo.ConnectionState, hostinfo, netip.AddrPort{}, packet, nb, out, q)
-
+		f.sendInsideMessage(hostinfo, pkt, nb, sendBatch)
 	} else {
-		f.rejectInside(packet, out, q)
+		f.rejectInside(packet, rejectBuf, q)
 		if f.l.Enabled(context.Background(), slog.LevelDebug) {
 			hostinfo.logger(f.l).Debug("dropping outbound packet",
 				"fwPacket", fwPacket,
@@ -86,6 +107,124 @@ func (f *Interface) consumeInsidePacket(packet []byte, fwPacket *firewall.Packet
 	}
 }
 
+func (f *Interface) sendInsideEncrypt(hostinfo *HostInfo, ci *ConnectionState, seg, scratch, nb []byte) []byte {
+	if noiseutil.EncryptLockNeeded {
+		ci.writeLock.Lock()
+	}
+	c := ci.messageCounter.Add(1)
+
+	out := header.Encode(scratch, header.Version, header.Message, 0, hostinfo.remoteIndexId, c)
+	f.connectionManager.Out(hostinfo)
+
+	out, encErr := ci.eKey.EncryptDanger(out, out, seg, c, nb)
+	if noiseutil.EncryptLockNeeded {
+		ci.writeLock.Unlock()
+	}
+	if encErr != nil {
+		hostinfo.logger(f.l).Error("Failed to encrypt outgoing packet",
+			"error", encErr,
+			"udpAddr", hostinfo.remote,
+			"counter", c,
+		)
+		// Skip this segment; the rest of the superpacket can still
+		// go out — TCP will retransmit anything we drop here.
+		return nil
+	}
+
+	return out
+}
+
+// sendInsideMessage encrypts a firewall-approved inside packet (or every
+// segment of a TSO/USO superpacket) into the caller's batch slot for
+// later sendmmsg flush. Segmentation is fused with encryption here so the
+// kernel-supplied superpacket bytes never get written into a separate
+// scratch arena: PerSegment builds each segment's plaintext in
+// segScratch[:segLen] in turn, and we encrypt directly into a fresh
+// SendBatch slot.
+func (f *Interface) sendInsideMessage(hostinfo *HostInfo, pkt wire.TunPacket, nb []byte, sendBatch *batch.SendBatch) {
+	ci := hostinfo.ConnectionState
+	if ci.eKey == nil {
+		return
+	}
+
+	if hostinfo.lastRebindCount != f.rebindCount {
+		//NOTE: there is an update hole if a tunnel isn't used and exactly 256 rebinds occur before the tunnel is
+		// finally used again. This tunnel would eventually be torn down and recreated if this action didn't help.
+		f.lightHouse.QueryServer(hostinfo.vpnAddrs[0])
+		hostinfo.lastRebindCount = f.rebindCount
+		if f.l.Enabled(context.Background(), slog.LevelDebug) {
+			hostinfo.logger(f.l).Debug("Lighthouse update triggered for punch due to rebind counter",
+				"vpnAddrs", hostinfo.vpnAddrs,
+			)
+		}
+	}
+
+	if !hostinfo.remote.IsValid() { //the relay path
+		//first, find our relay hostinfo:
+		var relayHostInfo *HostInfo
+		var relay *Relay
+		var err error
+		for _, relayIP := range hostinfo.relayState.CopyRelayIps() {
+			relayHostInfo, relay, err = f.hostMap.QueryVpnAddrsRelayFor(hostinfo.vpnAddrs, relayIP)
+			if err != nil {
+				hostinfo.relayState.DeleteRelay(relayIP)
+				hostinfo.logger(f.l).Info("sendNoMetrics failed to find HostInfo",
+					"relay", relayIP,
+					"error", err,
+				)
+				continue
+			}
+			break
+		}
+		if relayHostInfo == nil || relay == nil {
+			//failure already logged
+			return
+		}
+
+		err = pkt.PerSegment(func(seg []byte) error {
+			//relay header + header + plaintext + AEAD tag (16 bytes for both AES-GCM and ChaCha20-Poly1305) + relay tag
+			scratch := sendBatch.Reserve(header.Len + header.Len + len(seg) + 16 + 16)
+
+			innerPacket := f.sendInsideEncrypt(hostinfo, ci, seg, scratch[header.Len:], nb)
+			if innerPacket == nil {
+				return nil
+			}
+
+			//now we need to do a relay-encrypt:
+			toSend, err := f.prepareSendVia(relayHostInfo, relay, innerPacket, nb, scratch, true)
+			if err != nil {
+				//already logged
+				return nil
+			}
+
+			sendBatch.Commit(toSend, relayHostInfo.remote, 0)
+			return nil
+		})
+		if err != nil {
+			hostinfo.logger(f.l).Error("Failed to segment superpacket for relay send", "error", err)
+		}
+		return
+	}
+
+	err := pkt.PerSegment(func(seg []byte) error {
+		// header + plaintext + AEAD tag (16 bytes for both AES-GCM and ChaCha20-Poly1305)
+		scratch := sendBatch.Reserve(header.Len + len(seg) + 16)
+
+		out := f.sendInsideEncrypt(hostinfo, ci, seg, scratch, nb)
+		if out == nil {
+			return nil
+		}
+
+		sendBatch.Commit(out, hostinfo.remote, 0)
+		return nil
+	})
+	if err != nil {
+		hostinfo.logger(f.l).Error("Failed to segment superpacket for send",
+			"error", err,
+		)
+	}
+}
+
 func (f *Interface) rejectInside(packet []byte, out []byte, q int) {
 	if !f.firewall.InSendReject {
 		return
@@ -275,21 +414,13 @@ func (f *Interface) sendTo(t header.MessageType, st header.MessageSubType, ci *C
 	f.sendNoMetrics(t, st, ci, hostinfo, remote, p, nb, out, 0)
 }
 
-// SendVia sends a payload through a Relay tunnel. No authentication or encryption is done
-// to the payload for the ultimate target host, making this a useful method for sending
-// handshake messages to peers through relay tunnels.
-// via is the HostInfo through which the message is relayed.
-// ad is the plaintext data to authenticate, but not encrypt
-// nb is a buffer used to store the nonce value, re-used for performance reasons.
-// out is a buffer used to store the result of the Encrypt operation
-// q indicates which writer to use to send the packet.
-func (f *Interface) SendVia(via *HostInfo,
+func (f *Interface) prepareSendVia(via *HostInfo,
 	relay *Relay,
 	ad,
 	nb,
 	out []byte,
 	nocopy bool,
-) {
+) ([]byte, error) {
 	if noiseutil.EncryptLockNeeded {
 		// NOTE: for goboring AESGCMTLS we need to lock because of the nonce check
 		via.ConnectionState.writeLock.Lock()
@@ -311,7 +442,7 @@ func (f *Interface) SendVia(via *HostInfo,
 			"headerLen", len(out),
 			"cipherOverhead", via.ConnectionState.eKey.Overhead(),
 		)
-		return
+		return nil, io.ErrShortBuffer
 	}
 
 	// The header bytes are written to the 'out' slice; Grow the slice to hold the header and associated data payload.
@@ -331,13 +462,36 @@ func (f *Interface) SendVia(via *HostInfo,
 	}
 	if err != nil {
 		via.logger(f.l).Info("Failed to EncryptDanger in sendVia", "error", err)
+		return nil, err
+	}
+	f.connectionManager.RelayUsed(relay.LocalIndex)
+	return out, nil
+}
+
+// SendVia sends a payload through a Relay tunnel. No authentication or encryption is done
+// to the payload for the ultimate target host, making this a useful method for sending
+// handshake messages to peers through relay tunnels.
+// via is the HostInfo through which the message is relayed.
+// ad is the plaintext data to authenticate, but not encrypt
+// nb is a buffer used to store the nonce value, re-used for performance reasons.
+// out is a buffer used to store the result of the Encrypt operation
+// q indicates which writer to use to send the packet.
+func (f *Interface) SendVia(via *HostInfo,
+	relay *Relay,
+	ad,
+	nb,
+	out []byte,
+	nocopy bool,
+) {
+	toSend, err := f.prepareSendVia(via, relay, ad, nb, out, nocopy)
+	if err != nil {
+		via.logger(f.l).Info("Failed to prepareSendVia", "error", err)
 		return
 	}
-	err = f.writers[0].WriteTo(out, via.remote)
+	err = f.writers[0].WriteTo(toSend, via.remote)
 	if err != nil {
 		via.logger(f.l).Info("Failed to WriteTo in sendVia", "error", err)
 	}
-	f.connectionManager.RelayUsed(relay.LocalIndex)
 }
 
 func (f *Interface) sendNoMetrics(t header.MessageType, st header.MessageSubType, ci *ConnectionState, hostinfo *HostInfo, remote netip.AddrPort, p, nb, out []byte, q int) {

interface.go

@@ -4,7 +4,6 @@ import (
 	"context"
 	"errors"
 	"fmt"
-	"io"
 	"log/slog"
 	"net/netip"
 	"sync"
@@ -13,11 +12,15 @@ import (
 
 	"github.com/gaissmai/bart"
 	"github.com/rcrowley/go-metrics"
+	"github.com/slackhq/nebula/util"
+	"github.com/slackhq/nebula/wire"
 
 	"github.com/slackhq/nebula/config"
 	"github.com/slackhq/nebula/firewall"
 	"github.com/slackhq/nebula/header"
 	"github.com/slackhq/nebula/overlay"
+	"github.com/slackhq/nebula/overlay/batch"
+	"github.com/slackhq/nebula/overlay/tio"
 	"github.com/slackhq/nebula/udp"
 )
 
@@ -37,6 +40,7 @@ type InterfaceConfig struct {
 	DropLocalBroadcast bool
 	DropMulticast      bool
 	routines           int
+	batchSize          int
 	MessageMetrics     *MessageMetrics
 	version            string
 	relayManager       *relayManager
@@ -69,6 +73,7 @@ type Interface struct {
 	dropLocalBroadcast    bool
 	dropMulticast         bool
 	routines              int
+	batchSize             int
 	disconnectInvalid     atomic.Bool
 	closed                atomic.Bool
 	relayManager          *relayManager
@@ -88,8 +93,12 @@ type Interface struct {
 
 	ctx     context.Context
 	writers []udp.Conn
-	readers []io.ReadWriteCloser
-	wg      sync.WaitGroup
+	readers []tio.Queue
+	// batchers is one per tun queue, wrapping readers[i].
+	// decryptToTun sends plaintext into the batch.RxBatcher;
+	// listenOut calls its Flush at the end of each UDP recvmmsg batch.
+	batchers []batch.RxBatcher
+	wg       sync.WaitGroup
 
 	// fatalErr holds the first unexpected reader error that caused shutdown.
 	// nil means "no fatal error" (yet)
@@ -185,9 +194,11 @@ func NewInterface(ctx context.Context, c *InterfaceConfig) (*Interface, error) {
 		dropLocalBroadcast:    c.DropLocalBroadcast,
 		dropMulticast:         c.DropMulticast,
 		routines:              c.routines,
+		batchSize:             c.batchSize,
 		version:               c.version,
 		writers:               make([]udp.Conn, c.routines),
-		readers:               make([]io.ReadWriteCloser, c.routines),
+		readers:               make([]tio.Queue, c.routines),
+		batchers:              make([]batch.RxBatcher, c.routines),
 		myVpnNetworks:         cs.myVpnNetworks,
 		myVpnNetworksTable:    cs.myVpnNetworksTable,
 		myVpnAddrs:            cs.myVpnAddrs,
@@ -245,15 +256,17 @@ func (f *Interface) activate() error {
 	metrics.GetOrRegisterGauge("routines", nil).Update(int64(f.routines))
 
 	// Prepare n tun queues
-	var reader io.ReadWriteCloser = f.inside
 	for i := 0; i < f.routines; i++ {
 		if i > 0 {
-			reader, err = f.inside.NewMultiQueueReader()
-			if err != nil {
+			if err = f.inside.NewMultiQueueReader(); err != nil {
 				return err
 			}
 		}
-		f.readers[i] = reader
+	}
+	f.readers = f.inside.Readers()
+	for i := range f.readers {
+		arena := util.NewArena(max(f.batchSize, 1) * udp.MTU)
+		f.batchers[i] = batch.NewPassthrough(f.readers[i], f.batchSize, arena)
 	}
 
 	f.wg.Add(1) // for us to wait on Close() to return
@@ -311,14 +324,21 @@ func (f *Interface) listenOut(i int) {
 
 	ctCache := firewall.NewConntrackCacheTicker(f.ctx, f.l, f.conntrackCacheTimeout)
 	lhh := f.lightHouse.NewRequestHandler()
-	plaintext := make([]byte, udp.MTU)
 	h := &header.H{}
 	fwPacket := &firewall.Packet{}
 	nb := make([]byte, 12, 12)
 
-	err := li.ListenOut(func(fromUdpAddr netip.AddrPort, payload []byte) {
-		f.readOutsidePackets(ViaSender{UdpAddr: fromUdpAddr}, plaintext[:0], payload, h, fwPacket, lhh, nb, i, ctCache.Get())
-	})
+	listener := func(fromUdpAddr netip.AddrPort, payload []byte, meta udp.RxMeta) {
+		f.readOutsidePackets(ViaSender{UdpAddr: fromUdpAddr}, payload, h, fwPacket, lhh, nb, i, ctCache.Get())
+	}
+
+	flusher := func() {
+		if err := f.batchers[i].Flush(); err != nil {
+			f.l.Error("Failed to flush tun coalescer", "error", err)
+		}
+	}
+
+	err := li.ListenOut(listener, flusher)
 
 	if err != nil && !f.closed.Load() {
 		f.l.Error("Error while reading inbound packet, closing", "error", err)
@@ -328,28 +348,38 @@ func (f *Interface) listenOut(i int) {
 	f.l.Debug("underlay reader is done", "reader", i)
 }
 
-func (f *Interface) listenIn(reader io.ReadWriteCloser, i int) {
-	packet := make([]byte, mtu)
-	out := make([]byte, mtu)
+func (f *Interface) listenIn(reader tio.Queue, q int) {
+	packetMem := make([]byte, mtu+16) //MTU + some leading slack space for platforms that return "bonus info"
+	// TODO get the amount of bonus info from the reader
+	packets := make([]wire.TunPacket, 1)
+	rejectBuf := make([]byte, mtu)
+	arenaSize := batch.SendBatchCap * (udp.MTU + 32)
+	sb := batch.NewSendBatch(f.writers[q], batch.SendBatchCap, util.NewArena(arenaSize))
 	fwPacket := &firewall.Packet{}
 	nb := make([]byte, 12, 12)
 
 	conntrackCache := firewall.NewConntrackCacheTicker(f.ctx, f.l, f.conntrackCacheTimeout)
 
 	for {
-		n, err := reader.Read(packet)
+		n, err := reader.Read(packets, packetMem)
 		if err != nil {
 			if !f.closed.Load() {
-				f.l.Error("Error while reading outbound packet, closing", "error", err, "reader", i)
+				f.l.Error("Error while reading outbound packet, closing", "error", err, "reader", q)
 				f.onFatal(err)
 			}
 			break
 		}
 
-		f.consumeInsidePacket(packet[:n], fwPacket, nb, out, i, conntrackCache.Get())
+		ctCache := conntrackCache.Get()
+		for i := range n {
+			f.consumeInsidePacket(packets[i], fwPacket, nb, sb, rejectBuf, q, ctCache)
+		}
+		if err := sb.Flush(); err != nil {
+			f.l.Error("Failed to write outgoing batch", "error", err, "writer", q)
+		}
 	}
 
-	f.l.Debug("overlay reader is done", "reader", i)
+	f.l.Debug("overlay reader is done", "reader", q)
 }
 
 func (f *Interface) RegisterConfigChangeCallbacks(c *config.C) {

main.go

@@ -215,6 +215,7 @@ func Main(c *config.C, configTest bool, buildVersion string, l *slog.Logger, dev
 		DropLocalBroadcast:    c.GetBool("tun.drop_local_broadcast", false),
 		DropMulticast:         c.GetBool("tun.drop_multicast", false),
 		routines:              routines,
+		batchSize:             c.GetInt("listen.batch", 64),
 		MessageMetrics:        messageMetrics,
 		version:               buildVersion,
 		relayManager:          NewRelayManager(ctx, l, hostMap, c),

noiseutil/cipher_state_test.go

@@ -147,6 +147,62 @@ func buildCipherStatesB(b *testing.B, c noise.CipherFunc) (*noise.CipherState, *
 	return eI, dR
 }
 
+// TestDecryptDangerRelayShapeNoAlloc covers the AD-only relay path used in
+// outside.go's handleOutsideRelayPacket: the body is AD, the trailing 16 bytes
+// are the AEAD tag, the plaintext is empty, and the caller passes nil as the
+// destination because it only needs the auth side-effect. The call must
+// succeed, return an empty plaintext, and not allocate on the hot path.
+func TestDecryptDangerRelayShapeNoAlloc(t *testing.T) {
+	cases := []struct {
+		name string
+		c    noise.CipherFunc
+		wrap func(*noise.CipherState) CipherState
+	}{
+		{"AESGCM", CipherAESGCM, func(cs *noise.CipherState) CipherState { return NewCipherStateAESGCM(cs) }},
+		{"ChaChaPoly", noise.CipherChaChaPoly, func(cs *noise.CipherState) CipherState { return NewCipherStateChaChaPoly(cs) }},
+	}
+	for _, tc := range cases {
+		t.Run(tc.name, func(t *testing.T) {
+			encCS, decCS := buildCipherStates(t, tc.c)
+			enc, dec := tc.wrap(encCS), tc.wrap(decCS)
+
+			ad := make([]byte, 1200) // typical relay packet body size
+			for i := range ad {
+				ad[i] = byte(i)
+			}
+			nb := make([]byte, 12)
+
+			// Build the "signature value" the way handleOutsideRelayPacket sees it:
+			// empty plaintext encrypted with the body as AD yields just the 16-byte tag.
+			tag, err := enc.EncryptDanger(nil, ad, nil, 1, nb)
+			require.NoError(t, err)
+			require.Len(t, tag, dec.Overhead())
+
+			// Sanity: the relay-shaped call returns empty plaintext, no error.
+			out, err := dec.DecryptDanger(nil, ad, tag, 1, nb)
+			require.NoError(t, err)
+			assert.Empty(t, out)
+
+			// Tampering with the AD must fail authentication.
+			ad[0] ^= 0xff
+			_, err = dec.DecryptDanger(nil, ad, tag, 1, nb)
+			require.Error(t, err)
+			ad[0] ^= 0xff
+
+			// The hot path must not allocate. AllocsPerRun does a warm-up run, so any
+			// one-time setup is excluded. Counter has to advance so the AEAD nonce is
+			// unique per call, but we don't care whether the auth succeeds — we only
+			// care about whether the call path allocates.
+			var counter uint64 = 2
+			allocs := testing.AllocsPerRun(100, func() {
+				_, _ = dec.DecryptDanger(nil, ad, tag, counter, nb)
+				counter++
+			})
+			assert.Equal(t, 0.0, allocs, "DecryptDanger(nil, ...) must not allocate")
+		})
+	}
+}
+
 func TestCipherStateNilSafety(t *testing.T) {
 	var aes *CipherStateAESGCM
 	_, err := aes.EncryptDanger(nil, nil, nil, 0, make([]byte, 12))

outside.go

@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ const (
 
 var ErrOutOfWindow = errors.New("out of window packet")
 
-func (f *Interface) readOutsidePackets(via ViaSender, out []byte, packet []byte, h *header.H, fwPacket *firewall.Packet, lhf *LightHouseHandler, nb []byte, q int, localCache firewall.ConntrackCache) {
+func (f *Interface) readOutsidePackets(via ViaSender, packet []byte, h *header.H, fwPacket *firewall.Packet, lhf *LightHouseHandler, nb []byte, q int, localCache firewall.ConntrackCache) {
 	err := h.Parse(packet)
 	if err != nil {
 		// Hole punch packets are 0 or 1 byte big, so lets ignore printing those errors
@@ -110,11 +110,11 @@ func (f *Interface) readOutsidePackets(via ViaSender, out []byte, packet []byte,
 
 	// Relay packets are special
 	if isMessageRelay {
-		f.handleOutsideRelayPacket(hostinfo, via, out, packet, h, fwPacket, lhf, nb, q, localCache)
-
+		f.handleOutsideRelayPacket(hostinfo, via, packet, h, fwPacket, lhf, nb, q, localCache)
 		return
 	}
 
+	out := f.batchers[q].Reserve(len(packet))[:0]
 	out, err = f.decrypt(hostinfo, h.MessageCounter, out, packet, h, nb)
 	if err != nil {
 		if f.l.Enabled(context.Background(), slog.LevelDebug) {
@@ -168,7 +168,7 @@ func (f *Interface) readOutsidePackets(via ViaSender, out []byte, packet []byte,
 	}
 }
 
-func (f *Interface) handleOutsideRelayPacket(hostinfo *HostInfo, via ViaSender, out []byte, packet []byte, h *header.H, fwPacket *firewall.Packet, lhf *LightHouseHandler, nb []byte, q int, localCache firewall.ConntrackCache) {
+func (f *Interface) handleOutsideRelayPacket(hostinfo *HostInfo, via ViaSender, packet []byte, h *header.H, fwPacket *firewall.Packet, lhf *LightHouseHandler, nb []byte, q int, localCache firewall.ConntrackCache) {
 	// The entire body is sent as AD, not encrypted.
 	// The packet consists of a 16-byte parsed Nebula header, Associated Data-protected payload, and a trailing 16-byte AEAD signature value.
 	// The packet is guaranteed to be at least 16 bytes at this point, b/c it got past the h.Parse() call above. If it's
@@ -176,9 +176,10 @@ func (f *Interface) handleOutsideRelayPacket(hostinfo *HostInfo, via ViaSender,
 	// which will gracefully fail in the DecryptDanger call.
 	signedPayload := packet[:len(packet)-hostinfo.ConnectionState.dKey.Overhead()]
 	signatureValue := packet[len(packet)-hostinfo.ConnectionState.dKey.Overhead():]
-	var err error
-	out, err = hostinfo.ConnectionState.dKey.DecryptDanger(out, signedPayload, signatureValue, h.MessageCounter, nb)
-	if err != nil {
+	// The decrypted output is empty (relay packets carry their payload as AD) and unused.
+	// The recursive readOutsidePackets call below operates on signedPayload. Passing
+	// nil avoids reserving an arena slot.
+	if _, err := hostinfo.ConnectionState.dKey.DecryptDanger(nil, signedPayload, signatureValue, h.MessageCounter, nb); err != nil {
 		return
 	}
 	// Successfully validated the thing. Get rid of the Relay header.
@@ -211,7 +212,7 @@ func (f *Interface) handleOutsideRelayPacket(hostinfo *HostInfo, via ViaSender,
 			relay:     relay,
 			IsRelayed: true,
 		}
-		f.readOutsidePackets(via, out[:0], signedPayload, h, fwPacket, lhf, nb, q, localCache)
+		f.readOutsidePackets(via, signedPayload, h, fwPacket, lhf, nb, q, localCache)
 	case ForwardingType:
 		// Find the target HostInfo relay object
 		targetHI, targetRelay, err := f.hostMap.QueryVpnAddrsRelayFor(hostinfo.vpnAddrs, relay.PeerAddr)
@@ -229,7 +230,8 @@ func (f *Interface) handleOutsideRelayPacket(hostinfo *HostInfo, via ViaSender,
 			switch targetRelay.Type {
 			case ForwardingType:
 				// Forward this packet through the relay tunnel
-				// Find the target HostInfo
+				// Find the target HostInfo //todo it would potentially be nice to batch these
+				out := f.batchers[q].Reserve(len(packet) + header.Len + hostinfo.ConnectionState.dKey.Overhead())[:0]
 				f.SendVia(targetHI, targetRelay, signedPayload, nb, out, false)
 			case TerminalType:
 				hostinfo.logger(f.l).Error("Unexpected Relay Type of Terminal")
@@ -536,7 +538,7 @@ func (f *Interface) handleOutsideMessagePacket(hostinfo *HostInfo, out []byte, p
 		return
 	}
 
-	_, err = f.readers[q].Write(out)
+	err = f.batchers[q].Commit(out)
 	if err != nil {
 		f.l.Error("Failed to write to tun", "error", err)
 	}

overlay/batch/coalesce_core.go

@@ -0,0 +1,42 @@
+package batch
+
+// Arena is an injectable byte-slab that hands out non-overlapping borrowed
+// slices via Reserve and releases them in bulk via Reset. Coalescers take
+// an *Arena at construction so the caller controls the slab lifetime and
+// can share one slab across multiple coalescers (MultiCoalescer hands the
+// same *Arena to every lane so the lanes don't carry their own backings).
+//
+// Reserve borrows; the slice is valid until the next Reset. The slab grows
+// (by allocating a fresh, larger backing array) if a Reserve doesn't fit;
+// pre-size the arena via NewArena to avoid that path on the hot path.
+type Arena struct {
+	buf []byte
+}
+
+// NewArena returns an Arena with a pre-allocated backing of the given
+// capacity. Pass 0 if you don't intend to call Reserve (e.g. a test that
+// only feeds the coalescer pre-made []byte packets via Commit).
+func NewArena(capacity int) *Arena {
+	return &Arena{buf: make([]byte, 0, capacity)}
+}
+
+// Reserve hands out a non-overlapping sz-byte slice from the arena. If the
+// request doesn't fit the current backing, a fresh, larger backing is
+// allocated; already-borrowed slices reference the old backing and remain
+// valid until Reset.
+func (a *Arena) Reserve(sz int) []byte {
+	if len(a.buf)+sz > cap(a.buf) {
+		newCap := max(cap(a.buf)*2, sz)
+		a.buf = make([]byte, 0, newCap)
+	}
+	start := len(a.buf)
+	a.buf = a.buf[:start+sz]
+	return a.buf[start : start+sz : start+sz]
+}
+
+// Reset releases every slice handed out since the last Reset. Callers must
+// not use any previously-borrowed slice after this returns. The underlying
+// backing array is retained so subsequent Reserves don't re-allocate.
+func (a *Arena) Reset() {
+	a.buf = a.buf[:0]
+}

overlay/batch/passthrough.go

@@ -0,0 +1,46 @@
+package batch
+
+import (
+	"io"
+
+	"github.com/slackhq/nebula/util"
+)
+
+// Passthrough is a RxBatcher that doesn't batch anything, it just accumulates and then sends packets.
+type Passthrough struct {
+	out    io.Writer
+	slots  [][]byte
+	arena  *util.Arena
+	cursor int
+}
+
+func NewPassthrough(w io.Writer, slots int, arena *util.Arena) *Passthrough {
+	return &Passthrough{
+		out:   w,
+		slots: make([][]byte, 0, slots),
+		arena: arena,
+	}
+}
+
+func (p *Passthrough) Reserve(sz int) []byte {
+	return p.arena.Reserve(sz)
+}
+
+func (p *Passthrough) Commit(pkt []byte) error {
+	p.slots = append(p.slots, pkt)
+	return nil
+}
+
+func (p *Passthrough) Flush() error {
+	var firstErr error
+	for _, s := range p.slots {
+		_, err := p.out.Write(s)
+		if err != nil && firstErr == nil {
+			firstErr = err
+		}
+	}
+	clear(p.slots)
+	p.slots = p.slots[:0]
+	p.arena.Reset()
+	return firstErr
+}

overlay/batch/rx_batch.go

@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+package batch
+
+type RxBatcher interface {
+	// Reserve creates a pkt to borrow
+	Reserve(sz int) []byte
+	// Commit borrows pkt. The caller must keep pkt valid until the next Flush
+	Commit(pkt []byte) error
+	// Flush emits every queued packet in arrival order. Returns the
+	// first error observed; keeps draining so one bad packet doesn't hold up
+	// the rest. After Flush returns, borrowed payload slices may be recycled.
+	Flush() error
+}

overlay/batch/tx_batch.go

@@ -0,0 +1,60 @@
+package batch
+
+import (
+	"net/netip"
+
+	"github.com/slackhq/nebula/util"
+)
+
+const SendBatchCap = 128
+
+// batchWriter is the minimal subset of udp.Conn needed by SendBatch to flush.
+type batchWriter interface {
+	WriteBatch(bufs [][]byte, addrs []netip.AddrPort, outerECNs []byte) error
+}
+
+// SendBatch accumulates encrypted UDP packets and flushes them via WriteBatch.
+// One SendBatch is owned by each listenIn goroutine; no locking is needed.
+// Slot bytes are borrowed from the injected Arena and remain valid until
+// Flush, which Resets the arena.
+type SendBatch struct {
+	out   batchWriter
+	bufs  [][]byte
+	dsts  []netip.AddrPort
+	ecns  []byte
+	arena *util.Arena
+}
+
+// NewSendBatch makes a SendBatch with batchCap slots backed by arena.
+func NewSendBatch(out batchWriter, batchCap int, arena *util.Arena) *SendBatch {
+	return &SendBatch{
+		out:   out,
+		bufs:  make([][]byte, 0, batchCap),
+		dsts:  make([]netip.AddrPort, 0, batchCap),
+		ecns:  make([]byte, 0, batchCap),
+		arena: arena,
+	}
+}
+
+func (b *SendBatch) Reserve(sz int) []byte {
+	return b.arena.Reserve(sz)
+}
+
+func (b *SendBatch) Commit(pkt []byte, dst netip.AddrPort, outerECN byte) {
+	b.bufs = append(b.bufs, pkt)
+	b.dsts = append(b.dsts, dst)
+	b.ecns = append(b.ecns, outerECN)
+}
+
+func (b *SendBatch) Flush() error {
+	var err error
+	if len(b.bufs) > 0 {
+		err = b.out.WriteBatch(b.bufs, b.dsts, b.ecns)
+	}
+	clear(b.bufs)
+	b.bufs = b.bufs[:0]
+	b.dsts = b.dsts[:0]
+	b.ecns = b.ecns[:0]
+	b.arena.Reset()
+	return err
+}

overlay/batch/tx_batch_test.go

@@ -0,0 +1,126 @@
+package batch
+
+import (
+	"net/netip"
+	"testing"
+
+	"github.com/slackhq/nebula/util"
+)
+
+type fakeBatchWriter struct {
+	bufs  [][]byte
+	addrs []netip.AddrPort
+	ecns  []byte
+}
+
+func (w *fakeBatchWriter) WriteBatch(bufs [][]byte, addrs []netip.AddrPort, ecns []byte) error {
+	// Snapshot — SendBatch.Flush nils its slot pointers right after WriteBatch
+	// returns, so tests must capture data before that happens.
+	w.bufs = make([][]byte, len(bufs))
+	for i, b := range bufs {
+		cp := make([]byte, len(b))
+		copy(cp, b)
+		w.bufs[i] = cp
+	}
+	w.addrs = append(w.addrs[:0], addrs...)
+	w.ecns = append(w.ecns[:0], ecns...)
+	return nil
+}
+
+func TestSendBatchReserveCommitFlush(t *testing.T) {
+	fw := &fakeBatchWriter{}
+	b := NewSendBatch(fw, 4, util.NewArena(32))
+
+	ap := netip.MustParseAddrPort("10.0.0.1:4242")
+	for i := 0; i < 4; i++ {
+		slot := b.Reserve(32)
+		if cap(slot) != 32 {
+			t.Fatalf("slot %d: cap=%d want 32", i, cap(slot))
+		}
+		pkt := append(slot[:0], byte(i), byte(i+1), byte(i+2))
+		b.Commit(pkt, ap, 0)
+	}
+	if err := b.Flush(); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("Flush: %v", err)
+	}
+	if len(fw.bufs) != 4 {
+		t.Fatalf("WriteBatch got %d bufs want 4", len(fw.bufs))
+	}
+	for i, buf := range fw.bufs {
+		if len(buf) != 3 || buf[0] != byte(i) {
+			t.Errorf("buf %d: %x", i, buf)
+		}
+		if fw.addrs[i] != ap {
+			t.Errorf("addr %d: got %v want %v", i, fw.addrs[i], ap)
+		}
+	}
+
+	// Flush again with nothing committed — should be a no-op.
+	fw.bufs = nil
+	if err := b.Flush(); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("empty Flush: %v", err)
+	}
+	if fw.bufs != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("empty Flush triggered WriteBatch")
+	}
+
+	// Reuse after Flush.
+	slot := b.Reserve(32)
+	if cap(slot) != 32 {
+		t.Fatalf("after Flush Reserve wrong cap: %d", cap(slot))
+	}
+}
+
+func TestSendBatchSlotsDoNotOverlap(t *testing.T) {
+	fw := &fakeBatchWriter{}
+	b := NewSendBatch(fw, 3, util.NewArena(8))
+	ap := netip.MustParseAddrPort("10.0.0.1:80")
+
+	for i := 0; i < 3; i++ {
+		s := b.Reserve(8)
+		pkt := append(s[:0], byte(0xA0+i), byte(0xB0+i))
+		b.Commit(pkt, ap, 0)
+	}
+	if err := b.Flush(); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("Flush: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	for i, buf := range fw.bufs {
+		if buf[0] != byte(0xA0+i) || buf[1] != byte(0xB0+i) {
+			t.Errorf("slot %d corrupted: %x", i, buf)
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+func TestSendBatchGrowPreservesCommitted(t *testing.T) {
+	fw := &fakeBatchWriter{}
+	// Tiny initial backing forces a grow on the second Reserve.
+	b := NewSendBatch(fw, 1, util.NewArena(4))
+	ap := netip.MustParseAddrPort("10.0.0.1:80")
+
+	s1 := b.Reserve(4)
+	pkt1 := append(s1[:0], 0x11, 0x22, 0x33, 0x44)
+	b.Commit(pkt1, ap, 0)
+
+	s2 := b.Reserve(8) // exceeds remaining cap, triggers grow
+	pkt2 := append(s2[:0], 0xA, 0xB, 0xC, 0xD, 0xE)
+	b.Commit(pkt2, ap, 0)
+
+	// pkt1 must still be intact even though backing reallocated.
+	if pkt1[0] != 0x11 || pkt1[3] != 0x44 {
+		t.Fatalf("first packet corrupted by grow: %x", pkt1)
+	}
+
+	if err := b.Flush(); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("Flush: %v", err)
+	}
+	if len(fw.bufs) != 2 {
+		t.Fatalf("got %d bufs want 2", len(fw.bufs))
+	}
+	if fw.bufs[0][0] != 0x11 || fw.bufs[0][3] != 0x44 {
+		t.Errorf("first packet on the wire: %x", fw.bufs[0])
+	}
+	if fw.bufs[1][0] != 0xA || fw.bufs[1][4] != 0xE {
+		t.Errorf("second packet on the wire: %x", fw.bufs[1])
+	}
+}

overlay/device.go

@@ -4,15 +4,21 @@ import (
 	"io"
 	"net/netip"
 
+	"github.com/slackhq/nebula/overlay/tio"
 	"github.com/slackhq/nebula/routing"
 )
 
+// defaultBatchBufSize is the per-Queue scratch size for Read on backends
+// that don't do TSO segmentation. 65535 covers any single IP packet.
+const defaultBatchBufSize = 65535
+
 type Device interface {
-	io.ReadWriteCloser
+	io.Closer
 	Activate() error
 	Networks() []netip.Prefix
 	Name() string
 	RoutesFor(netip.Addr) routing.Gateways
 	SupportsMultiqueue() bool
-	NewMultiQueueReader() (io.ReadWriteCloser, error)
+	NewMultiQueueReader() error
+	Readers() []tio.Queue
 }

overlay/overlaytest/noop.go

@@ -4,10 +4,11 @@ package overlaytest
 
 import (
 	"errors"
-	"io"
 	"net/netip"
 
+	"github.com/slackhq/nebula/overlay/tio"
 	"github.com/slackhq/nebula/routing"
+	"github.com/slackhq/nebula/wire"
 )
 
 // NoopTun is an overlay.Device that silently discards every read and write.
@@ -15,6 +16,10 @@ import (
 // exercise the datapath.
 type NoopTun struct{}
 
+func (NoopTun) Capabilities() tio.Capabilities {
+	return tio.Capabilities{}
+}
+
 func (NoopTun) RoutesFor(addr netip.Addr) routing.Gateways {
 	return routing.Gateways{}
 }
@@ -31,7 +36,7 @@ func (NoopTun) Name() string {
 	return "noop"
 }
 
-func (NoopTun) Read([]byte) (int, error) {
+func (NoopTun) Read(p []wire.TunPacket, mem []byte) (int, error) {
 	return 0, nil
 }
 
@@ -43,8 +48,12 @@ func (NoopTun) SupportsMultiqueue() bool {
 	return false
 }
 
-func (NoopTun) NewMultiQueueReader() (io.ReadWriteCloser, error) {
-	return nil, errors.New("unsupported")
+func (NoopTun) NewMultiQueueReader() error {
+	return errors.New("unsupported")
+}
+
+func (NoopTun) Readers() []tio.Queue {
+	return []tio.Queue{NoopTun{}}
 }
 
 func (NoopTun) Close() error {

overlay/tio/queueset_poll_linux.go

@@ -0,0 +1,80 @@
+package tio
+
+import (
+	"encoding/binary"
+	"errors"
+	"fmt"
+
+	"golang.org/x/sys/unix"
+)
+
+type pollQueueSet struct {
+	pq []*Poll
+	// pqi is exactly the same as pq, but stored as the interface type
+	pqi        []Queue
+	shutdownFd int
+}
+
+func NewPollQueueSet() (QueueSet, error) {
+	shutdownFd, err := unix.Eventfd(0, unix.EFD_NONBLOCK|unix.EFD_CLOEXEC)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to create eventfd: %w", err)
+	}
+
+	out := &pollQueueSet{
+		pq:         []*Poll{},
+		pqi:        []Queue{},
+		shutdownFd: shutdownFd,
+	}
+
+	return out, nil
+}
+
+func (c *pollQueueSet) Queues() []Queue {
+	return c.pqi
+}
+
+func (c *pollQueueSet) Add(fd int) error {
+	x, err := newPoll(fd, c.shutdownFd)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	c.pq = append(c.pq, x)
+	c.pqi = append(c.pqi, x)
+
+	return nil
+}
+
+func (c *pollQueueSet) wakeForShutdown() error {
+	var buf [8]byte
+	binary.NativeEndian.PutUint64(buf[:], 1)
+	_, err := unix.Write(c.shutdownFd, buf[:])
+	return err
+}
+
+func (c *pollQueueSet) Close() error {
+	if c.shutdownFd < 0 {
+		return nil
+	}
+
+	errs := []error{}
+
+	if err := c.wakeForShutdown(); err != nil {
+		errs = append(errs, err)
+	}
+
+	for _, x := range c.pq {
+		if err := x.Close(); err != nil {
+			errs = append(errs, err)
+		}
+	}
+
+	// All Polls reference shutdownFd in their pollfd arrays, so close it
+	// only after every Poll.Close has returned.
+	if err := unix.Close(c.shutdownFd); err != nil {
+		errs = append(errs, err)
+	}
+	c.shutdownFd = -1
+
+	return errors.Join(errs...)
+}

overlay/tio/tio.go

@@ -0,0 +1,122 @@
+package tio
+
+import (
+	"io"
+
+	"github.com/slackhq/nebula/wire"
+)
+
+// QueueSet holds one or many Queue objects and helps close them in an orderly way.
+type QueueSet interface {
+	io.Closer
+	Queues() []Queue
+
+	// Add takes a tun fd, adds it to the set, and prepares it for use as a Queue.
+	Add(fd int) error
+}
+
+// Capabilities advertises which kernel offload features a Queue successfully negotiated.
+// Callers consult this to decide which coalescers to wire onto the write path.
+type Capabilities struct {
+	// TSO means the FD was opened with IFF_VNET_HDR and the kernel agreed
+	// to TUN_F_TSO4|TSO6 — i.e. WriteGSO with GSOProtoTCP is safe.
+	TSO bool
+	// USO means the kernel additionally agreed to TUN_F_USO4|USO6, so
+	// WriteGSO with GSOProtoUDP is safe. Linux ≥ 6.2.
+	USO bool
+}
+
+// Queue is a readable/writable Poll queue. One Queue is driven by a single
+// read goroutine plus a single writer (see Write below).
+type Queue interface {
+	io.Closer
+
+	// Read will read at least 1 packet from the tun (up to len(p)).
+	// mem will be used to provide the backing for each of p[n].Bytes.
+	// Callers should size mem and p to avoid exhausting mem before p.
+	// Returns the number of packets actually read, or error.
+	Read(p []wire.TunPacket, mem []byte) (int, error)
+
+	// Write emits a single packet on the plaintext (outside→inside)
+	// delivery path.
+	Write(p []byte) (int, error)
+
+	// Capabilities returns the Queue's negotiated offload capabilities,
+	// or the zero value when q does not advertise any.
+	Capabilities() Capabilities
+}
+
+// GSOInfo describes a kernel-supplied superpacket sitting in Packet.Bytes.
+// The zero value means "not a superpacket" — Bytes is one regular IP
+// datagram and no segmentation is required.
+type GSOInfo struct {
+	// Size is the GSO segment size: max payload bytes per segment
+	// (== TCP MSS for TSO, == UDP payload chunk for USO). Zero means
+	// not a superpacket.
+	Size uint16
+	// HdrLen is the total L3+L4 header length within Bytes (already
+	// corrected via correctHdrLen, so safe to slice on).
+	HdrLen uint16
+	// CsumStart is the L4 header offset inside Bytes (== L3 header
+	// length).
+	CsumStart uint16
+	// Proto picks the L4 protocol (TCP or UDP) so the segmenter knows
+	// which checksum/header layout to apply.
+	Proto GSOProto
+}
+
+// GSOProto selects the L4 protocol for a GSO superpacket. Determines which
+// VIRTIO_NET_HDR_GSO_* type the writer stamps and which checksum offset
+// inside the transport header virtio NEEDS_CSUM expects.
+type GSOProto uint8
+
+const (
+	GSOProtoNone GSOProto = iota
+	GSOProtoTCP
+	GSOProtoUDP
+)
+
+// GSOWriter is implemented by Queues that can emit a TCP or UDP superpacket
+// assembled from a header prefix plus one or more borrowed payload
+// fragments, in a single vectored write (writev with a leading
+// virtio_net_hdr). This lets the coalescer avoid copying payload bytes
+// between the caller's decrypt buffer and the TUN. Backends without GSO
+// support do not implement this interface and coalescing is skipped.
+//
+// hdr contains the IPv4/IPv6 header prefix (mutable - callers will have
+// filled in total length and IP csum). transportHdr is the TCP or UDP
+// header (mutable - the L4 checksum field must hold the pseudo-header
+// partial, single-fold not inverted, per virtio NEEDS_CSUM semantics).
+// pays are non-overlapping payload fragments whose concatenation is the
+// full superpacket payload; they are read-only from the writer's
+// perspective and must remain valid until the call returns. Every segment
+// in pays except possibly the last is exactly the same size. proto picks
+// the L4 protocol so the writer knows which GSOType / CsumOffset to set.
+//
+// Callers should also consult CapsProvider (via SupportsGSO or
+// QueueCapabilities) for the per-protocol negotiated capability; an
+// implementation of GSOWriter is necessary but not sufficient since USO
+// may not have been negotiated even when TSO was.
+type GSOWriter interface {
+	WriteGSO(hdr []byte, transportHdr []byte, pays [][]byte, proto GSOProto) error
+}
+
+// SupportsGSO reports whether w implements GSOWriter and the underlying
+// queue advertises the negotiated capability for `want`. A writer that
+// implements GSOWriter but not CapsProvider is treated as permissive
+// (used by tests and fakes that don't negotiate).
+func SupportsGSO(w Queue, want GSOProto) (GSOWriter, bool) {
+	gw, ok := w.(GSOWriter)
+	if !ok {
+		return nil, false
+	}
+	caps := w.Capabilities()
+	switch want {
+	case GSOProtoTCP:
+		return gw, caps.TSO
+	case GSOProtoUDP:
+		return gw, caps.USO
+	default:
+		return gw, false
+	}
+}

overlay/tio/tio_poll_linux.go

@@ -0,0 +1,168 @@
+package tio
+
+import (
+	"fmt"
+	"os"
+	"sync"
+	"sync/atomic"
+
+	"github.com/slackhq/nebula/wire"
+	"golang.org/x/sys/unix"
+)
+
+type Poll struct {
+	fd int
+
+	readPoll  [2]unix.PollFd
+	writePoll [2]unix.PollFd
+	writeLock sync.Mutex
+	closed    atomic.Bool
+}
+
+func newPoll(fd int, shutdownFd int) (*Poll, error) {
+	if err := unix.SetNonblock(fd, true); err != nil {
+		_ = unix.Close(fd)
+		return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to set Poll device as nonblocking: %w", err)
+	}
+
+	out := &Poll{
+		fd: fd,
+		readPoll: [2]unix.PollFd{
+			{Fd: int32(fd), Events: unix.POLLIN},
+			{Fd: int32(shutdownFd), Events: unix.POLLIN},
+		},
+		writePoll: [2]unix.PollFd{
+			{Fd: int32(fd), Events: unix.POLLOUT},
+			{Fd: int32(shutdownFd), Events: unix.POLLIN},
+		},
+		writeLock: sync.Mutex{},
+	}
+	return out, nil
+}
+
+// blockOnRead waits until the Poll fd is readable or shutdown has been signaled.
+// Returns os.ErrClosed if Close was called.
+func (t *Poll) blockOnRead() error {
+	const problemFlags = unix.POLLHUP | unix.POLLNVAL | unix.POLLERR
+	var err error
+	for {
+		_, err = unix.Poll(t.readPoll[:], -1)
+		if err != unix.EINTR {
+			break
+		}
+	}
+	tunEvents := t.readPoll[0].Revents
+	shutdownEvents := t.readPoll[1].Revents
+	t.readPoll[0].Revents = 0
+	t.readPoll[1].Revents = 0
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	if shutdownEvents&(unix.POLLIN|problemFlags) != 0 {
+		return os.ErrClosed
+	}
+	if tunEvents&problemFlags != 0 {
+		return os.ErrClosed
+	}
+	return nil
+}
+
+func (t *Poll) blockOnWrite() error {
+	const problemFlags = unix.POLLHUP | unix.POLLNVAL | unix.POLLERR
+	var err error
+	for {
+		_, err = unix.Poll(t.writePoll[:], -1)
+		if err != unix.EINTR {
+			break
+		}
+	}
+	t.writeLock.Lock()
+	tunEvents := t.writePoll[0].Revents
+	shutdownEvents := t.writePoll[1].Revents
+	t.writePoll[0].Revents = 0
+	t.writePoll[1].Revents = 0
+	t.writeLock.Unlock()
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	if shutdownEvents&(unix.POLLIN|problemFlags) != 0 {
+		return os.ErrClosed
+	}
+	if tunEvents&problemFlags != 0 {
+		return os.ErrClosed
+	}
+	return nil
+}
+
+func (t *Poll) Read(p []wire.TunPacket, mem []byte) (int, error) {
+	if len(p) == 0 || len(mem) == 0 {
+		return 0, nil //todo should this be an err?
+	}
+	p[0].Meta = struct{}{}
+	n, err := t.readOne(mem)
+	if err != nil {
+		return 0, err
+	}
+	p[0].Bytes = mem[:n]
+	return 1, nil
+}
+
+func (t *Poll) readOne(to []byte) (int, error) {
+	for {
+		n, errno := unix.Read(t.fd, to)
+		if errno == nil {
+			return n, nil
+		}
+		switch errno {
+		case unix.EAGAIN:
+			if err := t.blockOnRead(); err != nil {
+				return 0, err
+			}
+		case unix.EINTR:
+			// retry
+		case unix.EBADF:
+			return 0, os.ErrClosed
+		default:
+			return 0, errno
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+func (t *Poll) Write(from []byte) (int, error) {
+	for {
+		n, errno := unix.Write(t.fd, from)
+		if errno == nil {
+			return n, nil
+		}
+		switch errno {
+		case unix.EAGAIN:
+			if err := t.blockOnWrite(); err != nil {
+				return 0, err
+			}
+		case unix.EINTR:
+			// retry
+		case unix.EBADF:
+			return 0, os.ErrClosed
+		default:
+			return 0, errno
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+func (t *Poll) Close() error {
+	if t.closed.Swap(true) {
+		return nil
+	}
+	//shutdownFd is owned by the container, so we should not close it
+	var err error
+	if t.fd >= 0 {
+		err = unix.Close(t.fd)
+		t.fd = -1
+	}
+
+	return err
+}
+
+func (t *Poll) Capabilities() Capabilities {
+	return Capabilities{}
+}

overlay/tio/tun_file_linux_test.go

@@ -0,0 +1,106 @@
+//go:build linux && !android && !e2e_testing
+// +build linux,!android,!e2e_testing
+
+package tio
+
+import (
+	"errors"
+	"os"
+	"sync"
+	"testing"
+	"time"
+
+	"github.com/slackhq/nebula/wire"
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
+	"golang.org/x/sys/unix"
+)
+
+// newReadPipe returns a read fd. The matching write fd is registered for cleanup.
+// The caller takes ownership of the read fd (pass it into a QueueSet).
+func newReadPipe(t *testing.T) int {
+	t.Helper()
+	var fds [2]int
+	if err := unix.Pipe2(fds[:], unix.O_CLOEXEC); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("pipe2: %v", err)
+	}
+	t.Cleanup(func() { _ = unix.Close(fds[1]) })
+	return fds[0]
+}
+
+func TestPoll_WakeForShutdown_WakesFriends(t *testing.T) {
+	parent, err := NewPollQueueSet()
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	require.NoError(t, parent.Add(newReadPipe(t)))
+	require.NoError(t, parent.Add(newReadPipe(t)))
+	// QueueSet.Close owns the read fds we Added — don't register a separate
+	// Cleanup to close them or we'll double-close whatever fd the kernel
+	// has since reused.
+
+	readers := parent.Queues()
+	errs := make([]error, len(readers))
+	var wg sync.WaitGroup
+	for i, r := range readers {
+		wg.Add(1)
+		go func(i int, r Queue) {
+			defer wg.Done()
+			pkts := make([]wire.TunPacket, 1)
+			_, errs[i] = r.Read(pkts, make([]byte, 64))
+		}(i, r)
+	}
+
+	time.Sleep(50 * time.Millisecond)
+
+	if err := parent.Close(); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("Close: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	done := make(chan struct{})
+	go func() { wg.Wait(); close(done) }()
+	select {
+	case <-done:
+	case <-time.After(2 * time.Second):
+		t.Fatal("readers did not wake")
+	}
+
+	for i, err := range errs {
+		if !errors.Is(err, os.ErrClosed) {
+			t.Errorf("reader %d: expected os.ErrClosed, got %v", i, err)
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+func TestPoll_Close_Idempotent(t *testing.T) {
+	shutdownFd, err := unix.Eventfd(0, unix.EFD_NONBLOCK|unix.EFD_CLOEXEC)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	t.Cleanup(func() { _ = unix.Close(shutdownFd) })
+
+	tf, err := newPoll(newReadPipe(t), shutdownFd)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	if err := tf.Close(); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("first Close: %v", err)
+	}
+	if err := tf.Close(); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("second Close should be a no-op, got %v", err)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestPollQueueSet_Close_ClosesEventfd(t *testing.T) {
+	qs, err := NewPollQueueSet()
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	require.NoError(t, qs.Add(newReadPipe(t)))
+
+	fd := qs.(*pollQueueSet).shutdownFd
+	require.NoError(t, qs.Close())
+
+	// Closing the eventfd again should fail with EBADF, proving Close
+	// actually released it.
+	if err := unix.Close(fd); err == nil {
+		t.Fatalf("eventfd %d still open after QueueSet.Close", fd)
+	}
+
+	// Second Close must be a no-op (and must not double-close the eventfd
+	// in case the kernel handed it out to another caller in the meantime).
+	if err := qs.Close(); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("second Close: %v", err)
+	}
+}

overlay/tun_android.go

@@ -13,12 +13,14 @@ import (
 
 	"github.com/gaissmai/bart"
 	"github.com/slackhq/nebula/config"
+	"github.com/slackhq/nebula/overlay/tio"
 	"github.com/slackhq/nebula/routing"
 	"github.com/slackhq/nebula/util"
+	"github.com/slackhq/nebula/wire"
 )
 
 type tun struct {
-	io.ReadWriteCloser
+	rwc         io.ReadWriteCloser
 	fd          int
 	vpnNetworks []netip.Prefix
 	Routes      atomic.Pointer[[]Route]
@@ -26,16 +28,37 @@ type tun struct {
 	l           *slog.Logger
 }
 
+func (t *tun) Read(p []wire.TunPacket, mem []byte) (int, error) {
+	if len(p) == 0 || len(mem) == 0 {
+		return 0, nil //todo should this be an err?
+	}
+	p[0].Meta = struct{}{}
+	n, err := t.rwc.Read(mem)
+	if err != nil {
+		return 0, err
+	}
+	p[0].Bytes = mem[:n]
+	return 1, nil
+}
+
+func (t *tun) Write(p []byte) (int, error) {
+	return t.rwc.Write(p)
+}
+
+func (t *tun) Close() error {
+	return t.rwc.Close()
+}
+
 func newTunFromFd(c *config.C, l *slog.Logger, deviceFd int, vpnNetworks []netip.Prefix) (*tun, error) {
 	// XXX Android returns an fd in non-blocking mode which is necessary for shutdown to work properly.
 	// Be sure not to call file.Fd() as it will set the fd to blocking mode.
 	file := os.NewFile(uintptr(deviceFd), "/dev/net/tun")
 
 	t := &tun{
-		ReadWriteCloser: file,
-		fd:              deviceFd,
-		vpnNetworks:     vpnNetworks,
-		l:               l,
+		rwc:         file,
+		fd:          deviceFd,
+		vpnNetworks: vpnNetworks,
+		l:           l,
 	}
 
 	err := t.reload(c, true)
@@ -62,7 +85,7 @@ func (t *tun) RoutesFor(ip netip.Addr) routing.Gateways {
 	return r
 }
 
-func (t tun) Activate() error {
+func (t *tun) Activate() error {
 	return nil
 }
 
@@ -99,6 +122,14 @@ func (t *tun) SupportsMultiqueue() bool {
 	return false
 }
 
-func (t *tun) NewMultiQueueReader() (io.ReadWriteCloser, error) {
-	return nil, fmt.Errorf("TODO: multiqueue not implemented for android")
+func (t *tun) NewMultiQueueReader() error {
+	return fmt.Errorf("TODO: multiqueue not implemented for android")
+}
+
+func (t *tun) Readers() []tio.Queue {
+	return []tio.Queue{t}
+}
+
+func (t *tun) Capabilities() tio.Capabilities {
+	return tio.Capabilities{}
 }

overlay/tun_darwin.go

@@ -16,14 +16,16 @@ import (
 
 	"github.com/gaissmai/bart"
 	"github.com/slackhq/nebula/config"
+	"github.com/slackhq/nebula/overlay/tio"
 	"github.com/slackhq/nebula/routing"
 	"github.com/slackhq/nebula/util"
+	"github.com/slackhq/nebula/wire"
 	netroute "golang.org/x/net/route"
 	"golang.org/x/sys/unix"
 )
 
 type tun struct {
-	io.ReadWriteCloser
+	rwc         io.ReadWriteCloser
 	Device      string
 	vpnNetworks []netip.Prefix
 	DefaultMTU  int
@@ -124,11 +126,11 @@ func newTun(c *config.C, l *slog.Logger, vpnNetworks []netip.Prefix, _ bool) (*t
 	}
 
 	t := &tun{
-		ReadWriteCloser: os.NewFile(uintptr(fd), ""),
-		Device:          name,
-		vpnNetworks:     vpnNetworks,
-		DefaultMTU:      c.GetInt("tun.mtu", DefaultMTU),
-		l:               l,
+		rwc:         os.NewFile(uintptr(fd), ""),
+		Device:      name,
+		vpnNetworks: vpnNetworks,
+		DefaultMTU:  c.GetInt("tun.mtu", DefaultMTU),
+		l:           l,
 	}
 
 	err = t.reload(c, true)
@@ -158,8 +160,8 @@ func newTunFromFd(_ *config.C, _ *slog.Logger, _ int, _ []netip.Prefix) (*tun, e
 }
 
 func (t *tun) Close() error {
-	if t.ReadWriteCloser != nil {
-		return t.ReadWriteCloser.Close()
+	if t.rwc != nil {
+		return t.rwc.Close()
 	}
 	return nil
 }
@@ -502,13 +504,17 @@ func delRoute(prefix netip.Prefix, gateway netroute.Addr) error {
 	return nil
 }
 
-func (t *tun) Read(to []byte) (int, error) {
-	buf := make([]byte, len(to)+4)
-
-	n, err := t.ReadWriteCloser.Read(buf)
-
-	copy(to, buf[4:])
-	return n - 4, err
+func (t *tun) Read(p []wire.TunPacket, mem []byte) (int, error) {
+	if len(p) == 0 || len(mem) <= 4 {
+		return 0, nil //todo should this be an err?
+	}
+	p[0].Meta = struct{}{}
+	n, err := t.rwc.Read(mem)
+	if err != nil {
+		return 0, err
+	}
+	p[0].Bytes = mem[4:n]
+	return 1, nil
 }
 
 // Write is only valid for single threaded use
@@ -536,7 +542,7 @@ func (t *tun) Write(from []byte) (int, error) {
 
 	copy(buf[4:], from)
 
-	n, err := t.ReadWriteCloser.Write(buf)
+	n, err := t.rwc.Write(buf)
 	return n - 4, err
 }
 
@@ -552,6 +558,14 @@ func (t *tun) SupportsMultiqueue() bool {
 	return false
 }
 
-func (t *tun) NewMultiQueueReader() (io.ReadWriteCloser, error) {
-	return nil, fmt.Errorf("TODO: multiqueue not implemented for darwin")
+func (t *tun) NewMultiQueueReader() error {
+	return fmt.Errorf("TODO: multiqueue not implemented for darwin")
+}
+
+func (t *tun) Readers() []tio.Queue {
+	return []tio.Queue{t}
+}
+
+func (t *tun) Capabilities() tio.Capabilities {
+	return tio.Capabilities{}
 }

overlay/tun_disabled.go

@@ -10,7 +10,9 @@ import (
 
 	"github.com/rcrowley/go-metrics"
 	"github.com/slackhq/nebula/iputil"
+	"github.com/slackhq/nebula/overlay/tio"
 	"github.com/slackhq/nebula/routing"
+	"github.com/slackhq/nebula/wire"
 )
 
 type disabledTun struct {
@@ -18,9 +20,10 @@ type disabledTun struct {
 	vpnNetworks []netip.Prefix
 
 	// Track these metrics since we don't have the tun device to do it for us
-	tx metrics.Counter
-	rx metrics.Counter
-	l  *slog.Logger
+	tx         metrics.Counter
+	rx         metrics.Counter
+	numReaders int
+	l          *slog.Logger
 }
 
 func newDisabledTun(vpnNetworks []netip.Prefix, queueLen int, metricsEnabled bool, l *slog.Logger) *disabledTun {
@@ -28,6 +31,7 @@ func newDisabledTun(vpnNetworks []netip.Prefix, queueLen int, metricsEnabled boo
 		vpnNetworks: vpnNetworks,
 		read:        make(chan []byte, queueLen),
 		l:           l,
+		numReaders:  1,
 	}
 
 	if metricsEnabled {
@@ -57,7 +61,7 @@ func (*disabledTun) Name() string {
 	return "disabled"
 }
 
-func (t *disabledTun) Read(b []byte) (int, error) {
+func (t *disabledTun) readOne(b []byte) (int, error) {
 	r, ok := <-t.read
 	if !ok {
 		return 0, io.EOF
@@ -75,6 +79,19 @@ func (t *disabledTun) Read(b []byte) (int, error) {
 	return copy(b, r), nil
 }
 
+func (t *disabledTun) Read(p []wire.TunPacket, mem []byte) (int, error) {
+	if len(p) == 0 || len(mem) == 0 {
+		return 0, nil //todo should this be an err?
+	}
+	p[0].Meta = struct{}{}
+	n, err := t.readOne(mem)
+	if err != nil {
+		return 0, err
+	}
+	p[0].Bytes = mem[:n]
+	return 1, nil
+}
+
 func (t *disabledTun) handleICMPEchoRequest(b []byte) bool {
 	out := make([]byte, len(b))
 	out = iputil.CreateICMPEchoResponse(b, out)
@@ -110,8 +127,21 @@ func (t *disabledTun) SupportsMultiqueue() bool {
 	return true
 }
 
-func (t *disabledTun) NewMultiQueueReader() (io.ReadWriteCloser, error) {
-	return t, nil
+func (t *disabledTun) NewMultiQueueReader() error {
+	t.numReaders++
+	return nil
+}
+
+func (t *disabledTun) Readers() []tio.Queue {
+	out := make([]tio.Queue, t.numReaders)
+	for i := range t.numReaders {
+		out[i] = t
+	}
+	return out
+}
+
+func (t *disabledTun) Capabilities() tio.Capabilities {
+	return tio.Capabilities{}
 }
 
 func (t *disabledTun) Close() error {

overlay/tun_file_linux_test.go

@@ -1,120 +0,0 @@
-//go:build linux && !android && !e2e_testing
-// +build linux,!android,!e2e_testing
-
-package overlay
-
-import (
-	"errors"
-	"os"
-	"sync"
-	"testing"
-	"time"
-
-	"golang.org/x/sys/unix"
-)
-
-// newReadPipe returns a read fd. The matching write fd is registered for cleanup.
-// The caller takes ownership of the read fd (pass it to newTunFd / newFriend).
-func newReadPipe(t *testing.T) int {
-	t.Helper()
-	var fds [2]int
-	if err := unix.Pipe2(fds[:], unix.O_CLOEXEC); err != nil {
-		t.Fatalf("pipe2: %v", err)
-	}
-	t.Cleanup(func() { _ = unix.Close(fds[1]) })
-	return fds[0]
-}
-
-func TestTunFile_WakeForShutdown_UnblocksRead(t *testing.T) {
-	tf, err := newTunFd(newReadPipe(t))
-	if err != nil {
-		t.Fatalf("newTunFd: %v", err)
-	}
-	t.Cleanup(func() { _ = tf.Close() })
-
-	done := make(chan error, 1)
-	go func() {
-		_, err := tf.Read(make([]byte, 64))
-		done <- err
-	}()
-
-	// Verify Read is actually blocked in poll.
-	select {
-	case err := <-done:
-		t.Fatalf("Read returned before shutdown signal: %v", err)
-	case <-time.After(50 * time.Millisecond):
-	}
-
-	if err := tf.wakeForShutdown(); err != nil {
-		t.Fatalf("wakeForShutdown: %v", err)
-	}
-
-	select {
-	case err := <-done:
-		if !errors.Is(err, os.ErrClosed) {
-			t.Fatalf("expected os.ErrClosed, got %v", err)
-		}
-	case <-time.After(2 * time.Second):
-		t.Fatal("Read did not wake on shutdown")
-	}
-}
-
-func TestTunFile_WakeForShutdown_WakesFriends(t *testing.T) {
-	parent, err := newTunFd(newReadPipe(t))
-	if err != nil {
-		t.Fatalf("newTunFd: %v", err)
-	}
-	friend, err := parent.newFriend(newReadPipe(t))
-	if err != nil {
-		_ = parent.Close()
-		t.Fatalf("newFriend: %v", err)
-	}
-	t.Cleanup(func() {
-		_ = friend.Close()
-		_ = parent.Close()
-	})
-
-	readers := []*tunFile{parent, friend}
-	errs := make([]error, len(readers))
-	var wg sync.WaitGroup
-	for i, r := range readers {
-		wg.Add(1)
-		go func(i int, r *tunFile) {
-			defer wg.Done()
-			_, errs[i] = r.Read(make([]byte, 64))
-		}(i, r)
-	}
-
-	time.Sleep(50 * time.Millisecond)
-
-	if err := parent.wakeForShutdown(); err != nil {
-		t.Fatalf("wakeForShutdown: %v", err)
-	}
-
-	done := make(chan struct{})
-	go func() { wg.Wait(); close(done) }()
-	select {
-	case <-done:
-	case <-time.After(2 * time.Second):
-		t.Fatal("readers did not wake")
-	}
-
-	for i, err := range errs {
-		if !errors.Is(err, os.ErrClosed) {
-			t.Errorf("reader %d: expected os.ErrClosed, got %v", i, err)
-		}
-	}
-}
-
-func TestTunFile_Close_Idempotent(t *testing.T) {
-	tf, err := newTunFd(newReadPipe(t))
-	if err != nil {
-		t.Fatalf("newTunFd: %v", err)
-	}
-	if err := tf.Close(); err != nil {
-		t.Fatalf("first Close: %v", err)
-	}
-	if err := tf.Close(); err != nil {
-		t.Fatalf("second Close should be a no-op, got %v", err)
-	}
-}

overlay/tun_freebsd.go

@@ -7,7 +7,6 @@ import (
 	"bytes"
 	"errors"
 	"fmt"
-	"io"
 	"io/fs"
 	"log/slog"
 	"net/netip"
@@ -18,9 +17,10 @@ import (
 	"unsafe"
 
 	"github.com/gaissmai/bart"
+	"github.com/slackhq/nebula/wire"
 
 	"github.com/slackhq/nebula/config"
-
+	"github.com/slackhq/nebula/overlay/tio"
 	"github.com/slackhq/nebula/routing"
 	"github.com/slackhq/nebula/util"
 	netroute "golang.org/x/net/route"
@@ -157,7 +157,20 @@ func (t *tun) blockOnWrite() error {
 	return nil
 }
 
-func (t *tun) Read(to []byte) (int, error) {
+func (t *tun) Read(p []wire.TunPacket, mem []byte) (int, error) {
+	if len(p) == 0 || len(mem) == 0 {
+		return 0, nil //todo should this be an err?
+	}
+	p[0].Meta = struct{}{}
+	n, err := t.readOne(mem)
+	if err != nil {
+		return 0, err
+	}
+	p[0].Bytes = mem[:n]
+	return 1, nil
+}
+
+func (t *tun) readOne(to []byte) (int, error) {
 	// first 4 bytes is protocol family, in network byte order
 	var head [4]byte
 	iovecs := [2]syscall.Iovec{
@@ -565,8 +578,8 @@ func (t *tun) SupportsMultiqueue() bool {
 	return false
 }
 
-func (t *tun) NewMultiQueueReader() (io.ReadWriteCloser, error) {
-	return nil, fmt.Errorf("TODO: multiqueue not implemented for freebsd")
+func (t *tun) NewMultiQueueReader() error {
+	return fmt.Errorf("TODO: multiqueue not implemented for freebsd")
 }
 
 func (t *tun) addRoutes(logErrors bool) error {
@@ -593,6 +606,14 @@ func (t *tun) addRoutes(logErrors bool) error {
 	return nil
 }
 
+func (t *tun) Readers() []tio.Queue {
+	return []tio.Queue{t}
+}
+
+func (t *tun) Capabilities() tio.Capabilities {
+	return tio.Capabilities{}
+}
+
 func (t *tun) removeRoutes(routes []Route) error {
 	for _, r := range routes {
 		if !r.Install {

overlay/tun_ios.go

@@ -16,18 +16,41 @@ import (
 
 	"github.com/gaissmai/bart"
 	"github.com/slackhq/nebula/config"
+	"github.com/slackhq/nebula/overlay/tio"
 	"github.com/slackhq/nebula/routing"
 	"github.com/slackhq/nebula/util"
+	"github.com/slackhq/nebula/wire"
 )
 
 type tun struct {
-	io.ReadWriteCloser
+	rwc         io.ReadWriteCloser
 	vpnNetworks []netip.Prefix
 	Routes      atomic.Pointer[[]Route]
 	routeTree   atomic.Pointer[bart.Table[routing.Gateways]]
 	l           *slog.Logger
 }
 
+func (t *tun) Read(p []wire.TunPacket, mem []byte) (int, error) {
+	if len(p) == 0 || len(mem) <= 4 {
+		return 0, nil //todo should this be an err?
+	}
+	p[0].Meta = struct{}{}
+	n, err := t.rwc.Read(mem)
+	if err != nil {
+		return 0, err
+	}
+	p[0].Bytes = mem[4:n]
+	return 1, nil
+}
+
+func (t *tun) Write(p []byte) (int, error) {
+	return t.rwc.Write(p)
+}
+
+func (t *tun) Close() error {
+	return t.rwc.Close()
+}
+
 func newTun(_ *config.C, _ *slog.Logger, _ []netip.Prefix, _ bool) (*tun, error) {
 	return nil, fmt.Errorf("newTun not supported in iOS")
 }
@@ -35,9 +58,9 @@ func newTun(_ *config.C, _ *slog.Logger, _ []netip.Prefix, _ bool) (*tun, error)
 func newTunFromFd(c *config.C, l *slog.Logger, deviceFd int, vpnNetworks []netip.Prefix) (*tun, error) {
 	file := os.NewFile(uintptr(deviceFd), "/dev/tun")
 	t := &tun{
-		vpnNetworks:     vpnNetworks,
-		ReadWriteCloser: &tunReadCloser{f: file},
-		l:               l,
+		vpnNetworks: vpnNetworks,
+		rwc:         &tunReadCloser{f: file},
+		l:           l,
 	}
 
 	err := t.reload(c, true)
@@ -96,18 +119,9 @@ type tunReadCloser struct {
 	wBuf []byte
 }
 
+// Read returns a packet with the BSD 4-byte header, watch out!
 func (tr *tunReadCloser) Read(to []byte) (int, error) {
-	tr.rMu.Lock()
-	defer tr.rMu.Unlock()
-
-	if cap(tr.rBuf) < len(to)+4 {
-		tr.rBuf = make([]byte, len(to)+4)
-	}
-	tr.rBuf = tr.rBuf[:len(to)+4]
-
-	n, err := tr.f.Read(tr.rBuf)
-	copy(to, tr.rBuf[4:])
-	return n - 4, err
+	return tr.f.Read(to)
 }
 
 func (tr *tunReadCloser) Write(from []byte) (int, error) {
@@ -155,6 +169,14 @@ func (t *tun) SupportsMultiqueue() bool {
 	return false
 }
 
-func (t *tun) NewMultiQueueReader() (io.ReadWriteCloser, error) {
-	return nil, fmt.Errorf("TODO: multiqueue not implemented for ios")
+func (t *tun) NewMultiQueueReader() error {
+	return fmt.Errorf("TODO: multiqueue not implemented for ios")
+}
+
+func (t *tun) Readers() []tio.Queue {
+	return []tio.Queue{t}
+}
+
+func (t *tun) Capabilities() tio.Capabilities {
+	return tio.Capabilities{}
 }

overlay/tun_linux.go

@@ -4,9 +4,7 @@
 package overlay
 
 import (
-	"encoding/binary"
 	"fmt"
-	"io"
 	"log/slog"
 	"net"
 	"net/netip"
@@ -19,180 +17,15 @@ import (
 
 	"github.com/gaissmai/bart"
 	"github.com/slackhq/nebula/config"
+	"github.com/slackhq/nebula/overlay/tio"
 	"github.com/slackhq/nebula/routing"
 	"github.com/slackhq/nebula/util"
 	"github.com/vishvananda/netlink"
 	"golang.org/x/sys/unix"
 )
 
-// tunFile wraps a TUN file descriptor with poll-based reads. The FD provided will be changed to non-blocking.
-// A shared eventfd allows Close to wake all readers blocked in poll.
-type tunFile struct {
-	fd         int
-	shutdownFd int
-	lastOne    bool
-	readPoll   [2]unix.PollFd
-	writePoll  [2]unix.PollFd
-	closed     bool
-}
-
-// newFriend makes a tunFile for a MultiQueueReader that copies the shutdown eventfd from the parent tun
-func (r *tunFile) newFriend(fd int) (*tunFile, error) {
-	if err := unix.SetNonblock(fd, true); err != nil {
-		return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to set tun fd non-blocking: %w", err)
-	}
-	return &tunFile{
-		fd:         fd,
-		shutdownFd: r.shutdownFd,
-		readPoll: [2]unix.PollFd{
-			{Fd: int32(fd), Events: unix.POLLIN},
-			{Fd: int32(r.shutdownFd), Events: unix.POLLIN},
-		},
-		writePoll: [2]unix.PollFd{
-			{Fd: int32(fd), Events: unix.POLLOUT},
-			{Fd: int32(r.shutdownFd), Events: unix.POLLIN},
-		},
-	}, nil
-}
-
-func newTunFd(fd int) (*tunFile, error) {
-	if err := unix.SetNonblock(fd, true); err != nil {
-		return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to set tun fd non-blocking: %w", err)
-	}
-
-	shutdownFd, err := unix.Eventfd(0, unix.EFD_NONBLOCK|unix.EFD_CLOEXEC)
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to create eventfd: %w", err)
-	}
-
-	out := &tunFile{
-		fd:         fd,
-		shutdownFd: shutdownFd,
-		lastOne:    true,
-		readPoll: [2]unix.PollFd{
-			{Fd: int32(fd), Events: unix.POLLIN},
-			{Fd: int32(shutdownFd), Events: unix.POLLIN},
-		},
-		writePoll: [2]unix.PollFd{
-			{Fd: int32(fd), Events: unix.POLLOUT},
-			{Fd: int32(shutdownFd), Events: unix.POLLIN},
-		},
-	}
-
-	return out, nil
-}
-
-func (r *tunFile) blockOnRead() error {
-	const problemFlags = unix.POLLHUP | unix.POLLNVAL | unix.POLLERR
-	var err error
-	for {
-		_, err = unix.Poll(r.readPoll[:], -1)
-		if err != unix.EINTR {
-			break
-		}
-	}
-	//always reset these!
-	tunEvents := r.readPoll[0].Revents
-	shutdownEvents := r.readPoll[1].Revents
-	r.readPoll[0].Revents = 0
-	r.readPoll[1].Revents = 0
-	//do the err check before trusting the potentially bogus bits we just got
-	if err != nil {
-		return err
-	}
-	if shutdownEvents&(unix.POLLIN|problemFlags) != 0 {
-		return os.ErrClosed
-	} else if tunEvents&problemFlags != 0 {
-		return os.ErrClosed
-	}
-	return nil
-}
-
-func (r *tunFile) blockOnWrite() error {
-	const problemFlags = unix.POLLHUP | unix.POLLNVAL | unix.POLLERR
-	var err error
-	for {
-		_, err = unix.Poll(r.writePoll[:], -1)
-		if err != unix.EINTR {
-			break
-		}
-	}
-	//always reset these!
-	tunEvents := r.writePoll[0].Revents
-	shutdownEvents := r.writePoll[1].Revents
-	r.writePoll[0].Revents = 0
-	r.writePoll[1].Revents = 0
-	//do the err check before trusting the potentially bogus bits we just got
-	if err != nil {
-		return err
-	}
-	if shutdownEvents&(unix.POLLIN|problemFlags) != 0 {
-		return os.ErrClosed
-	} else if tunEvents&problemFlags != 0 {
-		return os.ErrClosed
-	}
-	return nil
-}
-
-func (r *tunFile) Read(buf []byte) (int, error) {
-	for {
-		if n, err := unix.Read(r.fd, buf); err == nil {
-			return n, nil
-		} else if err == unix.EAGAIN {
-			if err = r.blockOnRead(); err != nil {
-				return 0, err
-			}
-			continue
-		} else if err == unix.EINTR {
-			continue
-		} else if err == unix.EBADF {
-			return 0, os.ErrClosed
-		} else {
-			return 0, err
-		}
-	}
-}
-
-func (r *tunFile) Write(buf []byte) (int, error) {
-	for {
-		if n, err := unix.Write(r.fd, buf); err == nil {
-			return n, nil
-		} else if err == unix.EAGAIN {
-			if err = r.blockOnWrite(); err != nil {
-				return 0, err
-			}
-			continue
-		} else if err == unix.EINTR {
-			continue
-		} else if err == unix.EBADF {
-			return 0, os.ErrClosed
-		} else {
-			return 0, err
-		}
-	}
-}
-
-func (r *tunFile) wakeForShutdown() error {
-	var buf [8]byte
-	binary.NativeEndian.PutUint64(buf[:], 1)
-	_, err := unix.Write(int(r.readPoll[1].Fd), buf[:])
-	return err
-}
-
-func (r *tunFile) Close() error {
-	if r.closed { // avoid closing more than once. Technically a fd could get re-used, which would be a problem
-		return nil
-	}
-	r.closed = true
-	if r.lastOne {
-		_ = unix.Close(r.shutdownFd)
-	}
-	return unix.Close(r.fd)
-}
-
 type tun struct {
-	*tunFile
-	readers     []*tunFile
+	readers     tio.QueueSet
 	closeLock   sync.Mutex
 	Device      string
 	vpnNetworks []netip.Prefix
@@ -239,7 +72,9 @@ type ifreqQLEN struct {
 }
 
 func newTunFromFd(c *config.C, l *slog.Logger, deviceFd int, vpnNetworks []netip.Prefix) (*tun, error) {
-	t, err := newTunGeneric(c, l, deviceFd, vpnNetworks)
+	// We don't know what flags the caller opened this fd with and can't turn
+	// on IFF_VNET_HDR after TUNSETIFF, so skip offload on inherited fds.
+	t, err := newTunGeneric(c, l, deviceFd, false, false, vpnNetworks)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
@@ -249,46 +84,60 @@ func newTunFromFd(c *config.C, l *slog.Logger, deviceFd int, vpnNetworks []netip
 	return t, nil
 }
 
-func newTun(c *config.C, l *slog.Logger, vpnNetworks []netip.Prefix, multiqueue bool) (*tun, error) {
+// openTunDev opens /dev/net/tun, creating the device node first if it's
+// missing (docker containers occasionally omit it).
+func openTunDev() (int, error) {
 	fd, err := unix.Open("/dev/net/tun", os.O_RDWR, 0)
-	if err != nil {
-		// If /dev/net/tun doesn't exist, try to create it (will happen in docker)
-		if os.IsNotExist(err) {
-			err = os.MkdirAll("/dev/net", 0755)
-			if err != nil {
-				return nil, fmt.Errorf("/dev/net/tun doesn't exist, failed to mkdir -p /dev/net: %w", err)
-			}
-			err = unix.Mknod("/dev/net/tun", unix.S_IFCHR|0600, int(unix.Mkdev(10, 200)))
-			if err != nil {
-				return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to create /dev/net/tun: %w", err)
-			}
-
-			fd, err = unix.Open("/dev/net/tun", os.O_RDWR, 0)
-			if err != nil {
-				return nil, fmt.Errorf("created /dev/net/tun, but still failed: %w", err)
-			}
-		} else {
-			return nil, err
-		}
+	if err == nil {
+		return fd, nil
 	}
+	if !os.IsNotExist(err) {
+		return -1, err
+	}
+	if err = os.MkdirAll("/dev/net", 0755); err != nil {
+		return -1, fmt.Errorf("/dev/net/tun doesn't exist, failed to mkdir -p /dev/net: %w", err)
+	}
+	if err = unix.Mknod("/dev/net/tun", unix.S_IFCHR|0600, int(unix.Mkdev(10, 200))); err != nil {
+		return -1, fmt.Errorf("failed to create /dev/net/tun: %w", err)
+	}
+	fd, err = unix.Open("/dev/net/tun", os.O_RDWR, 0)
+	if err != nil {
+		return -1, fmt.Errorf("created /dev/net/tun, but still failed: %w", err)
+	}
+	return fd, nil
+}
 
+// tunSetIff runs TUNSETIFF with the given flags and returns the kernel-chosen
+// device name on success.
+func tunSetIff(fd int, name string, flags uint16) (string, error) {
 	var req ifReq
-	req.Flags = uint16(unix.IFF_TUN | unix.IFF_NO_PI)
+	req.Flags = flags
+	copy(req.Name[:], name)
+	if err := ioctl(uintptr(fd), uintptr(unix.TUNSETIFF), uintptr(unsafe.Pointer(&req))); err != nil {
+		return "", err
+	}
+	return strings.Trim(string(req.Name[:]), "\x00"), nil
+}
+
+func newTun(c *config.C, l *slog.Logger, vpnNetworks []netip.Prefix, multiqueue bool) (*tun, error) {
+	baseFlags := uint16(unix.IFF_TUN | unix.IFF_NO_PI)
 	if multiqueue {
-		req.Flags |= unix.IFF_MULTI_QUEUE
+		baseFlags |= unix.IFF_MULTI_QUEUE
 	}
 	nameStr := c.GetString("tun.dev", "")
-	copy(req.Name[:], nameStr)
-	if err = ioctl(uintptr(fd), uintptr(unix.TUNSETIFF), uintptr(unsafe.Pointer(&req))); err != nil {
-		_ = unix.Close(fd)
-		return nil, &NameError{
-			Name:       nameStr,
-			Underlying: err,
-		}
-	}
-	name := strings.Trim(string(req.Name[:]), "\x00")
 
-	t, err := newTunGeneric(c, l, fd, vpnNetworks)
+	fd, err := openTunDev()
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+
+	name, err := tunSetIff(fd, nameStr, baseFlags)
+	if err != nil {
+		_ = unix.Close(fd)
+		return nil, &NameError{Name: nameStr, Underlying: err}
+	}
+
+	t, err := newTunGeneric(c, l, fd, false, false, vpnNetworks)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
@@ -299,15 +148,21 @@ func newTun(c *config.C, l *slog.Logger, vpnNetworks []netip.Prefix, multiqueue
 }
 
 // newTunGeneric does all the stuff common to different tun initialization paths. It will close your files on error.
-func newTunGeneric(c *config.C, l *slog.Logger, fd int, vpnNetworks []netip.Prefix) (*tun, error) {
-	tfd, err := newTunFd(fd)
+func newTunGeneric(c *config.C, l *slog.Logger, fd int, vnetHdr, usoEnabled bool, vpnNetworks []netip.Prefix) (*tun, error) {
+	qs, err := tio.NewPollQueueSet()
+
 	if err != nil {
 		_ = unix.Close(fd)
 		return nil, err
 	}
+	err = qs.Add(fd)
+	if err != nil {
+		_ = unix.Close(fd)
+		return nil, err
+	}
+
 	t := &tun{
-		tunFile:                   tfd,
-		readers:                   []*tunFile{tfd},
+		readers:                   qs,
 		closeLock:                 sync.Mutex{},
 		vpnNetworks:               vpnNetworks,
 		TXQueueLen:                c.GetInt("tun.tx_queue", 500),
@@ -410,32 +265,29 @@ func (t *tun) SupportsMultiqueue() bool {
 	return true
 }
 
-func (t *tun) NewMultiQueueReader() (io.ReadWriteCloser, error) {
+func (t *tun) NewMultiQueueReader() error {
 	t.closeLock.Lock()
 	defer t.closeLock.Unlock()
 
 	fd, err := unix.Open("/dev/net/tun", os.O_RDWR, 0)
 	if err != nil {
-		return nil, err
+		return err
 	}
 
-	var req ifReq
-	req.Flags = uint16(unix.IFF_TUN | unix.IFF_NO_PI | unix.IFF_MULTI_QUEUE)
-	copy(req.Name[:], t.Device)
-	if err = ioctl(uintptr(fd), uintptr(unix.TUNSETIFF), uintptr(unsafe.Pointer(&req))); err != nil {
+	flags := uint16(unix.IFF_TUN | unix.IFF_NO_PI | unix.IFF_MULTI_QUEUE)
+
+	if _, err = tunSetIff(fd, t.Device, flags); err != nil {
 		_ = unix.Close(fd)
-		return nil, err
+		return err
 	}
 
-	out, err := t.tunFile.newFriend(fd)
+	err = t.readers.Add(fd)
 	if err != nil {
 		_ = unix.Close(fd)
-		return nil, err
+		return err
 	}
 
-	t.readers = append(t.readers, out)
-
-	return out, nil
+	return nil
 }
 
 func (t *tun) RoutesFor(ip netip.Addr) routing.Gateways {
@@ -603,6 +455,15 @@ func (t *tun) setDefaultRoute(cidr netip.Prefix) error {
 		Table:     unix.RT_TABLE_MAIN,
 		Type:      unix.RTN_UNICAST,
 	}
+	// Match the metric the kernel uses for its auto-installed connected
+	// route, so RouteReplace overwrites it in place instead of adding a
+	// second route at a worse metric. IPv6 connected routes are installed
+	// at metric 256 (IP6_RT_PRIO_KERN); IPv4 uses 0. Without this, the
+	// kernel route wins lookups and our MTU / AdvMSS / Features never
+	// apply on v6.
+	if cidr.Addr().Is6() {
+		nr.Priority = 256
+	}
 	err := netlink.RouteReplace(&nr)
 	if err != nil {
 		t.l.Warn("Failed to set default route MTU, retrying", "error", err, "cidr", cidr)
@@ -869,6 +730,10 @@ func (t *tun) updateRoutes(r netlink.RouteUpdate) {
 	t.routeTree.Store(newTree)
 }
 
+func (t *tun) Readers() []tio.Queue {
+	return t.readers.Queues()
+}
+
 func (t *tun) Close() error {
 	t.closeLock.Lock()
 	defer t.closeLock.Unlock()
@@ -878,32 +743,10 @@ func (t *tun) Close() error {
 		t.routeChan = nil
 	}
 
-	// Signal all readers blocked in poll to wake up and exit
-	_ = t.tunFile.wakeForShutdown()
-
 	if t.ioctlFd > 0 {
 		_ = unix.Close(int(t.ioctlFd))
 		t.ioctlFd = 0
 	}
 
-	for i := range t.readers {
-		if i == 0 {
-			continue //we want to close the zeroth reader last
-		}
-		err := t.readers[i].Close()
-		if err != nil {
-			t.l.Error("error closing tun reader", "reader", i, "error", err)
-		} else {
-			t.l.Info("closed tun reader", "reader", i)
-		}
-	}
-
-	//this is t.readers[0] too
-	err := t.tunFile.Close()
-	if err != nil {
-		t.l.Error("error closing tun reader", "reader", 0, "error", err)
-	} else {
-		t.l.Info("closed tun reader", "reader", 0)
-	}
-	return err
+	return t.readers.Close()
 }

overlay/tun_linux_test.go

@@ -3,7 +3,9 @@
 
 package overlay
 
-import "testing"
+import (
+	"testing"
+)
 
 var runAdvMSSTests = []struct {
 	name     string

overlay/tun_netbsd.go

@@ -6,7 +6,6 @@ package overlay
 import (
 	"errors"
 	"fmt"
-	"io"
 	"log/slog"
 	"net/netip"
 	"os"
@@ -17,8 +16,10 @@ import (
 
 	"github.com/gaissmai/bart"
 	"github.com/slackhq/nebula/config"
+	"github.com/slackhq/nebula/overlay/tio"
 	"github.com/slackhq/nebula/routing"
 	"github.com/slackhq/nebula/util"
+	"github.com/slackhq/nebula/wire"
 	netroute "golang.org/x/net/route"
 	"golang.org/x/sys/unix"
 )
@@ -68,6 +69,27 @@ type tun struct {
 	fd          int
 }
 
+func (t *tun) Read(p []wire.TunPacket, mem []byte) (int, error) {
+	if len(p) == 0 || len(mem) == 0 {
+		return 0, nil //todo should this be an err?
+	}
+	p[0].Meta = struct{}{}
+	n, err := t.readOne(mem)
+	if err != nil {
+		return 0, err
+	}
+	p[0].Bytes = mem[:n]
+	return 1, nil
+}
+
+func (t *tun) Readers() []tio.Queue {
+	return []tio.Queue{t}
+}
+
+func (t *tun) Capabilities() tio.Capabilities {
+	return tio.Capabilities{}
+}
+
 var deviceNameRE = regexp.MustCompile(`^tun[0-9]+$`)
 
 func newTunFromFd(_ *config.C, _ *slog.Logger, _ int, _ []netip.Prefix) (*tun, error) {
@@ -141,7 +163,7 @@ func (t *tun) Close() error {
 	return nil
 }
 
-func (t *tun) Read(to []byte) (int, error) {
+func (t *tun) readOne(to []byte) (int, error) {
 	rc, err := t.f.SyscallConn()
 	if err != nil {
 		return 0, fmt.Errorf("failed to get syscall conn for tun: %w", err)
@@ -394,8 +416,8 @@ func (t *tun) SupportsMultiqueue() bool {
 	return false
 }
 
-func (t *tun) NewMultiQueueReader() (io.ReadWriteCloser, error) {
-	return nil, fmt.Errorf("TODO: multiqueue not implemented for netbsd")
+func (t *tun) NewMultiQueueReader() error {
+	return fmt.Errorf("TODO: multiqueue not implemented for netbsd")
 }
 
 func (t *tun) addRoutes(logErrors bool) error {

overlay/tun_openbsd.go

@@ -6,7 +6,6 @@ package overlay
 import (
 	"errors"
 	"fmt"
-	"io"
 	"log/slog"
 	"net/netip"
 	"os"
@@ -17,8 +16,10 @@ import (
 
 	"github.com/gaissmai/bart"
 	"github.com/slackhq/nebula/config"
+	"github.com/slackhq/nebula/overlay/tio"
 	"github.com/slackhq/nebula/routing"
 	"github.com/slackhq/nebula/util"
+	"github.com/slackhq/nebula/wire"
 	netroute "golang.org/x/net/route"
 	"golang.org/x/sys/unix"
 )
@@ -61,6 +62,19 @@ type tun struct {
 	out []byte
 }
 
+func (t *tun) Read(p []wire.TunPacket, mem []byte) (int, error) {
+	if len(p) == 0 || len(mem) <= 4 {
+		return 0, nil //todo should this be an err?
+	}
+	p[0].Meta = struct{}{}
+	n, err := t.f.Read(mem)
+	if err != nil {
+		return 0, err
+	}
+	p[0].Bytes = mem[4:n]
+	return 1, nil
+}
+
 var deviceNameRE = regexp.MustCompile(`^tun[0-9]+$`)
 
 func newTunFromFd(_ *config.C, _ *slog.Logger, _ int, _ []netip.Prefix) (*tun, error) {
@@ -124,15 +138,6 @@ func (t *tun) Close() error {
 	return nil
 }
 
-func (t *tun) Read(to []byte) (int, error) {
-	buf := make([]byte, len(to)+4)
-
-	n, err := t.f.Read(buf)
-
-	copy(to, buf[4:])
-	return n - 4, err
-}
-
 // Write is only valid for single threaded use
 func (t *tun) Write(from []byte) (int, error) {
 	buf := t.out
@@ -314,8 +319,8 @@ func (t *tun) SupportsMultiqueue() bool {
 	return false
 }
 
-func (t *tun) NewMultiQueueReader() (io.ReadWriteCloser, error) {
-	return nil, fmt.Errorf("TODO: multiqueue not implemented for openbsd")
+func (t *tun) NewMultiQueueReader() error {
+	return fmt.Errorf("TODO: multiqueue not implemented for openbsd")
 }
 
 func (t *tun) addRoutes(logErrors bool) error {
@@ -366,6 +371,14 @@ func (t *tun) deviceBytes() (o [16]byte) {
 	return
 }
 
+func (t *tun) Readers() []tio.Queue {
+	return []tio.Queue{t}
+}
+
+func (t *tun) Capabilities() tio.Capabilities {
+	return tio.Capabilities{}
+}
+
 func addRoute(prefix netip.Prefix, gateways []netip.Prefix) error {
 	sock, err := unix.Socket(unix.AF_ROUTE, unix.SOCK_RAW, unix.AF_UNSPEC)
 	if err != nil {

overlay/tun_tester.go

@@ -14,8 +14,10 @@ import (
 
 	"github.com/gaissmai/bart"
 	"github.com/slackhq/nebula/config"
+	"github.com/slackhq/nebula/overlay/tio"
 	"github.com/slackhq/nebula/routing"
 	"github.com/slackhq/nebula/udp"
+	"github.com/slackhq/nebula/wire"
 )
 
 type TestTun struct {
@@ -162,7 +164,20 @@ func (t *TestTun) Close() error {
 	return nil
 }
 
-func (t *TestTun) Read(b []byte) (int, error) {
+func (t *TestTun) Read(p []wire.TunPacket, mem []byte) (int, error) {
+	if len(p) == 0 || len(mem) == 0 {
+		return 0, nil //todo should this be an err?
+	}
+	p[0].Meta = struct{}{}
+	n, err := t.read(mem)
+	if err != nil {
+		return 0, err
+	}
+	p[0].Bytes = mem[:n]
+	return 1, nil
+}
+
+func (t *TestTun) read(b []byte) (int, error) {
 	p, ok := <-t.rxPackets
 	if !ok {
 		return 0, os.ErrClosed
@@ -177,10 +192,18 @@ func (t *TestTun) Read(b []byte) (int, error) {
 	return n, nil
 }
 
+func (t *TestTun) Readers() []tio.Queue {
+	return []tio.Queue{t}
+}
+
+func (t *TestTun) Capabilities() tio.Capabilities {
+	return tio.Capabilities{}
+}
+
 func (t *TestTun) SupportsMultiqueue() bool {
 	return false
 }
 
-func (t *TestTun) NewMultiQueueReader() (io.ReadWriteCloser, error) {
-	return nil, fmt.Errorf("TODO: multiqueue not implemented")
+func (t *TestTun) NewMultiQueueReader() error {
+	return fmt.Errorf("TODO: multiqueue not implemented")
 }

overlay/tun_windows.go

@@ -6,7 +6,6 @@ package overlay
 import (
 	"crypto"
 	"fmt"
-	"io"
 	"log/slog"
 	"net/netip"
 	"os"
@@ -18,9 +17,11 @@ import (
 
 	"github.com/gaissmai/bart"
 	"github.com/slackhq/nebula/config"
+	"github.com/slackhq/nebula/overlay/tio"
 	"github.com/slackhq/nebula/routing"
 	"github.com/slackhq/nebula/util"
 	"github.com/slackhq/nebula/wintun"
+	"github.com/slackhq/nebula/wire"
 	"golang.org/x/sys/windows"
 	"golang.zx2c4.com/wireguard/windows/tunnel/winipcfg"
 )
@@ -47,6 +48,19 @@ type winTun struct {
 	tun *wintun.NativeTun
 }
 
+func (t *winTun) Read(p []wire.TunPacket, mem []byte) (int, error) {
+	if len(p) == 0 || len(mem) == 0 {
+		return 0, nil //todo should this be an err?
+	}
+	p[0].Meta = struct{}{}
+	n, err := t.tun.Read(mem, 0)
+	if err != nil {
+		return 0, err
+	}
+	p[0].Bytes = mem[:n]
+	return 1, nil
+}
+
 func newTunFromFd(_ *config.C, _ *slog.Logger, _ int, _ []netip.Prefix) (Device, error) {
 	return nil, fmt.Errorf("newTunFromFd not supported in Windows")
 }
@@ -255,10 +269,6 @@ func (t *winTun) Name() string {
 	return t.Device
 }
 
-func (t *winTun) Read(b []byte) (int, error) {
-	return t.tun.Read(b, 0)
-}
-
 func (t *winTun) Write(b []byte) (int, error) {
 	return t.tun.Write(b, 0)
 }
@@ -267,8 +277,16 @@ func (t *winTun) SupportsMultiqueue() bool {
 	return false
 }
 
-func (t *winTun) NewMultiQueueReader() (io.ReadWriteCloser, error) {
-	return nil, fmt.Errorf("TODO: multiqueue not implemented for windows")
+func (t *winTun) NewMultiQueueReader() error {
+	return fmt.Errorf("TODO: multiqueue not implemented for windows")
+}
+
+func (t *winTun) Readers() []tio.Queue {
+	return []tio.Queue{t}
+}
+
+func (t *winTun) Capabilities() tio.Capabilities {
+	return tio.Capabilities{}
 }
 
 func (t *winTun) Close() error {

overlay/user.go

@@ -6,7 +6,9 @@ import (
 	"net/netip"
 
 	"github.com/slackhq/nebula/config"
+	"github.com/slackhq/nebula/overlay/tio"
 	"github.com/slackhq/nebula/routing"
+	"github.com/slackhq/nebula/wire"
 )
 
 func NewUserDeviceFromConfig(c *config.C, l *slog.Logger, vpnNetworks []netip.Prefix, routines int) (Device, error) {
@@ -23,11 +25,13 @@ func NewUserDevice(vpnNetworks []netip.Prefix) (Device, error) {
 		outboundWriter: ow,
 		inboundReader:  ir,
 		inboundWriter:  iw,
+		numReaders:     1,
 	}, nil
 }
 
 type UserDevice struct {
 	vpnNetworks []netip.Prefix
+	numReaders  int
 
 	outboundReader *io.PipeReader
 	outboundWriter *io.PipeWriter
@@ -36,6 +40,23 @@ type UserDevice struct {
 	inboundWriter *io.PipeWriter
 }
 
+func (d *UserDevice) Capabilities() tio.Capabilities {
+	return tio.Capabilities{}
+}
+
+func (d *UserDevice) Read(p []wire.TunPacket, mem []byte) (int, error) {
+	if len(p) == 0 || len(mem) == 0 {
+		return 0, nil //todo should this be an err?
+	}
+	p[0].Meta = struct{}{}
+	n, err := d.outboundReader.Read(mem)
+	if err != nil {
+		return 0, err
+	}
+	p[0].Bytes = mem[:n]
+	return 1, nil
+}
+
 func (d *UserDevice) Activate() error {
 	return nil
 }
@@ -50,20 +71,27 @@ func (d *UserDevice) SupportsMultiqueue() bool {
 	return true
 }
 
-func (d *UserDevice) NewMultiQueueReader() (io.ReadWriteCloser, error) {
-	return d, nil
+func (d *UserDevice) NewMultiQueueReader() error {
+	d.numReaders++
+	return nil
+}
+
+func (d *UserDevice) Readers() []tio.Queue {
+	out := make([]tio.Queue, d.numReaders)
+	for i := range d.numReaders {
+		out[i] = d
+	}
+	return out
 }
 
 func (d *UserDevice) Pipe() (*io.PipeReader, *io.PipeWriter) {
 	return d.inboundReader, d.outboundWriter
 }
 
-func (d *UserDevice) Read(p []byte) (n int, err error) {
-	return d.outboundReader.Read(p)
-}
 func (d *UserDevice) Write(p []byte) (n int, err error) {
 	return d.inboundWriter.Write(p)
 }
+
 func (d *UserDevice) Close() error {
 	d.inboundWriter.Close()
 	d.outboundWriter.Close()

udp/conn.go

@@ -8,16 +8,49 @@ import (
 
 const MTU = 9001
 
+// MaxWriteBatch is the largest batch any Conn.WriteBatch implementation is
+// required to accept. Callers SHOULD NOT pass more than this per call; Linux
+// backends preallocate sendmmsg scratch sized to this value, so exceeding it
+// only costs additional sendmmsg chunks within a single WriteBatch call.
+const MaxWriteBatch = 128
+
+// RxMeta carries per-packet metadata extracted from the RX path (ancillary
+// data, kernel offload state, etc.) and passed to EncReader callbacks.
+// Backends that do not produce a particular signal leave its zero value.
+//
+// OuterECN is the 2-bit IP-level ECN codepoint stamped on the carrier
+// datagram (extracted from IP_TOS / IPV6_TCLASS cmsg on Linux). Zero
+// means Not-ECT, which is also the value backends without ECN RX support
+// supply on every packet.
+type RxMeta struct {
+	OuterECN byte
+}
+
 type EncReader func(
 	addr netip.AddrPort,
 	payload []byte,
+	meta RxMeta,
 )
 
 type Conn interface {
 	Rebind() error
 	LocalAddr() (netip.AddrPort, error)
-	ListenOut(r EncReader) error
+	// ListenOut invokes r for each received packet. On batch-capable
+	// backends (recvmmsg), flush is called after each batch is fully
+	// delivered — callers use it to flush per-batch accumulators such as
+	// TUN write coalescers. Single-packet backends call flush after each
+	// packet. flush must not be nil.
+	ListenOut(r EncReader, flush func()) error
 	WriteTo(b []byte, addr netip.AddrPort) error
+	// WriteBatch sends a contiguous batch of packets, each with its own
+	// destination. bufs and addrs must have the same length. outerECNs may
+	// be nil (treated as all-zero / Not-ECT); when non-nil it must have the
+	// same length as bufs, and outerECNs[i] is the 2-bit IP-level ECN
+	// codepoint to set on packet i's outer header. Linux uses sendmmsg(2)
+	// for a single syscall and attaches the value as IP_TOS / IPV6_TCLASS
+	// cmsg; other backends ignore it. Returns on the first error; callers
+	// may observe a partial send if some packets went out before the error.
+	WriteBatch(bufs [][]byte, addrs []netip.AddrPort, outerECNs []byte) error
 	ReloadConfig(c *config.C)
 	SupportsMultipleReaders() bool
 	Close() error
@@ -31,7 +64,7 @@ func (NoopConn) Rebind() error {
 func (NoopConn) LocalAddr() (netip.AddrPort, error) {
 	return netip.AddrPort{}, nil
 }
-func (NoopConn) ListenOut(_ EncReader) error {
+func (NoopConn) ListenOut(_ EncReader, _ func()) error {
 	return nil
 }
 func (NoopConn) SupportsMultipleReaders() bool {
@@ -40,6 +73,9 @@ func (NoopConn) SupportsMultipleReaders() bool {
 func (NoopConn) WriteTo(_ []byte, _ netip.AddrPort) error {
 	return nil
 }
+func (NoopConn) WriteBatch(_ [][]byte, _ []netip.AddrPort, _ []byte) error {
+	return nil
+}
 func (NoopConn) ReloadConfig(_ *config.C) {
 	return
 }

udp/udp_darwin.go

@@ -140,6 +140,15 @@ func (u *StdConn) WriteTo(b []byte, ap netip.AddrPort) error {
 	}
 }
 
+func (u *StdConn) WriteBatch(bufs [][]byte, addrs []netip.AddrPort, _ []byte) error {
+	for i, b := range bufs {
+		if err := u.WriteTo(b, addrs[i]); err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+	}
+	return nil
+}
+
 func (u *StdConn) LocalAddr() (netip.AddrPort, error) {
 	a := u.UDPConn.LocalAddr()
 
@@ -165,7 +174,7 @@ func NewUDPStatsEmitter(udpConns []Conn) func() {
 	return func() {}
 }
 
-func (u *StdConn) ListenOut(r EncReader) error {
+func (u *StdConn) ListenOut(r EncReader, flush func()) error {
 	buffer := make([]byte, MTU)
 
 	for {
@@ -179,7 +188,8 @@ func (u *StdConn) ListenOut(r EncReader) error {
 			u.l.Error("unexpected udp socket receive error", "error", err)
 		}
 
-		r(netip.AddrPortFrom(rua.Addr().Unmap(), rua.Port()), buffer[:n])
+		r(netip.AddrPortFrom(rua.Addr().Unmap(), rua.Port()), buffer[:n], RxMeta{})
+		flush()
 	}
 }
 

udp/udp_generic.go

@@ -44,6 +44,15 @@ func (u *GenericConn) WriteTo(b []byte, addr netip.AddrPort) error {
 	return err
 }
 
+func (u *GenericConn) WriteBatch(bufs [][]byte, addrs []netip.AddrPort, _ []byte) error {
+	for i, b := range bufs {
+		if _, err := u.UDPConn.WriteToUDPAddrPort(b, addrs[i]); err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+	}
+	return nil
+}
+
 func (u *GenericConn) LocalAddr() (netip.AddrPort, error) {
 	a := u.UDPConn.LocalAddr()
 
@@ -73,7 +82,7 @@ type rawMessage struct {
 	Len uint32
 }
 
-func (u *GenericConn) ListenOut(r EncReader) error {
+func (u *GenericConn) ListenOut(r EncReader, flush func()) error {
 	buffer := make([]byte, MTU)
 
 	var lastRecvErr time.Time
@@ -93,7 +102,8 @@ func (u *GenericConn) ListenOut(r EncReader) error {
 			continue
 		}
 
-		r(netip.AddrPortFrom(rua.Addr().Unmap(), rua.Port()), buffer[:n])
+		r(netip.AddrPortFrom(rua.Addr().Unmap(), rua.Port()), buffer[:n], RxMeta{})
+		flush()
 	}
 }
 

udp/udp_linux.go

@@ -24,6 +24,22 @@ type StdConn struct {
 	isV4    bool
 	l       *slog.Logger
 	batch   int
+
+	// sendmmsg scratch. Each queue has its own StdConn, so no locking is
+	// needed. Sized to MaxWriteBatch at construction; WriteBatch chunks
+	// larger inputs.
+	writeMsgs  []rawMessage
+	writeIovs  []iovec
+	writeNames [][]byte
+
+	// sendmmsg(2) callback state. sendmmsgCB is bound once in NewListener
+	// to the sendmmsgRun method value so passing it to rawConn.Write does
+	// not allocate a fresh closure per send; sendmmsgN/Sent/Errno carry
+	// the inputs and outputs across the call without escaping locals.
+	sendmmsgCB    func(fd uintptr) bool
+	sendmmsgN     int
+	sendmmsgSent  int
+	sendmmsgErrno syscall.Errno
 }
 
 func setReusePort(network, address string, c syscall.RawConn) error {
@@ -70,9 +86,23 @@ func NewListener(l *slog.Logger, ip netip.Addr, port int, multi bool, batch int)
 	}
 	out.isV4 = af == unix.AF_INET
 
+	out.prepareWriteMessages(MaxWriteBatch)
+	out.sendmmsgCB = out.sendmmsgRun
+
 	return out, nil
 }
 
+func (u *StdConn) prepareWriteMessages(n int) {
+	u.writeMsgs = make([]rawMessage, n)
+	u.writeIovs = make([]iovec, n)
+	u.writeNames = make([][]byte, n)
+
+	for i := range u.writeMsgs {
+		u.writeNames[i] = make([]byte, unix.SizeofSockaddrInet6)
+		u.writeMsgs[i].Hdr.Name = &u.writeNames[i][0]
+	}
+}
+
 func (u *StdConn) SupportsMultipleReaders() bool {
 	return true
 }
@@ -171,7 +201,7 @@ func recvmmsg(fd uintptr, msgs []rawMessage) (int, bool, error) {
 	return int(n), true, nil
 }
 
-func (u *StdConn) listenOutSingle(r EncReader) error {
+func (u *StdConn) listenOutSingle(r EncReader, flush func()) error {
 	var err error
 	var n int
 	var from netip.AddrPort
@@ -183,16 +213,33 @@ func (u *StdConn) listenOutSingle(r EncReader) error {
 			return err
 		}
 		from = netip.AddrPortFrom(from.Addr().Unmap(), from.Port())
-		r(from, buffer[:n])
+		// listenOutSingle uses ReadFromUDPAddrPort which discards cmsgs,
+		// so the outer ECN field is not visible on this path. Zero RxMeta
+		// (Not-ECT) means RFC 6040 combine is a no-op.
+		r(from, buffer[:n], RxMeta{})
+		flush()
 	}
 }
 
-func (u *StdConn) listenOutBatch(r EncReader) error {
+// readSockaddr decodes the source address out of a recvmmsg name buffer
+func (u *StdConn) readSockaddr(name []byte) netip.AddrPort {
 	var ip netip.Addr
+	// It's ok to skip the ok check here, the slicing is the only error that can occur and it will panic
+	if u.isV4 {
+		ip, _ = netip.AddrFromSlice(name[4:8])
+	} else {
+		ip, _ = netip.AddrFromSlice(name[8:24])
+	}
+	return netip.AddrPortFrom(ip.Unmap(), binary.BigEndian.Uint16(name[2:4]))
+}
+
+func (u *StdConn) listenOutBatch(r EncReader, flush func()) error {
 	var n int
 	var operr error
 
-	msgs, buffers, names := u.PrepareRawMessages(u.batch)
+	bufSize := MTU
+	cmsgSpace := 0
+	msgs, buffers, names, _ := u.PrepareRawMessages(u.batch, bufSize, cmsgSpace)
 
 	//reader needs to capture variables from this function, since it's used as a lambda with rawConn.Read
 	//defining it outside the loop so it gets re-used
@@ -211,22 +258,18 @@ func (u *StdConn) listenOutBatch(r EncReader) error {
 		}
 
 		for i := 0; i < n; i++ {
-			// Its ok to skip the ok check here, the slicing is the only error that can occur and it will panic
-			if u.isV4 {
-				ip, _ = netip.AddrFromSlice(names[i][4:8])
-			} else {
-				ip, _ = netip.AddrFromSlice(names[i][8:24])
-			}
-			r(netip.AddrPortFrom(ip.Unmap(), binary.BigEndian.Uint16(names[i][2:4])), buffers[i][:msgs[i].Len])
+			r(u.readSockaddr(names[i]), buffers[i][:msgs[i].Len], RxMeta{})
 		}
+
+		flush()
 	}
 }
 
-func (u *StdConn) ListenOut(r EncReader) error {
+func (u *StdConn) ListenOut(r EncReader, flush func()) error {
 	if u.batch == 1 {
-		return u.listenOutSingle(r)
+		return u.listenOutSingle(r, flush)
 	} else {
-		return u.listenOutBatch(r)
+		return u.listenOutBatch(r, flush)
 	}
 }
 
@@ -235,6 +278,120 @@ func (u *StdConn) WriteTo(b []byte, ip netip.AddrPort) error {
 	return err
 }
 
+// WriteBatch sends bufs via sendmmsg(2) using the preallocated scratch on
+// StdConn. If supported, consecutive packets to the same destination with
+// matching segment sizes (all but possibly the last) are coalesced into a
+// single mmsghdr entry
+//
+// If sendmmsg returns an error and zero entries went out, we fall back to
+// per-packet WriteTo for that chunk so the caller still gets best-effort
+// delivery. On a partial send we resume at the first un-acked entry on
+// the next iteration.
+func (u *StdConn) WriteBatch(bufs [][]byte, addrs []netip.AddrPort, _ []byte) error {
+	for i := 0; i < len(bufs); {
+		chunk := min(len(bufs)-i, len(u.writeMsgs))
+
+		for k := 0; k < chunk; k++ {
+			u.writeIovs[k].Base = &bufs[i+k][0]
+			setIovLen(&u.writeIovs[k], len(bufs[i+k]))
+
+			nlen, err := writeSockaddr(u.writeNames[k], addrs[i+k], u.isV4)
+			if err != nil {
+				return err
+			}
+
+			hdr := &u.writeMsgs[k].Hdr
+			hdr.Iov = &u.writeIovs[k]
+			setMsgIovlen(hdr, 1)
+			hdr.Namelen = uint32(nlen)
+		}
+
+		sent, serr := u.sendmmsg(chunk)
+		if serr != nil && sent <= 0 {
+			// sendmmsg returns -1 / sent=0 when entry 0 itself failed; log
+			// that entry's destination and fall back to per-packet WriteTo
+			// for the whole chunk so the caller still gets best-effort
+			// delivery without duplicating packets the kernel accepted.
+			u.l.Warn("sendmmsg failed, falling back to per-packet WriteTo",
+				"err", serr,
+				"entries", chunk,
+				"entry0_dst", addrs[i],
+				"isV4", u.isV4,
+			)
+			for k := 0; k < chunk; k++ {
+				if werr := u.WriteTo(bufs[i+k], addrs[i+k]); werr != nil {
+					return werr
+				}
+			}
+			i += chunk
+			continue
+		}
+		i += sent
+	}
+	return nil
+}
+
+// sendmmsg issues sendmmsg(2) against the first n entries of u.writeMsgs.
+// The bound u.sendmmsgCB is passed to rawConn.Write so no closure is
+// allocated per call; inputs and outputs ride on the StdConn fields.
+func (u *StdConn) sendmmsg(n int) (int, error) {
+	u.sendmmsgN = n
+	u.sendmmsgSent = 0
+	u.sendmmsgErrno = 0
+	if err := u.rawConn.Write(u.sendmmsgCB); err != nil {
+		return u.sendmmsgSent, err
+	}
+	if u.sendmmsgErrno != 0 {
+		return u.sendmmsgSent, &net.OpError{Op: "sendmmsg", Err: u.sendmmsgErrno}
+	}
+	return u.sendmmsgSent, nil
+}
+
+// sendmmsgRun is the rawConn.Write callback. It is bound once into
+// u.sendmmsgCB at construction so it stays alloc-free in the hot path;
+// inputs (sendmmsgN) and outputs (sendmmsgSent, sendmmsgErrno) ride on
+// the receiver rather than escaping locals.
+func (u *StdConn) sendmmsgRun(fd uintptr) bool {
+	r1, _, errno := unix.Syscall6(unix.SYS_SENDMMSG, fd,
+		uintptr(unsafe.Pointer(&u.writeMsgs[0])), uintptr(u.sendmmsgN),
+		0, 0, 0,
+	)
+	if errno == syscall.EAGAIN || errno == syscall.EWOULDBLOCK {
+		return false
+	}
+	u.sendmmsgSent = int(r1)
+	u.sendmmsgErrno = errno
+	return true
+}
+
+// writeSockaddr encodes addr into buf (which must be at least
+// SizeofSockaddrInet6 bytes). Returns the number of bytes used. If isV4 is
+// true and addr is not a v4 (or v4-in-v6) address, returns an error.
+func writeSockaddr(buf []byte, addr netip.AddrPort, isV4 bool) (int, error) {
+	ap := addr.Addr().Unmap()
+	if isV4 {
+		if !ap.Is4() {
+			return 0, ErrInvalidIPv6RemoteForSocket
+		}
+		// struct sockaddr_in: { sa_family_t(2), in_port_t(2, BE), in_addr(4), zero(8) }
+		// sa_family is host endian.
+		binary.NativeEndian.PutUint16(buf[0:2], unix.AF_INET)
+		binary.BigEndian.PutUint16(buf[2:4], addr.Port())
+		ip4 := ap.As4()
+		copy(buf[4:8], ip4[:])
+		clear(buf[8:16])
+		return unix.SizeofSockaddrInet4, nil
+	}
+	// struct sockaddr_in6: { sa_family_t(2), in_port_t(2, BE), flowinfo(4), in6_addr(16), scope_id(4) }
+	binary.NativeEndian.PutUint16(buf[0:2], unix.AF_INET6)
+	binary.BigEndian.PutUint16(buf[2:4], addr.Port())
+	binary.NativeEndian.PutUint32(buf[4:8], 0)
+	ip6 := addr.Addr().As16()
+	copy(buf[8:24], ip6[:])
+	binary.NativeEndian.PutUint32(buf[24:28], 0)
+	return unix.SizeofSockaddrInet6, nil
+}
+
 func (u *StdConn) ReloadConfig(c *config.C) {
 	b := c.GetInt("listen.read_buffer", 0)
 	if b > 0 {

udp/udp_linux_32.go

@@ -30,13 +30,18 @@ type rawMessage struct {
 	Len uint32
 }
 
-func (u *StdConn) PrepareRawMessages(n int) ([]rawMessage, [][]byte, [][]byte) {
+func (u *StdConn) PrepareRawMessages(n, bufSize, cmsgSpace int) ([]rawMessage, [][]byte, [][]byte, []byte) {
 	msgs := make([]rawMessage, n)
 	buffers := make([][]byte, n)
 	names := make([][]byte, n)
 
+	var cmsgs []byte
+	if cmsgSpace > 0 {
+		cmsgs = make([]byte, n*cmsgSpace)
+	}
+
 	for i := range msgs {
-		buffers[i] = make([]byte, MTU)
+		buffers[i] = make([]byte, bufSize)
 		names[i] = make([]byte, unix.SizeofSockaddrInet6)
 
 		vs := []iovec{
@@ -48,7 +53,28 @@ func (u *StdConn) PrepareRawMessages(n int) ([]rawMessage, [][]byte, [][]byte) {
 
 		msgs[i].Hdr.Name = &names[i][0]
 		msgs[i].Hdr.Namelen = uint32(len(names[i]))
+
+		if cmsgSpace > 0 {
+			msgs[i].Hdr.Control = &cmsgs[i*cmsgSpace]
+			msgs[i].Hdr.Controllen = uint32(cmsgSpace)
+		}
 	}
 
-	return msgs, buffers, names
+	return msgs, buffers, names, cmsgs
+}
+
+func setIovLen(v *iovec, n int) {
+	v.Len = uint32(n)
+}
+
+func setMsgIovlen(m *msghdr, n int) {
+	m.Iovlen = uint32(n)
+}
+
+func setMsgControllen(m *msghdr, n int) {
+	m.Controllen = uint32(n)
+}
+
+func setCmsgLen(h *unix.Cmsghdr, n int) {
+	h.Len = uint32(n)
 }

udp/udp_linux_64.go

@@ -33,13 +33,18 @@ type rawMessage struct {
 	Pad0 [4]byte
 }
 
-func (u *StdConn) PrepareRawMessages(n int) ([]rawMessage, [][]byte, [][]byte) {
+func (u *StdConn) PrepareRawMessages(n, bufSize, cmsgSpace int) ([]rawMessage, [][]byte, [][]byte, []byte) {
 	msgs := make([]rawMessage, n)
 	buffers := make([][]byte, n)
 	names := make([][]byte, n)
 
+	var cmsgs []byte
+	if cmsgSpace > 0 {
+		cmsgs = make([]byte, n*cmsgSpace)
+	}
+
 	for i := range msgs {
-		buffers[i] = make([]byte, MTU)
+		buffers[i] = make([]byte, bufSize)
 		names[i] = make([]byte, unix.SizeofSockaddrInet6)
 
 		vs := []iovec{
@@ -51,7 +56,28 @@ func (u *StdConn) PrepareRawMessages(n int) ([]rawMessage, [][]byte, [][]byte) {
 
 		msgs[i].Hdr.Name = &names[i][0]
 		msgs[i].Hdr.Namelen = uint32(len(names[i]))
+
+		if cmsgSpace > 0 {
+			msgs[i].Hdr.Control = &cmsgs[i*cmsgSpace]
+			msgs[i].Hdr.Controllen = uint64(cmsgSpace)
+		}
 	}
 
-	return msgs, buffers, names
+	return msgs, buffers, names, cmsgs
+}
+
+func setIovLen(v *iovec, n int) {
+	v.Len = uint64(n)
+}
+
+func setMsgIovlen(m *msghdr, n int) {
+	m.Iovlen = uint64(n)
+}
+
+func setMsgControllen(m *msghdr, n int) {
+	m.Controllen = uint64(n)
+}
+
+func setCmsgLen(h *unix.Cmsghdr, n int) {
+	h.Len = uint64(n)
 }

udp/udp_rio_windows.go

@@ -140,7 +140,7 @@ func (u *RIOConn) bind(l *slog.Logger, sa windows.Sockaddr) error {
 	return nil
 }
 
-func (u *RIOConn) ListenOut(r EncReader) error {
+func (u *RIOConn) ListenOut(r EncReader, flush func()) error {
 	buffer := make([]byte, MTU)
 
 	var lastRecvErr time.Time
@@ -161,7 +161,8 @@ func (u *RIOConn) ListenOut(r EncReader) error {
 			continue
 		}
 
-		r(netip.AddrPortFrom(netip.AddrFrom16(rua.Addr).Unmap(), (rua.Port>>8)|((rua.Port&0xff)<<8)), buffer[:n])
+		r(netip.AddrPortFrom(netip.AddrFrom16(rua.Addr).Unmap(), (rua.Port>>8)|((rua.Port&0xff)<<8)), buffer[:n], RxMeta{})
+		flush()
 	}
 }
 
@@ -316,6 +317,15 @@ func (u *RIOConn) WriteTo(buf []byte, ip netip.AddrPort) error {
 	return winrio.SendEx(u.rq, dataBuffer, 1, nil, addressBuffer, nil, nil, 0, 0)
 }
 
+func (u *RIOConn) WriteBatch(bufs [][]byte, addrs []netip.AddrPort, _ []byte) error {
+	for i, b := range bufs {
+		if err := u.WriteTo(b, addrs[i]); err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+	}
+	return nil
+}
+
 func (u *RIOConn) LocalAddr() (netip.AddrPort, error) {
 	sa, err := windows.Getsockname(u.sock)
 	if err != nil {

udp/udp_tester.go

@@ -157,15 +157,24 @@ func (u *TesterConn) WriteTo(b []byte, addr netip.AddrPort) error {
 		return nil
 	}
 }
+func (u *TesterConn) WriteBatch(bufs [][]byte, addrs []netip.AddrPort, _ []byte) error {
+	for i, b := range bufs {
+		if err := u.WriteTo(b, addrs[i]); err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+	}
+	return nil
+}
 
-func (u *TesterConn) ListenOut(r EncReader) error {
+func (u *TesterConn) ListenOut(r EncReader, flush func()) error {
 	for {
 		select {
 		case <-u.done:
 			return os.ErrClosed
 		case p := <-u.RxPackets:
-			r(p.From, p.Data)
+			r(p.From, p.Data, RxMeta{})
 			p.Release()
+			flush()
 		}
 	}
 }

wire/wire.go

@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+package wire
+
+// TunPacket is the unit a read from a tun device returns.
+// On supported platforms, it may be a superpacket, but a single TunPacket will never have more than one destination.
+type TunPacket struct {
+	// Bytes contains the actual packet
+	Bytes []byte
+	// Meta contains other information to help process the packet correctly, such as offsets for segmentation offloads
+	// Fields in Meta should be as portable/platform-agnostic as possible.
+	Meta struct{}
+}
+
+// PerSegment invokes fn once per segment of pkt.
+// This is a stub implementation that does not actually support segmentation
+func (t *TunPacket) PerSegment(fn func(seg []byte) error) error {
+	return fn(t.Bytes)
+}